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Yosemite National ParkYosemite means "killer" in the Indigenous Miwok language, and in today's parlance it's indeed an impressive, awesome site. Everywhere you look in Yosemite…
Must see attractions in Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
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Mono LakeNorth America’s second-oldest lake is 70 sq miles, and a quiet and mysterious expanse of deep blue water. The glassy surface reflects jagged Sierra peaks,…
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Alabama HillsThe setting for countless ride-‘em-out movies, the popular Lone Ranger TV series and, more recently, parts of Iron Man (Jon Favreau, 2008) and Quentin…
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Earthquake FaultMammoth Mountain is the product of millions of years of volcanic activity, so it should be no surprise that the region surrounding it is full of…
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Mariposa GroveWith their massive stature and multi-millennium maturity, the chunky high-rise sequoias of Mariposa Grove will make you feel rather insignificant. The…
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Glacier PointIf you drove, the views from 7214ft Glacier Point might make you feel like you cheated – superstar sights present themselves without your having made…
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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParksJoined by a high-altitude roadway bisecting a national forest and contiguous with a number of wilderness areas, these two parks combined offer vast…
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Bodie State Historic ParkAt Bodie State Historic Park, a gold-rush ghost town is preserved in a state of 'arrested decay.' Weathered buildings sit frozen in time on a dusty,…
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Manzanar National Historic SiteA stark wooden guard tower alerts drivers to one of US history's darkest chapters, which unfolded on a barren, windy sweep of land some 5 miles south of…
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Laws Railroad Museum & Historic SiteThis railroad and Old West museum recreates the village of Laws, an important stop on the route of the Slim Princess, a narrow-gauge train that hauled…
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Ancient Bristlecone Pine ForestTo visit some of the earth's oldest living things, budget a half-day for the thrilling drive up to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. These otherworldly…
- Half Dome
Yosemite's most distinctive natural monument, Half Dome is 87 million years old and has a 93% vertical grade – the sheerest cliff in North America…
- El Capitan
At nearly 3600ft from base to summit, El Capitan ranks as one of the world’s largest granite monoliths. Its sheer face makes it a world-class destination…
- OOlmsted Point
This ‘honey, hit the brakes!’ viewpoint, midway between the May Lake turnoff and Tenaya Lake, is a lunar landscape of glaciated granite with a stunning…
- Mineral King
A scenic subalpine valley at 7500ft, Mineral King is Sequoia’s backpacking mecca and a good place to find solitude. Gorgeous and gigantic, its glacially…
- Bridalveil Fall
At the southwestern end of the valley, Bridalveil Fall tumbles 620ft. The Ahwahneechee people call it Pohono (Spirit of the Puffing Wind), as gusts often…
- Giant Forest
This 3-sq-mile grove protects the park’s most gargantuan tree specimens. Among them is the world’s biggest, the General Sherman tree, rocketing 275ft into…
- Museum of Western Film History
More than 400 movies, not to mention numerous commercials (mostly for rugged SUVs and Jeeps), have been shot in the area. This fascinating museum contains…
- Mt Whitney
West of Lone Pine, the jagged incisors of the Sierra surge skyward in all their raw and fierce glory. Cradled by scores of smaller pinnacles, Mt Whitney…
- Yosemite Falls
West of Yosemite Village, Yosemite Falls is considered the tallest waterfall in North America, dropping 2425ft (740m) in three tiers. A slick trail leads…