CALIFORNIA'S YOSEMITE AND SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARKS
Located 186 miles east of San Francisco, Yosemite (Yo-sim-ity) National Park's signature sites are Half Dome, a massive granite peak carved into its present state by Ice Age glacial activity, and the 3,000ft-high El Capitan, a big favourite of rock climbers. Other attractions include the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River, waterfalls best seen from Glacier Point, and, at their most spectacular during the spring ice melt, beautiful lakes and giant sequoia trees.
There is ample lodging within the park and beyond including The Rush Creek Lodge and Spa, the park's first new lodging in 25 years. And while in the area you should check out and perhaps base yourself in adjacent Mariposa and/or Tuolumne counties. Cited in 2022 by USA Today 10 Best as having “The Best Small Town Cultural Scene”, the town of Mariposa has a symphony orchestra and three museums, including The Mariposa Museum and History Centre covering such things as the area's Native American and Gold Rush Heritage, the later also promoted by Tuolumne County's Sonora and Jonestown.
Some distance to the south, Sequoia National Park is known for its giant sequoia trees – one of America's largest being the General Sherman, 275 feet high and 103 feet round – and for the country's tallest peak outside Alaska, Mount Whitney, soaring up 14,505 feet. On its edge is
Kings Canyon National Park, a wilderness of glacier-carved canyons. A popular place to stay is Grant Village's John Muir Lodge.
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK IS KNOWN FOR ITS GIANT SEQUOIA TREES – ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST BEING THE GENERAL SHERMAN, 275 FEET HIGH AND 103 FEET ROUND – AND FOR THE COUNTRY'S TALLEST PEAK OUTSIDE ALASKA, MOUNT WHITNEY, SOARING UP 14,505 FEET.