Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park (Pronounced YO-SEH-MIT-TEA) is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California about 200 miles (300 km) east of San Francisco. From the San Francisco Bay area and the northern part of California, it is a pleasant 4-hour drive eastward over the coastal range, across the Central Valley and through the foothills of the Sierras to Yosemite. From Southern California and the Los Angeles area, it is a six hour drive northward through the fertile farmlands of the Central Valley along interstate 5 and highway 99 to Merced then eastward along route 140 into the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Yosemite.

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Nine magnificent waterfalls cascade into the valley. Five of them are over 1000 feet (300 meters) high including the 2425 feet (800 meters) Yosemite Falls.

Yosemite Valley offers incredible beauty

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the USA. This is partly because of its proximity to the population centers of Los Angeles and San Francisco but is mostly due to the incredible natural beauty of Yosemite Valley. The glacially eroded alpine valley is just 8 miles long and less than one mile wide with sheer granite walls rising vertically over 3000 feet (1000 meters) on either side. Nine magnificent waterfalls cascade into the valley. Five of them are over 1000 feet (300 meters) high including the 2425 feet (800 meters) Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Park actually encompasses about 1200 square miles (3000 sq. km) and includes many other natural attractions, but most tourists visit only Yosemite Valley or the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees near Wawona at the southern entry.

Due to its immense popularity, Yosemite Valley frequently becomes very crowded in the summer months and on weekends throughout the year. The single loop road that circles the valley floor often becomes choked with traffic on popular summer weekends. The National Park Service provides a free shuttle bus around the loop from various parking areas outside of the valley. They are considering a ban on automobile traffic within the valley; but so far, the shuttle bus is just voluntary. It is possible to visit Yosemite by taking the Amtrak train to Merced and then boarding a bus to Yosemite, but automobile travel is the most convenient method of exploring this vast natural wonder.

Facilities and Accommodations in Yosemite National Park

The National Park Service has provided a nice selection of facilities within Yosemite Valley and throughout the park. There are several hotels in the valley ranging in price from the luxurious but rather expensive Ahwahnee and the moderately priced Yosemite Lodge to the budget priced cabins and tents at Curry Village. There are also several camping facilities in the valley. Unfortunately, many of the accommodations are completely booked during the busy summer months, so you must make reservations far in advance. It is often easier to find accommodations outside of the valley. Fortunately, the park service provides accommodations and camping in other parts of the park, and a selection of private motels and campgrounds are located near the park. Within Yosemite Valley, the Park Service aslo maintains a museum, a visitor's information center, several restaurants and snack bars, a small convenience store, a gift shop, a riding stable and tour guides. For more information about accommodations in Yosemite check our Yosemite Accommodations and Camping page.

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Near the entry to Yosemite Valley, the granite walls of El Capitan rise for nearly 3000 feet (1000 meters) in sheer vertical splendor.

Yosemite Valley is situated at about 4000 feet (1300 meters) with some other parts of the park at much higher elevations. The weather can be quite warm and dry during the summer, but nights may be cool. In the winter, it can be quite cold with frequent snowfalls that sometimes create hazardous driving conditions. Tioga Pass and the higher elevations of the park are normally closed from November through May due to heavy snow accummulation. Spring and Fall are transition periods that alternate between nice weather and wet or snowy conditions. Summer offers the warmest weather but is the busiest tourist season. Spring, with its heavy runoff of snow melt, offers the most spectacular waterfall show. Fall, with its multicolored foliage and usually pleasant weather, is a scenic time to visit, although Winter often produces some beautiful snow covered landscapes. Whatever season you choose to visit Yosemite, it is wise to take a variety of clothing that can be layered to match changing weather conditions.

Easy walks or strenuous hikes in Yosemite

Entry to Yosemite Park now costs $10 per person or $20 per vehicle for a 7-day permit. Yosemite Valley is the gem of the park and you should certainly visit this exquisitely beautiful natural attraction. Whether you take the shuttle bus or drive the loop yourself, you can stop frequently and walk to various vista points that display the magnificent scenery. There are a number of short easy trails that lead to spectacular viewpoints and scenic attractions. Some of them are wheel-chair accessible. There are also many more strenuous trails that lead up the sides of the valley to high points offering panaramic vistas of the valley. Stop at the information center and obtain a trail map before you begin.

Near the entry to Yosemite Valley, the granite walls of El Capitan rise for nearly 3000 feet (1000 meters) in sheer vertical splendor. El Cap attracts mountain climbers from all around the world for the epitome of "big-wall" climbing. From the parking lot on the valley floor, you can just barely see the tiny figures of the climbers on the face, yet you can hear their echoed shouts to each other from a mile distance. At night, lights twinkle like stars on the cliff face from the cacooned climbers as they bivouac while suspended on delicate strands of rope affixed to bolts in the wall.

Giant Sequoia trees and alpine meadows in Yosemite National Park

Mariposa Grove near Wawona at the southern entry to Yosemite National Park contains a magnificent stand of giant Sequoia trees. These 300 feet (100 meter) tall trees with trunks up to 30 feet (10 meters) in diameter are well worth visiting.

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Mariposa Grove near Wawona at the southern entry to Yosemite National Park contains a magnificent stand of giant Sequoia trees.

Tioga Pass Road wends its way up to the high country north and east of the valley. It leads to beautiful alpine meadows and panoramic vistas of the valley and the surrounding mountain peaks. The park service maintains two lodges and a number of High Sierra Camps along this road. It is a great starting point for backpackers heading into the vast wilderness areas of the park. The road eventually crosses Tioga Pass at 9945 feet (3300 meters) and leads to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Range. Mono Lake with its unusual limestone formations and the well-preserved ghost town of Bodie are located just east of Yosemite Park. Tioga Pass and most of the high country roads are normally closed from November until the end of May.

Yosemite offers more than 800 miles of hiking trails

Yosemite National Park has less than 200 miles of paved roads, but more than 800 miles of hiking trails. Over 95% of the park is designated as wilderness area. It is a fantastic place for hiking, backpacking and wilderness camping. If you wish to try some adventuresome exploration, you can obtain a wilderness permit from the Park Service and trek into the seldom-seen areas of Yosemite via foot or on horseback.

San Francisco, California

San Francisco is on the coast of California about 400 miles north of Los Angeles. It is situated along the shore of a large bay sheltered behind the California Coastal Mountains. The city is renown for its steep streets with panoramic views of beautiful San Francisco Bay and the surrounding mountains. It has a very moderate climate with warm summers and chilly winters but without extremes. Constant breezes off of the Pacific Ocean keep the summers from becoming too hot and also prevent freezing winter weather. Take a sweater, as the evening breezes can be quite brisk all year round!

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It is easier to take a bus or taxi to the downtown area where you can quickly board a passing cable car.

San Francisco was built by "forty niners" with gold fever

Oakland and Berkeley, California lie just across the bay from San Francisco and are easily accessible via the Bay Bridge. The more famous Golden Gate Bridge spans the narrow inlet that extends from the Pacific Ocean into the bay. The Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco with a mountainous peninsula called the Marin headlands that is primarily known for beautiful scenery and expensive homes with spectacular views. Sausalito, a small village on the bay shore of the Marin headlands is famous as a local artist's community. San Francisco Shuttle Tours, a premium tour operator, can take you to both locations on their 10-stop guided tour with Ferry Cruise. Alcatraz Island with its abandoned prison is situated in the middle of San Francisco Bay. The city of San Jose lies about 30 miles south of San Francisco at the southern tip of this extensive bay. The area near San Jose and Santa Clara is known as "Silicon Valley", home of the largest concentration of electronics and computer firms in the USA.

San Francisco was founded in 1776 when father Junipero Serra constructed the mission San Dolores to Christianize the local native Indian population. At the same time, Spanish troops constructed a Presidio, or fort, to protect this colony for the Queen of Spain. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the village of Yerba Buena, consisting of whalers, traders, adventurers and pirates, occupied the present site of San Francisco. In 1848, gold was discovered in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains about 100 miles to the east. By 1849, San Francisco was inundated with "forty-niners" as the gold seekers were commonly called, and the population of the city exploded. Ever since, it has remained the center of commerce, entertainment, culture and tourism for Northern California.

Excursion boats from Fisherman's Wharf visit Alcatraz

The Embarcadero, a broad avenue along the bayfront, is now lined with shops, restaurants and tourist attractions including several piers that have been converted to specialty shopping malls. Most famous is the historic Fisherman's Wharf which still hosts a fleet of working fishing vessels as well as fish markets, seafood restaurants and gift shops. Excursion boats and ferries depart from piers near Fisherman's Wharf. They are a great way to see the sights around the bay. The Alcatraz tour takes you to "The Rock" and allows you to visit its abandoned prison. This trip usually fills up, so it is best to make your reservations at least one day ahead. You can also take a ferry to visit the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum in Oakland, or you can ride a ferry to Sausalito and Tiburon for some sightseeing and shopping.

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The Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco with a mountainous peninsula called the Marin headlands that is primarily known for beautiful scenery and expensive homes with spectacular views.

A cable car line terminates a few blocks from Fisherman's Wharf, and many tourists congregate there to watch the motormen manually rotate the cars. This is a good place to photograph the cable cars but not a good place to board one as the wait can be long. It is easier to take a bus or taxi to the downtown area where you can quickly board a passing cable car. Golden Gate Park and Seal Rocks, along the Pacific side of the city are worth visiting.

Wine Country, Big Sur and Yosemite are not far away

Other California tourist attractions are located near San Francisco. Across the Golden Gate Bridge, the first pullout on the right provides a nice view of the city from across the bay. If you follow the small road under the highway and climb the mountain behind the bridge, you will be rewarded to some spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay area. From the top of the mountain the road continues high above the Pacific Ocean with pullouts at many scenic vistas and hiking trails. This road eventually leads to Stinson Beach, a popular Pacific Ocean swimming and surfing area, and to Muir Woods, an impressive reserve of Giant California Redwood trees.

Kings Canyon & Sequoia National Parks

Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks are located adjacent to each other in the central part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. They are situated about 200 miles north of Los Angeles and about 200 miles southeast of San Francisco. Both parks can be reached from either city in about four hours. The entrance to Kings Canyon lies about 50 miles east of Fresno and the entry to Sequoia is about 35 miles east of Visalia.

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Both parks are beautiful to see with plenty of unspoiled wildernesses.

The main access to either park is via Highway 99 through the Central Valley of California. This vast arid plain was once a semi-desert valley sheltered between the Coastal Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Today, it has been transformed, by massive irrigation, into one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the USA. As you drive through the Central Valley, you will find many roadside markets selling fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables all grown in the surrounding fields and orchards.

Unlike Yosemite Park, and the Grand Canyon, Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon NP do not become crowded with millions of visitors each year. Both parks are beautiful to see with plenty of unspoiled wildernesses, but they are not as popular. No public transportation is convenient to either park, and the only access is by automobile or bus tour. If you want to get away from the crowds of tourists, these are great places to visit.

Sequoia National Park

The southern entry to Sequoia lies near the town of Three Rivers about 35 miles east of Visalia on Highway 198. Three Rivers, California, has about a half dozen motels plus several stores, gas stations and restaurants. You should definitely fill your tank here, as there is no fuel available in the park. These are the closest accommodations to the park unless you camp or stay at one of the lodges within the park boundaries.

The park entrance lies just a few miles east of town. It costs $10 for a 7-day pass to enter both Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. From the entrance, the road climbs nearly 2,000 meters in 26 miles of switchbacks to the 2,500-meter summits of the first Sierra peaks.

Several groves of Sequoia trees are located close to the summit. Nearby park facilities include toilets, camping, a snack bar and a store. A few lodges are located throughout the park with overnight and longer-term accommodations. These usually require advanced reservations, but they are not as difficult to secure as the lodgings in Yosemite.

Sequoia trees are the largest in the world

Sequoia trees, also known as giant California redwoods, are the largest trees in the world. They grow to a height of nearly 100 meters, which is not much higher than the Sugar pines and Ponderosa pines growing around them. The Sequoia, however, develops immense bulk. The trunks are often 4 to 6 meters in diameter. Even at 100 meter above the ground the trunk can be 4 or 5 meters in diameter.

Many of the Sequoia trees have survived for over one thousand years. Ancient forest fires have hollowed some, and you can walk through their cavernous interiors. You can even drive through a few. Others have fallen and lie on the forest floor. Early settlers in the Sierra Mountains even constructed houses and stables within the hollowed trees. The Sequoia groves are magical places in the land of the giant trees.

Kings Canyon National Park lies just north of Sequoia

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The scenery is fantastic. Canyon walls rise 1,000 meters on each side with sheer granite cliffs and beautiful waterfalls.

Kings Canyon National Park is adjacent to Sequoia, and you can enter it directly from Sequoia NP via Route 198. The main, northern entrance lies about 50 miles east of Fresno along Highway 180. There are only a few small villages along this route with a meager assortment of accommodations and services. Within Kings Canyon are camping facilities, toilets, restaurants, convenience stores and several lodges. There is also one privately owned business that is a combination motel, service station, bar and convenience store.

From the park entrance, Route 180 climbs through about 20 miles of switchbacks to the summit of the first mountain range at about 2,000 meters. There are camping and lodging facilities at the summit near some spectacular groves of Sequoia trees. Along this road are some great views and a wide variety of hiking, mountain biking and riding trails. Riding horses and pack animals are available to rent at several stables in the park. Lodging is available at the mountaintop, but advanced reservations are necessary.

Death Valley National Park

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After an unusually wet spring, the valley floor erupts with wild flowers that have lain dormant for years.

Death Valley National Park is located about 200 miles (330 km) northeast of Los Angeles, California along the eastern border of California and Nevada. It is less than 50 miles east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and lies wholly within its rain-shadow desert. Moisture coming off of the Pacific Ocean surrenders its precipitation to the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevada peaks, so very little moisture reaches Death Valley.

Death Valley is nearly 100 miles (165 km) long and varies in width from 6 miles (10 km) to over 15 miles (25 km). It is sheltered on both the East and the West by 5,000 (1500 m) to 10,000 foot (3000 m) high mountains. The floor of the valley receives less than two inches (5 cm) of rain per year. Clear blue skies without a cloud are normal in all seasons of the year.

One of the hottest places in North America

Since the valley is secluded between high mountain ridges, it is well sheltered from any cooling breezes. The nearly incessant sunshine typically heats the valley floor and its rocky walls to high temperatures. During July and August, daytime temperatures of 130° F (50° C) are not uncommon, while it seldom cools below 100 degrees (38 C) at night. The best season to visit Death Valley is in December or January when daytime temperatures are typically a very pleasant 65 – 70 degrees (18 – 21 C).

Several bands of migrant Native Americans have long used this valley as their winter residence, migrating to higher altitudes during the hot summer months and returning to the warmer valley during the winter. A small Shoshone Indian Reservation is currently located at Furnace Creek.

History of Death Valley

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The Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells are a favorite place for visitors to explore and take in the scenery.

Death Valley received its name in 1849, when a wagon train of overland immigrants headed for California became lost in the valley for several weeks. They had to burn their wagons and cook their oxen to survive. At least one of them perished in the valley. When they finally hiked their way out, one of the women reputedly said, “Goodbye Death Valley”, and the name stuck.

Afterwards, Death Valley was probed by intrepid prospectors seeking gold, silver and other valuable minerals. It eventually supported several borax mines that used huge wagons drawn by teams of twenty mules to haul the refined mineral 165 miles to the nearest railroad. These operations eventually proved uneconomic and were abandoned.