Paws and Play Studio | San Francisco Bay Area Dog Photography

I apologize for being MIA for so long! One week after I published my last blog post, I found out I was pregnant and that was the beginning of the end to my blogging journey, until now…! My baby is now 10-months old and I am happy to be sharing dog-friendly, as well as family-friendly trips around the Bay Area with you!

Last fall, we took two weekend trips to Yosemite National Park with Otto and baby Mina. Yosemite does allow leashed dogs on their paved trails which worked out great for us since we also had a stroller to push. Unlike the off-road hikes we used to enjoy, Glacier Point and Mirror Lake Trail are both paved and relatively short, which is what we can realistically achieve nowadays without too much stress.

We also enjoyed a relaxing picnic at Sentinel Beach Picnic Area before heading back to Auotcamp Yosemite where we stayed. Links to all the places I mention here are listed on the bottom of this post.

Glacier Point

This is a gorgeous lookout point at 7,214 feet above sea level, which means you get an awe-inspiring panoramic view and cooler temperatures so bring an extra jacket! I was told you can also see the milky way during the night, if I didn’t have baby Mina I would totally check that out too! Be aware that Glacier Point is open from late spring through early fall, depending on when snowfall begins and ends. Make sure you check to see if it’s opened before you plan a trip there.

Yosemite Valley

taking in some fresh air

Touristy photo

we just had to

Otto and Mumu

Mumu apparently doesn’t need sunglasses

stroller-friendly trail

Mirror Lake Trail

This is a wonderful 2-mile hike out and back to Mirror lake starting right behind the Ahwahnee Hotel. The trail was not crowded when we went and I had a lot of fun photographing Otto since the scenery changes with every turn we took!

Otto

no longer a white terrier, but a West Highland Ochre Terrier

Entering the trail

we had this part all to ourselves!

what a little poser 😉

The binoculars are out!

taking in all the views, big and small

amazing pattern and texture on the granite wall

Mirror Lake

This was in November and the lake has dried up completely!

Feeding Mina

with the best view

we’re so glad Mina enjoys being outdoors!

they say a dirty dog is a happy dog right? 😜

Sentinel Beach Picnic Area

This is a great picnic location right in the valley with a creek running through it—perfect for dipping your feet and cooling off in the summer months. Our dogs enjoyed playing and running on the beach before I asked them to pose for a photo. There are picnic tables for you to eat and rest comfortably. Come here before the sun sets to see the warm afternoon light hitting the granite tops!

I could stay here forever

this is what sleep-deprived new parents look like

nature’s light show

the dogs enjoyed running around here too

warm glow of the sun set

Autocamp Yosemite

Traveling with a little baby is not easy so we opted for something more comfortable on this trip and enjoyed a glamping experience at Autocamp Yosemite. Autocamp Yosemite is super dog-friendly, super hipster, and super easy on the eyes. We enjoyed all the modern amenities as well as cooking dinner (and s’mores) on our fire pit under the starry sky!