Planning a 2-day trip to Yosemite. Any particular trails/areas for bonsai lovers?

[Bonsai Noodles]

Trip is not intended for Yamadori, hence in Miscellaneous section

I'm planning a trip to see Yosemite's most ancient trees. Maybe some junipers with otherworldly "deadwood fins"? I'll have to see the giant sequoias at some point, but I'm admittedly not as interested in those compared to the "tortured" trees. There's also lots of information online on the sequoias—not as much about the trees that we bonsai enthusiasts would appreciate.

So in short, where in Yosemite should I be hiking if I'm looking to find some ancient trees?

Thanks!

 

[caffeinated]

Last time I was there I got to the top of Liberty Cap (on the way to Half Dome) and found a lot of stunning, ancient, stunted trees growing in inhospitable conditions, totally gnarly and weather beaten and still growing. If you go up the mist trail to meet the John Muir trail, follow the Muir trail a bit and Liberty Cap will just be off the trail and about a twenty minute off trail scramble will get you up there. There isn't a trail to the top but it's fairly easy to get to. Extra fantastic because, since there isn't a trail, it's much less populated so the area feels a lot more untouched and primitive vs a half hour back down to the trail. Spectacular valley views too as a bonus.

 

[Bonsai Noodles]

Last time I was there I got to the top of Liberty Cap (on the way to Half Dome) and found a lot of stunning, ancient, stunted trees growing in inhospitable conditions, totally gnarly and weather beaten and still growing. If you go up the mist trail to meet the John Muir trail, follow the Muir trail a bit and Liberty Cap will just be off the trail and about a twenty minute off trail scramble will get you up there. There isn't a trail to the top but it's fairly easy to get to. Extra fantastic because, since there isn't a trail, it's much less populated so the area feels a lot more untouched and primitive vs a half hour back down to the trail. Spectacular valley views too as a bonus.

Sounds great!

 

[hemmy]

I'm planning a trip to see Yosemite's most ancient trees.

Have you seen the flooding? It sounds like some major road and bridge damage.

Yellowstone floods wipe out roads, bridges, strand visitors

Major flooding swept away at least one bridge, washed away roads and set off mudslides in Yellowstone National Park on Monday. No one is being allowed in.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[BrianBay9]

Have you seen the flooding? It sounds like some major road and bridge damage.

Yellowstone floods wipe out roads, bridges, strand visitors

Major flooding swept away at least one bridge, washed away roads and set off mudslides in Yellowstone National Park on Monday. No one is being allowed in.

www.seattletimes.com

He's going to Yosemite. Flooding is in Yellowstone. Common mistake, but they're 800 miles apart. The only current problem in Yosemite is traffic congestion.

 

[Calnicky]

While you're in that neck of the woods you should check out the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains. Absolutely fantastic trees. The dead ones on the forest floor are dated at 5,000 years old. Nothing rots in the high, dry mountains there.

 

[hemmy]

He's going to Yosemite. Flooding is in Yellowstone. Common mistake, but they're 800 miles apart.

Lol! Thank you for the correction. I’ll have to chalk that one up to not reading and repeating misinformation! I’ve been to both several times and as a geologist, that is an embarrassing error! When I googled Yosemite flooding last night it gave me top flooding results (which all clearly say Yellowstone!)

 

[Bonsai Noodles]

While you're in that neck of the woods you should check out the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains. Absolutely fantastic trees. The dead ones on the forest floor are dated at 5,000 years old. Nothing rots in the high, dry mountains there.

Yeah, would love to see the bristlecones at some point. I’ll see if we can carve out some time.

 

[Firstflush]

From Yosemite it would be a day trip.

 

[hemmy]

While you're in that neck of the woods you should check out the Bristlecone Pines in the White Mountains

They are amazing. I’ve only been once, but I think about it often!