Sierra Nevada

California's eastern granite mountain range, linking Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes, and Highway 395 along the eastern foothills.

The Sierra Nevada is a granite range running about 650 km through eastern California, with a gentle western slope and a steep eastern one. It holds California's most important alpine scenery and is the state's most popular nature-travel region apart from the coast. Highlights: Yosemite National Park (El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, the alpine meadows of Tioga Road); Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks (General Sherman, the world's largest tree by volume, Moro Rock and Kings Canyon); Lake Tahoe in the north (Emerald Bay and ski resorts); and along Highway 395 on the eastern flank, the tufa towers of Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes, Bishop, Mount Whitney (the highest peak in the contiguous US) and the Alabama Hills. A classic summer plan: from San Francisco, Yosemite 2–3 days, cross Tioga Pass to the east side for Mono Lake and Mammoth Lakes 1–2 days, then head south on 395 or return to Sequoia on the west slope for 1–2 days, for a total of 6–9 days. In winter the focus is skiing at Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Mountain. Driving is the main way to get around the mountains, and Yosemite has the YARTS regional bus. In summer, popular parks may require reservations to enter on weekends. In winter, roads on the west slope require carrying tire chains. On high-altitude hikes, watch for sunburn and altitude sickness, and use bear-proof food canisters in the backcountry.

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