After such an incredible day - and with painful knowledge of Matt and Lucie's planned nap-time departure - we decided on a simple, quiet hike from Tioga Road to the South Fork of the Tuolumne River.
Some of our companions expressed skepticism regarding the quality of our chosen - it not being included in our guide book and hardly advertised on the road - but their trust was ultimately gained through our self-confidence and perseverance. The hike was primarily downhill - meaning we had a rough trek on our return trip - and given Evelyn's dominance of the Mist Trail hike the previous day, I knew I would be hiking-for-two back to our car. On this three-mile leg of the hike, we passed through tall meadows and recently-burned forest before reaching the south fork of the Tuolumne River, a calm oasis pooling here and there, collecting into waterfalls and soothing our ears with its flow.
Soon after this picture was taken, a misstep left Evelyn's clothes soaked and in need of drying out, so the rest of the pictures from this morning have been deemed unsuitable for general audiences - even she was incredibly adorable and natural as she hopped from pool to pool, walked along rocks, and played stick-boat races down the small waterfalls in her
purest attire.
It was hard leaving this small haven as it meant the end of this glorious segment of our trip with our friends. We shared a long goodbye - Evelyn trying to avoid it at all costs, recognizing what was happening - wished our friends a safe journey back to the coast, and felt somewhat demotivated for the remainder of the day. Matt and Lucie's department also meant that
tomorrow was
our travel day back to Las Vegas and the finality of our vacation.
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