California Official Visitor's Guide 2009 - UK - (Page 47) Cooling off in the Merced River Merced River rafting Y osemite is one of America’s favourite national parks for good reason. It’s vast, it’s varied and it has more ways to satisfy a family that loves the great outdoors than you can shake a pine branch at. Yosemite Valley is where you’ll find many of the park’s most beloved sights. Bring a picnic blanket and binoculars to the base of El Capitan to spot rock climbers scaling the massive granite face. At night, their tiny headlamps flash across the rock as they bed down on cots suspended in the air. At the opposite end of the valley is Half Dome. The 8.5mi/14km trek to the top is best attempted only by the ultra-fit, but a blessedly flat alternative is the hike to Mirror lake for a vantage point directly underneath the dome. At the bike stand at Yosemite lodge near Yosemite Falls, rent bikes for a relaxing ride through the meadows, or, in the summer months, rent a raft at the Curry Village recreation Center to float down the Merced river. Two other valley must-dos: view photos at the Ansel Adams Gallery and have breakfast at the landmark 1927 Ahwahnee Hotel (www.yosemitepark.com). In fact, the Ahwahnee provides the best reason to get dressed up in Yosemite Valley. The Ahwahnee Bar in the famed hotel has live music performances on most Friday and Saturday nights. Beyond the Valley On the hour-long drive to Wawona and the southern section of the park, you’ll pass the turnoff for Badger Pass, a small ski area with a 1950s-era atmosphere. The Wawona Hotel hosts Saturday evening outdoor barbecues on the lawn in summer, a great stopover after taking the tram ride through the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias. large, grassy Tuolumne Meadows, at an elevation of 8,775ft/2,675m, is about an hour north of the valley. In summer or autumn, climb one of the two nearby granite domes for the best view: Pothole Dome on the meadow’s western edge is a summer shuttle-bus ride away; lembert Dome on the eastern edge involves a three-hour journey. On your way back to the valley, Tioga lake is a prime spot for sunning and wading. sieRRA fAMiLY cAMP geTAWAYs Yosemite National Park isn’t the only place in the High Sierra for family fun. Here are family camps in and around Yosemite. Yosemite Association family camping Jamboree This non-profit educational group run weekend outdoor adventure camps each July in Tuolumne Meadows. They’re popular, so book ahead. www.yosemite.org Montecito sequoia family Adventure & Vacation camp South of Yosemite in the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks region, this top-rated mountain camp in the Sierra Nevada has sailing, horseback riding, guided waterfall hikes and rock climbing. www.mslodge.com Berkeley Tuolumne family camp You don’t have to be a Berkeley resident to come to this family camp just west of Yosemite, which offers nature classes, hiking and an artist-in-residence programme. www.berkeleycamps.com AlEx FArNUM (4) sequoia High sierra camp A luxurious, hike-in-only camp just outside Kings Canyon National Park, with fly-fishing, hiking and gourmet meals. There is a reduced children’s rate. www.sequoiahighsierracamp.com Biking Yosemite Valley www.visitcalifornia.co.uk 47 http://www.yosemitepark.com http://www.yosemite.org http://www.mslodge.com http://www.berkeleycamps.com http://www.sequoiahighsierracamp.com http://www.visitcalifornia.co.uk
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