Hi!
The Mrs and I are considering a California trip. Probably in early September. We'll start and finish in either LA or San Fransisco. We'd either rent a car or a camper. Probably a car.
We both love nature, hiking, outdoor things and wildlife. So that should be the most of the trip. We want to visit Yosemite, Sequoia and Death Valley. What are the must see/do highlights of these parks? Where do we stay that's conveniently close to the things we should see/do?
Are we missing any other must-see national parks en-route? Don't bother with the parks outside California. We're already planning a Vegas/Utah Parks thread for the future.
We'd also spend a day or 2 in SF and LA. Just to see it and catch the vibe. We were also considering driving all the way from LA to SF along Highway 1 as it's legendary. Is that doable in one day?
There are a couple of neat steam railroads that go through thick forested areas in or near the places you will be visiting.
See:
Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad north of Santa Cruz (pictured)
Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad south of Yosemite National Park
>>1090511
Yosemite is great, but it's expensive as hell to stay in the park. I'd recommend booking a hotel NOW (no kidding) as places fill up fast. I think the eastern side of the park is better for hiking (far fewer people) than the western side. A good place to stay (if you're not staying in the park) is Lee Vining; if you can't find a room there then Mammoth Lakes is also a good choice. Keep in mind that Yosemite is really big and it can take a few hours to drive east/west or north/south.
Sequoia/King's Canyon is mostly trees. Hiking is OK, but nothing too spectacular. You'll see a lot of wildlife, and a lot of trees. Driving through the parks (north/south) takes a really long time. There's a cave system in the park; it's worth a visit, although it's pretty tourist-y.
Death Valley is great, but it'll still be really really hot in September. Lone Pine is the best place to stay. A good idea (if you're into deserts) is to do Death Valley/Mojave Desert/Joshua Tree. Joshua Tree is another NP; hiking there is very good, but the towns surrounding the park are pretty shit (things were much nicer when Joshua Tree was a National Monument).
What have you left out? Lassen Volcanic NP. Excellent hiking, inexpensive nearby accommodation (Redding, Red Bluff, Susanville, or Chester if you book early enough). I'd take Lassen over Sequoia any day. If you're really into hiking I'd also check out the Plumas National Forest, around Graeagle -- some really spectacular stuff there, without the negative aspects of the NP experience.
>>1090538
Sorry, forgot -- Route 1 is definitely doable in a day. A very long day, without much time to stop anywhere along the way. Still, it's a really nice drive.
>>1090538
>>1090546
Thanks! Any particular trails (or drives) you'd recommend in any of the parks? Particular spots to visit?
In 2014 we already did a trip that included Vancouver Island, Banff, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, Glacier (US) and Yellowstone. So a little more forest without that much elevation isn't a problem for us. Nice change of scenery even. ;) Looking forward to seeing the giant Sequoia trees in particular in that park. The hugeness along Cathedral Grove on Vancouver Island was already amazing, and these go even bigger.
>>1090521
Will also definitely look into these, thanks!
>>1090511
I would either chop up the highway 1 drive into a couple of days, or just grab a section of it and do that in a day. LA to SF in one day would leave almost no time for stopping which (imo) isnt very relaxing and defeats the purpose of a vacation.
Make sure to stop in Santa Cruz and head over to Steamer Lane to watch the surfers. It's a high cliff with massive waves, really fun to watch.
>>1090770
>Any particular trails (or drives) you'd recommend in any of the parks?
Lassen trails: Bumpass Hell, King's Creek Falls, and Cinder Cone. The hike up to Lassen Peak is the best, but (last time I was there) it was only open occasionally (closed for trail building & maintenance) so you need to check. The N-S drive through the park is nice.
Yosemite trails: North Dome, Mono Pass, Gaylor Lakes. On the east side of the park, the hike from Glacier Point down to the valley is also good. The E-W drive through the park (over the Tioga Pass) is worthwhile, but takes time.
Sequoia trails: Mist Falls, Moro Rock, Little Baldy.
Death Valley trails: Ubehebe Craters, Mosaic Canyon, and Golden Canyon. Racetrack Rocks are cool but you need a 4WD to get out there. The drive to Badwater Salt Flats/Dante's Ridge is nice.
Joshua Tree trails: Wall Street Mill, Ryan Mountain, Lost Horse Mine, and Lost Palms Oasis. The drive from the west entrance (stroll around Hidden Valley on the way) to the south entrance is very nice.
Other "spots to visit" are easy to find on the way to/from the trails. Get a park map when you enter; the "beauty spots" are all accessible by short paved 1-mile loops (wheelchair friendly!) and are usually crowded.
>>1090900
Thank you! Great list of spots to check out! :)
