Yosemite National Park

A World Heritage granite valley with El Capitan, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point's view over the whole valley, the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and the alpine meadows along Tioga Road.

Yosemite National Park is on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada in California, about 300 km east of San Francisco. It was established in 1890, was added to the World Heritage List in 1984, and covers about 3,000 square kilometers. Glaciers carved a U-shaped valley into the granite, and El Capitan, Half Dome and a series of high waterfalls are all concentrated in Yosemite Valley, which is about 12 km long. The falls are most spectacular during the April–June snowmelt; Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are open from June to October, giving access to the high country; September–October brings fewer people and stable weather; in winter the valley is snowy, and in the second half of February Horsetail Fall lights up as the “firefall”. The park falls into three areas: the valley (Tunnel View, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Mirror Lake, the Mist Trail); the south (Glacier Point, Taft Point, the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias); and the high country (Tioga Road, Tenaya Lake, Tuolumne Meadows, and beyond the east entrance, Mono Lake). Getting there: about 4 hours' drive from San Francisco, or take the train to Merced and transfer to a YARTS bus. There are free shuttles in the valley. We suggest 2–3 nights; lodging in the park must be booked months ahead, or you can stay in towns such as Mariposa and Oakhurst. The entrance fee is USD 35 per vehicle, valid for 7 days; reservations for entry may be required at the summer peak and during the firefall period, so check the NPS website. Notes: all food must be stored in bear-proof lockers; carry tire chains in winter; in summer the parking lots in the valley fill up by morning.

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