NATIONAL PARK TRIP PLANNER

Transcription

1 NATIONAL PARK TRIP PLANNER Yosemi e Best Park Entrances 4LIFE-CHANGING ROAD TRIPS 8 Essentials to Pack Where to Stay in the Park PLUS A PARK MAP! The Experts in National Park Travel

2 Yosemite Tour Yosemite 200 Audio Points REVIEWS 200 AUDIO POINTS! $ AUDIO DRIVING TOUR APPS Approaching El Capitan 1:05 MAP LEGEND 2:13 Just like having a tour guide in your car. GyPSy Guide automatically plays stories, tips & directions, as you drive, so you don t miss a thing. Tour offline. No data connections required. gypsyguide.com PHOTOS BY COURTESY 2 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019

3 GETTING THERE Here are four fabulous road trips to Yosemite, each with its own California culture and scenic wonders. TOP 4 ROAD TRIPS Best of the Coast San Francisco Gold Country Viva Las Vegas Murphys Angels Camp MAP BY PETER SUCHESKI VIVA LAS VEGAS Miles 1,175 The glittering lights in Las Vegas can be intoxicating, so get your entertainment fill and then head west to Death Valley National Park. Explore this amazing place before pointing your wheels north through startlingly beautiful highdesert landscapes dotted with towns like Bishop and Lone Pine. Enter Yosemite National Park through the East Entrance, taking breathtaking Tioga Road. After exploring the park, exit through the South Entrance and visit Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks on your return route to Las Vegas. Nearby towns of Visalia and Exeter make for great stopovers, as does Ridgecrest farther south. BEST OF THE COAST LOOP Miles 1,140 See rugged beaches, seaside towns and vibrant culture on this far-ranging loop. From Los Angeles, drive to Ventura and explore this fun beach town. Then take the ferry from the Ventura Village Harbor or Oxnard to Channel Islands National Park. Return to the mainland and explore the wine country of Lompoc and Santa Maria before heading west to Pismo Beach. Up the coast, you ll find fascinating towns and inland vineyards. Head inland to Pinnacles National Park, Hollister and Gilroy before pointing your wheels east to Yosemite National Park. Finish back in Los Angeles. GOLD COUNTRY LOOP Miles 453 Savor a slower pace on this central California trip. From Sacramento, drive south and east to Mariposa County for a dose of Gold Rush history. Enter Yosemite National Park through the South Entrance and explore its amazing wonders. Leave the park via Groveland and visit Sonora and Jamestown, both full of Gold Rush historic sites. Then head to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Drive west through Oakdale on your return route to Sacramento. SAN FRANCIS- CO LOOP Miles 431 There are few better places to start a road trip than San Francisco. Walk on the Golden Gate Bridge and then explore the city by ferry or foot. Afterwards, head to the Tri-Valley, but don t get so tangled up in the vineyards that you neglect the valley s amazing beer trail. From there drive east to historic Mariposa at the most southern end of Gold Rush towns. Beyond lies Yosemite. When you leave the park, head to Sonora and the other towns in Tuolumne County where great state parks, apple orchards and gold panning await. MYYOSEMITEPARK.COM 3

4 HETCH HETCHY RESERVOIR PARK ENTRANCE PRIMER There are five entrances into Yosemite National Park, four on the park s west side and one on the east. HETCH HETCHY ENTRANCE Leave the crowds behind. The farthest north of the four western entrances, the Hetch Hetchy Entrance leads you to one of the park s quieter areas. In 2016, only 62,745 visitors ventured here during all 12 months of the year in comparison to 5,028,870 visitors to the entire Yosemite National Park. Access it via 120 and by Evergreen Road. It is open year round but only during daylight hours, unless you have a backcountry permit. Lower in elevation than other park areas, Hetch Hetchy has a long hiking season from early spring through fall. Two of North America s largest waterfalls are here, flowing from a thousand feet up over granite. This entrance is home to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which produces hydroelectric power. Because it also is a drinking water source, the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is off limits to swimming and boating. BIG OAK FLAT ENTRANCE Driving from the Bay Area? One of the two direct routes is through the Big Oak Flat Entrance. To reach it, take I-580 east to I-205 east to Hwy. 120 east via Manteca, Calif. Along the way, don t miss Groveland, a quaint town with shops, hotels and restaurants 24 miles from the park. It s the largest town between the entrance and Sonora, Calif. Listen to live music during the summer on the historic Groveland Hotel patio and enjoy daily wine tastings at the historic Hotel Charlotte. Stop by Iron Door Saloon, the state s oldest continuously operating saloon, which opened its doors in You ll reach the Big Oak Flat Information Station just inside the park to use the restroom and get park information. The station has maps and sells books. From here, access the Yosemite Valley via Big Oak Flat Road. You also can reach Tioga Road, which brings you to the eastern side of Yosemite. ARCH ROCK ENTRANCE The other direct route from the San Francisco area leads you to the Arch Rock Entrance via I-580 east to I-205 east to Hwy. 140 east into the park. Hwy. 140 becomes El Portal Road, which leads you to Yosemite Valley. The closest settlement to Yosemite is El Portal, which has a gas station, El Portal Market, a picnic area and campgrounds. To the west of El Portal is Midpines and Mariposa. Mariposa is the largest of the three with the most services. Home to a variety of shops, restaurants and lodging, quaint Mariposa was founded in 1849 and is the most southern of the Gold Rush towns. You ll find quirky places like the Happy Burger Diner, which despite its name, offers vegan and vegetarian options and the largest menu you re likely ever to see. The Smithsonian Institute has named the Mariposa Museum and History Center one of the best small museums in America. It features people and lifestyles of the Gold Rush days and late 1800s. SOUTH ENTRANCE If you re traveling from San Diego or the Los Angeles area, your nearest entrance will be the South Entrance, accessed by Hwy. 41. Fish Camp, a tiny settlement that has limited lodging and a general store, is the last town before the park. Thirteen miles from Fish Camp is the bustling town of Oakhurst with some national chain hotels, along with art galleries, locally owned restaurants, bookstores and gold-panning activities. En route from Oakhurst to the park, stop at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, which offers three different rides on two operating steam engine train locomotives. TIOGA PASS ENTRANCE Going to Yosemite from Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas or Death Valley in the summer? Enter through Tioga Pass Entrance. The only park entrance on the east side, it s usually open late spring through late fall, depending on snow conditions. Check the park site in advance to be sure it is open. Sandwiched between the park and Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area, Lee Vining is the closest town to the entrance. Home to a little more than 200 residents, it s where locally owned businesses thrive. PHOTO BY DEPOSIT 4 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019

5 Pacific Crest Trail Lake Eleanor Hetch Hetchy Entrance Big Oak Flat Entrance 120 Merced Hetch Hetchy Road Information Center at Big Oak Flat TUOLUMNE GROVE Big Oak Flat Rd R MERCED GROVE iver 140 Arch Rock Entrance El P Hetch Hetchy Reservoir Yosemite National Park ortal Rd Tioga Road Yosemite Valley Lodge CAMP 4 Yosemite Valley EL CAPITAN TUNNEL VIEW Bridalveil Fall Glacier Point Rd Yosemite Valley Visitor Center GLACIER POINT The Majestic Yosemite Hotel HALF DOME Vernal Fall Tuolumne River OLMSTED POINT Tioga Road John Muir Trail Pacific Crest Trail Tenaya Lake Housekeeping Camp Half Dome Village Tioga Pass Entrance LEMBERT DOME Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center 120 Pacific Crest Trail an d John Muir Trail Wawona R oad Big Trees Lodge MAP BY PETER SUCHESKI 41 MARIPOSA GROVE South Entrance MYYOSEMITEPARK.COM 5

6 YOSEMITE'S TOP SIX Here are some of our favorite things to do from hiking to exploring some of Yosemite's most iconic treasures EAT BREAKFAST AT BIG TREES LODGE (FORMERLY WAWONA HOTEL) This charming restaurant in a Victorian-era hotel has a great breakfast menu to fuel you for the day. 2. EXPLORE THE MARIPOSA GROVE Reopened in June 2018 after a lengthy restoration project, this grove is the largest of the park's three groves and home to approximately 500 giant sequoias. 3. HIKE MIST TRAIL This trail climbs 1,000 feet to reach the top of 317-foot Vernal Fall in 1.5 miles. It continues nearly 1,000 more feet to the top of 594-foot Nevada Fall. 4. FLOAT ON THE MERCED RIVER Cool off by floating down the scenic Merced River. Go to the boat kiosk in Half Dome Village to rent your boat and learn the latest regulations. 5. PICNIC AT TENAYA BEACH Off Tioga Road, Tenaya Lake is impossible to miss as you descend from Tuolumne Meadows. The lake offers chilly swimming and white-sand beaches. Follow the 1-mile path to the lake s south side to get away from crowds. 6. EAT DINNER AT THE PIZZA DECK In the heart of Half Dome Village, enjoy handtossed pizza and salads on this legendary outdoor deck with views of Glacier Point. PHOTO BY GRANT ORDELHEIDE 6 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019

7 5 4 PHOTO BY GRANT ORDELHEIDE (MIST TRAIL, TENAYA LAKE, MERCED), FLICKR/ERIC GUSTAFSON (BIG TREES LODGE), YOSEMITE CONSERVANCY (MARIPOSA) MYYOSEMITEPARK.COM 7

8 WILD IN YOSEMITE Look for these four animals while you are in the park. COMPILED BY JADE LANG, ILLUSTRATIONS BY ELIZABETH TRAYNOR Black Bear The name is perhaps misleading since the 500 black bears that roam Yosemite have blond, brown or black fur. In summer, the bears forage on grasses, berries, ants and insect larvae. In fall, they fill up on acorns, preparing for hibernation. They spend winter in dens, hollow trees or caves. Males can reach up to 250 pounds and females up to 150 pounds. Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep The park's only endangered species and one of its rarest animals, about 40 bighorn sheep live in and around steep, rocky slopes above 10,000 feet. Look for them near Tioga Pass. Some wear GPS tracking collars. Rams sport large, curving horns. Ewes have shorter, spikier horns. Mountain Lion These solitary and elusive cats are not frequently spotted. They stalk their favorite prey, mule deer, but prefer to slink through the forest unseen. In addition to deer, they hunt coyotes and raccoons. If you encounter a mountain lion, do not try to run. Instead, stand tall and attempt to scare it away. Little Brown Bat The little brown bat is one of 17 bat species found in Yosemite National Park. Adults range from 6-10 centimeters long and 5-14 grams in weight. Females are typically larger than males. Although they eat small aquatic insects at all elevations, they are the only bat species in Yosemite to raise its young at 8,000 feet. 8 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019

9 WHAT TO EXPECT From what to pack to entrance fees and weather, here s the scoop. PHOTO BY KRISTOPHER SCHOENLEBER GATES OF THE VALLEY WHAT TO PACK What to put in your suitcase for vacations spring through fall. Water bottle Bring your own to refill at the park s bottle-filling water stations rather than buying plastic bottles every time you need water. Bug Spray Spend more time enjoying the scenery and less time swatting insects. 100 F 90 F 80 F 70 F 60 F 50 F 40 F 30 F 20 F 10 F 0 F Binoculars Catch sight of rock climbers on El Capitan with binoculars. Rain jacket Even sunny California gets bursts of rainfall. Sturdy hiking boots Pack supportive, waterproof WEATHER: EXPECT VARIABLE CONDITIONS and breathable hiking boots for hiking the trails. Clothing layers Temperatures can fluctuate from morning to night, so pack layers. A sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen These are a must as the 89 California sun is strong. Daypack Be prepared on your hikes by packing snacks, layers and extra water. Read our complete packing list at myyosemitepark.com/park/ what-to-pack May June July August September October Source: nps.gov YOSEMITE ENTRANCE FEES* $35 FEE FOR A SEVEN-DAY VEHICLE PASS. $30 FEE FOR MOTORCYCLISTS FOR A SEVEN-DAY PASS. $70 COST OF A YOSEMITE ANNUAL PASS $80 PRICE OF THE INTERAGENCY ANNUAL PASS FOR ALL NATIONAL PARK SITES. $80 FEE FOR THE SENIOR PASS (U.S. CITIZENS 62 AND OLDER). $0 COST OF A MILITARY PASS (ACTIVE MILITARY) AND ACCESS PASS *Fees subject to change DISCOVER MORE FACEBOOK.COM/ NATIONALPARKTRIPS PINTEREST.COM/ NATLPARKTRIPS INSTAGRAM/ NATIONALPARKTRIPS MEDIA TRIPADVISOR/ NATIONALPARKTRIPS MYYOSEMITEPARK.COM 9

10 WHERE TO STAY Inside Yosemite National Park are eight different lodging options. They range from rustic chalets only accessible by foot to a grand historic lodge. the famous Mariposa Grove, which is expected to reopen in spring 2018 after an extensive renovation to the public facilities near the grove s giant sequoia trees. THE MAJESTIC YOSEMITE HOTEL The Majestic Yosemite Hotel is the most elegant hotel in the park. Its dining room is in itself a destination, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The upscale hotel is a National Historic Landmark. Built as a classy destination in the 1920s, it features pillow-top mattresses and flat-screen TVs. YOSEMITE VALLEY LODGE Offering great views of Yosemite Falls, depending on your room, the Yosemite Valley Lodge, formerly Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, is the closest hotel to Yosemite Falls. While the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly known as the Ahwahnee, is more upscale and pricier, the relaxed Yosemite Valley Lodge exudes a cozy, rustic ski-lodge feel. It offers 241 recently remodeled rooms with different bed configurations, as well as four family-style rooms. Unlike traditional lodges, the rooms are spread throughout 15 separate buildings. During the warm months, head to the lodge s outdoor amphitheater to listen to ranger talks or jump in the outdoor pool. BIG TREES LODGE Away from the hustle and bustle of Yosemite Valley, the Big Trees Lodge is your classic historic national park hotel. This gorgeous Victorian-era hotel features six buildings, all painted white and decorated with period furnishings. Fifty rooms share private bathrooms and the remainder have common shared bathrooms. A swimming pool and golf course offer recreational opportunities when you need a break from hiking. Plus it s just around the corner from HALF DOME GUEST LODGE HOUSEKEEPING CAMP Opening mid-april weatherpermitting, Housekeeping Camp is located along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley. It s not for people looking for a clean hotel room with a door to shut. It s for people who want a camping type experience without having to set up a tent. The structures are three-side concrete buildings with a canvas roof and a privacy curtain you can stretch across the structure. You can cook on the campfire ring grill. HALF DOME VILLAGE Choose between staying in one of 46 cabins with private baths, 14 cabins that share a bath house, 403 canvas tent cabins or 18 standard hotel rooms at Half Dome Village. Conveniently located steps away from the Pizza Deck, a swimming pool and a general store, Half Dome Village is kind of like camping with convenience and a crowd. You ll be nestled next to a ton of neighbors since the canvas tent cabins are just feet from one another. WHITE WOLF LODGE This lodge offers 24 canvas-tent cabins, plus four traditional cabins with private baths. There s a central dining room for guests to eat in, which is housed in a rustic wooden building with a porch. Cooking inside or outside of the cabins is strictly prohibited. TUOLUMNE MEADOWS LODGE Up Tioga Road and away from the majority of the crowds, this area sits more than 8,700 feet above sea level. You ll have an alpine experience, staying cooler than those sleeping in the valley below. There s 69 canvas tent cabins available mid-june through mid-september near Tuolumne River and Tuolumne Meadows. HIGH SIERRA CAMPS If you want to try backpacking without having to carry a tent or cooking gear, this is the trip for you. The High Sierra Camps offer simple, dormitory-style tents, hot showers, cooked dinners and breakfasts and sack lunches to go. The camps are usually open from late June to mid-september. Reservations are available by lottery. For more information or to book your lodging, go to travelyosemite.com. PHOTO COURTESY ARAMARK 10 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019

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12 12 YOSEMITE TRIP PLANNER 2019 PHOTOS BY COURTESY