| IntroductionYosemite National Park is one
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| | PassIf you visit Yosemite in June or
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| of the most visited parks in the U.S.A.
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| | July, you should consider coming up here.
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| It is here where Ansel Adams shot his
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| | Actually this area should be referred to
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| most famous photographs after he fell in
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| | as the backcountry. CA-120 crosses
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| love with the awe inspiring landscape,
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| | Yosemite from East to West and leads over
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| the steep cliffs and the magnificent
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| | Tioga Pass. The Road usually opens in
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| waterfalls. While most of the over 4
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| | late May and closes in October, but there
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| million visitors only see Yosemite
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| | are years when the Road is closed until
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| Valley, the park has much more to offer.
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| | July. Massive amounts of Snow make this
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| Mountain Climbers try their skills on the
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| | area inaccessible in winter. If you come
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| 3593 foot (about 1100m) vertical granite
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| | here in June or July you could experience
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| wall of El Capitan and Rafters ride the
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| | the blooming of the Wildflowers, making
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| wild waters of the Merced River. The park
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| | the Meadows a wonderful patch of colors.
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| draws a large crowd of professional and
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| | Tioga pass itself is 9945 feet (3031m)
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| hobby nature and wildlife
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| | high and offers some of the most
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| photographers.LocationThe park is located
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| | spectacular views of the park. If you
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| about 200miles (3 hours) east of San
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| | drive through the park from East to west,
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| Francisco (Airport Code: SFO) in the
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| | take CA-120 towards Tioga Pass instead of
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| heart of the High Sierras. From San
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| | driving towards Yosemite Valley at the
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| Francisco take I-580 east, I-205 East,
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| | intersection near Crane Flat. Immediately
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| I-5 North (2.2mi), CA-120 east. Follow
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| | after the Intersection, you will come to
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| CA-120 into the park. From the west, take
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| | Tuolumne Grove, another place to see
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| CA-120 to enter Yosemite National Park.
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| | giant sequoias. Even though it is not as
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| If you are coming from L.A. you will most
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| | big and magnificent as Mariposa Grove, it
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| likely enter the Park on CA-140. CA-140
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| | is still well worth the visit.TipsIf you
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| meets CA-120 in Yosemite Valley. From the
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| | are all by yourself in the backcountry,
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| east, you can enter on CA-120. You have
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| | consider that help may not be close. A
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| to cross Tioga Pass, which is not always
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| | large population of Black Bears lives in
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| open (see below). The park entrance fee
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| | Yosemite. Bears have been known to break
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| is $20/car. If you plan to visit at least
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| | open cars to get food. Always wrap your
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| 2 other parks within a year, you should
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| | food and pack it in such a way, that the
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| consider buying a National Park Pass for
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| | bears cannot smell it. If you are camping
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| $50. It does not include State
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| | and leaving open food containers around,
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| Parks.Yosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is
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| | that's just asking for trouble. Remember,
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| unquestionably the most visited part of
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| | Bears can run faster then you and climb
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| the park. During the summer month of
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| | trees. If you see a mother with cups,
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| June, July, August and maybe September
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| | don't approach them. Mountain lions are
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| the valley is full of visitors. Traffic
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| | scared of anything really big. If you
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| jams are a common occurrence. Don't let
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| | have children, pick them up and put them
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| this discourage you from visiting the
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| | on your shoulders to prevent them from
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| Valley. If you take a short hike along
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| | being attacked. Bring enough film or
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| the many trails you can avoid the crowds
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| | memory cards. More than once have I seen
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| easily. If you have only one day to visit
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| | people asking desperately around to buy
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| Yosemite, this is definitely the place to
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| | them when all of a sudden the beautiful
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| go. It is also the only place in Yosemite
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| | setting sun bathes the cliffs in red
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| where you can buy food. Free shuttle
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| | light and they ran out. On better days I
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| busses are available to get around. The
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| | shot a few hundred exposures. Gas up. The
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| bus stations are marked in the Newspaper
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| | park is big and gasoline is not available
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| that you will get at the entrance
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| | everywhere. If you come from San
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| station. The best time to visit the
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| | Francisco, get gas in Oakdale. There are
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| Valley is February through late May. In
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| | still opportunities later if you don't
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| February the roads may not always be open
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| | mind spending more money.AccomodationAs
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| due to snow. Call 209-372-0200 for
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| | usual, traveling during the weekend has
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| current conditions (209-372-4726 for
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| | its price. If you can afford to come here
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| recorded information). Most likely you
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| | during the week you will get better
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| will not be allowed access without
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| | deals, as less people will compete for
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| carrying snow chains.Glacier Point Road
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| | the same room. I have been able to get
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| and Mariposa GroveGlacier Point
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| | some good deals in El Portal (on CA-140
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| RoadGlacier Point Road usually opens in
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| | just outside the park). There are a bunch
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| late May (later in years of heavy snow
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| | of Hotels on CA-120, but they are much
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| fall) and closes in November. It is a
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| | farther away from the park. If you can
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| 32-mile drive from the visitor center to
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| | bankroll a stay in the Park, it is
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| Glacier Point itself (the end of the
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| | obviously the better choice.Hotels on the
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| road). Plan for many stops and hikes
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| | east sideIf you exit Yosemite on the East
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| though, as you will have some of the most
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| | towards Mono Lake you will get to the
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| spectacular views from up here. You could
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| | city of Lee Vining. The only Hotel I
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| also hike up here, on the four-mile
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| | would stay in here is the Best Western.
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| trail. Believe me, you don't want to try
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| | If you have no reservation, well good
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| this. The elevation is not to be
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| | luck. If you go south for about 40
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| underestimated. If you don't have wings,
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| | minutes you will get to the town of
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| you should be here by car anyways and if
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| | Mammoth Lakes, offering plenty of Hotels.
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| the road is not open so be it, but don't
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| | Alternatively you can go north towards
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| take my word for it.Mariposa
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| | Bridgeport.RestaurantsThe Restaurant that
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| GroveMariposa Grove is Yosemite's largest
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| | belongs to the Yosemite View Lodge is
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| grove of giant sequoias. In winter it is
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| | pretty good, but you have to wait to get
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| not easy to reach, as the 2-mile road
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| | a seat. They also have a Pizzeria if you
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| into the grove is closed. You have to
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| | cannot wait. Next to the Visitor Center
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| hike on the snow. Mariposa Grove is
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| | in Yosemite Valley there is a small
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| divided into upper and lower Grove. The
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| | Burger place and a Sandwich place. Both
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| largest tree (Grizzly Giant) is about
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| | are not very good, but I bet after a day
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| 1800 years old and has seen the rise and
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| | of hiking you wont care much and a nasty
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| fall of empires. If you ever wanted to
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| | burger will sound just as good as Filet
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| feel like an insect standing next to a
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| | Mignon.
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| tree, this is the place to go.Tioga
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