Truly one of the most beautiful places on earth, Yosemite is more than just the Valley (there are 1200 of square miles in this park) but the Valley cannot be missed. Warning: in the summer it gets uncomfortably crowded
Highlights:
- Tuolumne meadows – enormous and beautiful alpine meadows
- Yosemite Valley – gigantic sheer walls of granite
- Half Dome – giant granite monolith standing over the valley – you can walk to the top (with time, fitness, and an obtained-far-ahead-of-time reservation it’s a 14 mile, 4800 foot round trip)
- El Capitan – another massive monolith – grab binoculars and look for climbers
- Merced River – lovely stream through the valley
- Mist trail – walk along the waterfalls (and get seriously wet in early summer – hence the name)
- Yosemite falls – spectacular double falls into the valley
- Awahnee – The iconic National Park hotel in the valley – worth a visit even if you can’t afford to stay here (great dining room)
- Yosemite back country – on a quick trip you won’t be able to see much of it, but the back country of Yosemite is a gorgeous, magical place. Bring a bear canister – some of the smartest bears in the word live here.
| https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm | |
| (209) 372-0200 |