EDITOR'S NOTE
Our plan was to check out the vista with our two daughters before peeling away from the crowds on Four-Mile Trail, which drops down via switchbacks for four miles to the valley. Just when we were about to give up on securing a parking space, a car 15 feet ahead of us pulled out. We parked, giddy with excitement. It was worth every moment of waiting in the car. As we hiked down the trail, we could see the valley in all its beauty unfold before us. And while there were thousands of people below us exploring the park, we felt as if we had it all to ourselves, sharing it only with other hikers on the trail. It was magical. And it’s a good lesson. In Yosemite, there are iconic places…