Yosemite National Park In a Day by Motorcoach
What a wonderful day trip from San Francisco . We left very early and arrived
at the park in time for our packed lunch. Yosemite National Park is among the top ten tour destinations in the U.S. Travel to Yosemite by car, bus or train. In winter or summer, Yosemite Valley, including El Capitan and Half-Dome and the a number of striking waterfalls, is one of the most awe-inspiring sights in the U.S. Yosemite tours last a full day.
Yosemite Falls
This full day tour of Yosemite National Park is a great way to experience some of the most exciting scenery in California including Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, Cathedral Rocks and the 3500ft El Capitan. If time permits, you may be able to take a short walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in the United States and the world's fifth largest.
After crossing the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge by motorcoach, we take a scenic 200-mile drive through the great Central Valley of California. Following the Merced River, we climb the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range and enter Yosemite National Park. Ample time is scheduled to visit the scenic wonders of Yosemite Valley. During the journey and while in Yosemite Valley, the tour leader will describe the scene for you and tell you about Yosemite Park history.
Yosemite National Park is located in the central Sierra Nevada of California. It takes approximately 4 hours to drive to the park from San Francisco, approximately 6 hours from Los Angeles, and 7 hours from San Bernardino. Yosemite is surrounded by wilderness areas: the Ansel Adams Wilderness to the southeast, the Hoover Wilderness to the northeast, and the Emigrant Wilderness to the north
Yosemite Valley is open year-round, but much of the remaining park is closed because of snow in late autumn and re-opens in mid to late spring. Open-air tours around Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias are available. Many people enjoy short walks and longer hikes to waterfalls in Yosemite Valley, or walks amongst Giant Sequoias in the Mariposa, Tuolumne, or Merced Groves. Others like to drive or take a tour bus to Glacier Point (summer-fall) to see a spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country, or drive along the scenic Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall) and go for a walk or hike.
Most park visitors stay just for the day, and only visit locations within Yosemite Valley that are easily accessible by automobile. There is a US$20 per automobile user fee to enter the park.
Traffic congestion in the valley is a serious problem during peak season, in summer. A free shuttle bus system operates year-round in the valley, and park rangers encourage people to use this system since parking within the valley during the summer is often nearly impossible to find.
In addition to exploring the natural features of the park, visitors can also learn about the natural and cultural history of Yosemite Valley at a number of facilities in the valley: the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, the adjoining Yosemite Museum, and the Nature Center at Happy Isles. There are also two National Historic Landmarks: the LeConte Memorial Lodge (Yosemite's first public visitor center), and the world-famous Ahwahnee Hotel. Camp 4 was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003
Mirror Lake is a small, seasonal lake located on Tenaya Creek in Yosemite National Park. Situated in Tenaya Canyon directly between North Dome and Half Dome, it is the last remnant of a large glacial lake that once filled most of Yosemite Valley at the end of the last Ice Age, and is close to disappearing due to sediment accumulation
ALL PHOTO`S TAKEN AND OWNED BY BAIRDSTRAVEL
Famous Scotsman - John Muir - Naturalist who established US National Park Network
