July 22, 2025
Lyell Canyon, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked: 8 miles

We stood at the edge of Lyell Canyon, my sister and me. The river curved gently through the meadow. The water was so clear we could see fish gliding between the rocks.

I knew this trail like an old friend having traveled it many times on day hikes and backpacking trips. Its rhythms hadn’t changed. Its moods animated by the steady stream of backpackers—devoted hikers delving deeper into the wilderness. Even the way the sunlight filtered through the pines was nearly the same. It felt good to experience its familiarity.

My sister moved quietly, her fingers brushed against the bark then rubbed pine needles taking in their scent. It was her first time here.

Around us, flowers dotted the trailside, butterflies flitted from bloom to bloom, and a breeze rustled through the trees. 

Glacier boulders lay scattered across the ground. I watched her take it all in. Though I knew what came next, for her, it was something new. 

To me, Lyell Canyon always feels like a threshold to something bigger. Not just a beginning of a trail, but a place where the landscape dares you to keep walking.

Behind us lay pavement and plans; ahead the quiet and wild waited.

And so, we walked, for a little while, letting the wilderness take us in.