The Rough Guide to Yosemite 1 (Rough Guide Mini Guides) - Softcover

Whitfield, Paul

9781858288864: The Rough Guide to Yosemite 1 (Rough Guide Mini Guides)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 185828886X ISBN 13: 9781858288864

Publisher: Rough Guides, 2002

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INTRODUCTION

No temple made with hands can compare with the Yosemite. Every rock in its walls seems to glow with life. Some lean back in majestic repose; others, absolutely sheer or nearly so for thousands of feet, advance beyond their companions in thoughtful attitudes, giving welcome to storms and calms alike, seemingly aware, yet heedless, of everything going on about them.

John Muir, The Yosemite

More gushing adjectives have been thrown at YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK than at any other part of California. But however excessive the hyperbole may seem, once you’ve seen the Park’s stunning scenery with your own eyes you realize all this praise is actually an understatement.

Simply put, Yosemite Valley – only a small part of the park but the one at which most of the verbiage is aimed – is one of the most dramatic pieces of geology found anywhere in the world. Just seven miles long and one mile across at its widest point, the Valley is walled by near-vertical, three-thousand-foot cliffs whose sides are streaked by cascading waterfalls and whose tops, a variety of domes and pinnacles, form a jagged silhouette against the sky. This is where you’ll find some of the world’s most famous rocks – Half Dome and rock climbing’s holy grail, El Capitan – as well as America’s tallest waterfalls, with Yosemite Falls topping the lot. At ground level, too, the sights can be staggeringly impressive. Grassy meadows are framed by oak, cedar, maple, and pine trees, and are home to a variety of wildflowers and wildlife.

Elsewhere in the Park, the crisp alpine setting of Tuolumne Meadows (pronounced Too-ol-uh-me), perched close to Yosemite’s highest mountains on the Park’s eastern border at 8600 feet, offers nature at its most peaceful and elemental. Here you’ve got easy access to the completely wild backcountry beyond, especially into the Cathedral Range, a place much favored by Yosemite’s environmental champion, John Muir, who was the first to scale the dramatically pointed Cathedral Peak.

As if that weren’t enough, the spectacle continues, from the glaciated canyons up in the north of the Park, all the way down to the southern reaches near Wawona, where Mariposa Grove encompasses one of the most awe-inspiring forests of giant sequoias found anywhere.

All of this wondrous scenery is within half a day’s drive of San Francisco and not much further from Los Angeles, so it is understandable that tourists are plentiful. Each year Yosemite has to cope with over three and a half million visitors, most of them intent on visiting Yosemite Valley, which in July and August (and any summer weekend) can get fairly packed. That said, the whole Park is massive enough to endure the crowds, and even places you can get to by car remain relatively serene most of the time.

Because of its size and sheer diversity of landscape, Yosemite National Park can be experienced on a variety of levels: many people just spend a day here doing a quick circuit of the top attractions, either by car or on one of the tours, and walking to the base of Yosemite and Bridalveil falls; others delve deeper over several days; and more than a few return frequently during their lifetime to photograph, explore, observe the wildlife, or just soak up the atmosphere.

Whatever your interests, be sure to spend some time hiking, even if it’s just around the Valley floor on one of the nearly-flat, paved trails. If you’re willing to hike a few miles and perhaps camp out overnight, you can experience the 99 percent of Yosemite that’s untouched by road. It’s in this backcountry, too, that the best wildlife viewing opportunities occur, but even in the most populous areas it is possible to see deer, coyotes, and even black bears.

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About the Author:

Paul Whitfield is a UK-born, New Zealand–bred travel writer and photographer. He contributes regularly to Rough Guides, including The Rough Guide to Yosemite, and the Our Place World Heritage project, which documents UNESCO cultural and natural sites around the world.

TIPS TO AVOID SUMMER CROWDS

Start early. It’s best to visit the most popular sights, particularly Lower Yosemite Fall and Bridalveil Fall, before 9am when the low-angled light brings out the best in the scenery, and wild animals are at their most active.

Get off the beaten path. The vast majority of visitors never stray more than a twenty-minute walk from their car and only visit the most popular sights.

Stay out late. The hour or so before sunset is usually spectacular and "golden hour" is no time to be in a restaurant or your hotel room.

GETTING THE BEST OUT OF A SHORT VISIT

With so much to see and do in the Park it’s hard to pick favorites; what follows is a brief list of some of the most popular and worthwhile sights and activities.

With half a day to play with, aim for the Valley and stroll to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls, hike some or all of the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, and gaze up at El Capitan from El Cap Meadow.

If you have a full day, you could also walk to Mirror Lake, visit the Yosemite Museum and Indian Village, and, if driving, admire the late-afternoon views from Tunnel View on Wawona Road then continue to Glacier Point for sunset and the stars after dark.

On a two- or three-day visit, in addition to the above, hike either the Four-Mile Trail, Half Dome Trail, or Upper Yosemite Fall Trail, and make side trips to Tuolumne Meadows and Mariposa Grove near Wawona.

WHEN TO GO

You can visit the Park at any time of year, even in winter when the waterfalls turn to ice and the trails are blocked by snow. Unless you are here for winter activities, choosing the best time to come to Yosemite depends mostly on whether you’re here for hiking or viewing waterfalls. Summer is generally dry with occasional thunderstorms; spring and fall are more variable, with Valley temperatures peaking in the seventies. Winter means snow but often with sunny days and highs up into the fifties.

May and June are fairly popular months, particularly in Yosemite Valley where the waterfalls are the big draw. While lowland snows should have melted by this time, throughout May and early June the high country is likely to be off-limits with both Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road still closed by snow. The Park is at its busiest in July and August when daytime temperatures in Yosemite Valley and Wawona are regularly in the eighties and nineties, and the rivers and lakes are (just about) warm enough for swimming. This is a good time for hiking since almost all the high-country snow has melted. If you don’t mind missing most of the waterfalls, September and October are excellent months to visit, with smaller crowds, most Park facilities still in operation, and plenty of hiking in cooler weather and on dry ground. In October, the Valley and Wawona both put on a decent show of fall colors. November is more marginal, with snow storms likely and the high-country roads usually closing early in the month. December through March witness cross-country skiing and skating in full swing; tire chains are generally required. By April, Wawona and the Valley may well be free of snow, but late storms are not uncommon. With a few lowland exceptions, April is too early for much hiking.

Traveling outside peak summer season also offers rewards, with rooms easier to come by and prices markedly lower. Even in winter you can stay in budget tent cabins fitted with heating stoves, and low-country campgrounds remain open.

WHAT TO TAKE

Hikers, of course, have special needs (see on p.97), but all visitors should dress in layers to be able to peel off or add on clothing as conditions dictate. Sunblock, a hat, and insect repellent are pretty much essential, as is a flashlight, since even in Yosemite Valley artificial lighting is kept to a minimum. Shops in Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, and especially the Valley, stock most things you’re likely to need.

COSTS

Prices for accommodation, restaurants, tours, and incidentals are fairly high in Yosemite, and those on a brief visit might balk at the $20 entrance fee (though if you arrive by bus, you don’t have to pay it). Outside the Park, costs are much the same as you might expect in rural California, though accommodation is still on the pricey side, especially in the peak summer months. In contrast, much of what you’ll be doing in Yosemite is free. Scenery costs nothing, and many of the most picturesque spots in the Valley are accessible by the free shuttle bus. If you are tackling overnight hikes (for which permits are free) then you can camp in the backcountry for no charge. In addition, the Park Service runs numerous free ranger programs, and much of the evening entertainment comes gratis as well. In winter there’s even a complimentary shuttle bus connecting the Valley with the Badger Pass ski area.

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