YosemiteDeathValley2016

Yosemite, Sequoia and Death Valley (April 2nd-9th)

·         Arrive LAX, April 2. Drive to Mariposa (4:30 hours) - BEST WESTERN PLUS Yosemite Gateway Inn (3 nights) 40530 Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA 93644-9621 (24 min from Yosemite)

·         April 3,4,5 in Yosemite (20 min from the hotel).

·         Leave Yosemite April 5th, drive to Three Rivers-->Wuksachi (4 hours) - sleep in http://www.visitsequoia.com/lodging.aspx Wuksachi Lodge, 64740 Wuksachi Way, Sequoia National Park, CA 93262

·         Drive to Sequoia (10 min). Spend April 5-6 in Sequoia.

·         Drive on the 6th to Death Valley (5:40)

·         Spend April 6-8th in Death Valley Furnace Creek Ranch  Highway 190, Death Valley, CA 92328

·         April 8 drive to LA (4.40 hour drive) - sleep at Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles Redondo Beach 2420 Marine Ave, Redondo Beach, CA, 90278


 

Schedule:

 

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 - Arrive LAX at 11:50 get the car and drive to Oakhurst(4:30 h) Sleep in Best Western

3 - Visit Yosemite

4 - Visit Yosemite

5 - Drive to Sequoia (4 h), visit Sequoia. Sleep in Wuksachi

6 - Visit Sequoia, then drive to Death Valley (5:40 h). Sleep in Furnace Creek.

7 - Visit Death Valley

8 - Finish Death Valley and drive to LA (5:30 h), Sleep in LA

9 - LA, fly back at 7pm

 

Yosemite

While Yosemite Valley and Wawona remain accessible by car all year, the Tioga and Glacier Point Roads remain closed due to snow, often until late May. Tire chains sometimes are required even during spring. When they are, you should carry and know how to use them, regardless of the type of vehicle you are driving.

While most of Yosemite remains snowy through May and into June, some hikes from Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Hetch Hetchy are often snow-free by April, and most are usually snow-free by sometime in May.

Yosemite Valley day hikes:

This is an absolute treasure of the National Park Service.

·         Bridalveil Fall Trail – 0.5 mile easy - A short walk will lead you to the base of Bridalveil Fall, allowing you to get an up close view of this often-windswept waterfall. When the water is at its peak in spring and early summer, you can expect to get wet!

  • Lower Yosemite Fall Trail – 1 mile easy - Part of North America's tallest waterfall.
  • Upper Yosemite Falls– A steep climb is well rewarded with close-up views of Upper Yosemite Fall and distant views of Half Dome and other Sierra mountain peaks. On the way to the falls you'll see the Columbia Rock.
    • Columbia Rock
      Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip
       Elevation: 1,000 ft (328 m) elevation gain
      Difficulty: Moderate
      Time: 2-3 hours round trip
      Begin at: Camp 4 area (near shuttle stop #7 and El Capitan Shuttle stop #E2)

    • Top of Yosemite Falls
       Distance: 7.2 miles (11.6 km) round trip
       Elevation: 2,700 ft (823 m) elevation gain
      Difficulty: Strenuous
      Time: 6-8 hours round trip
      Begin at: Camp 4 area (near shuttle stop #7 and El Capitan Shuttle stop #E2)
  • Mirror Lake Trail – 2 miles, easy to moderate - When water is calm, the lake offers beautiful reflections of surrounding cliffs. (We didn't do it)
  • Glacier Point **– a drive ride. Nice spot for a panoramic view. Scenic point with Half Dome just across the valley. (was closed when we went).
  • Vernal Fall & Nevada Fall -
    • Vernal Fall Footbridge
      Distance: 1.6 mi (2.6 km) round trip
      Elevation gain: 400 ft (120 m)
      Difficulty: Moderate
      Time: 1-1.5 hours
    • Top of Vernal Fall
      Distance: 2.4 mi (3.9 km) round trip (via Mist Trail)
      Elevation gain: 1000 ft (300 m)
      Difficulty: Strenuous
      Time: 3 hours
    • Top of Nevada Fall
      Distance: 5.4 mi (8.7 km) round trip (via Mist Trail)
      Elevation gain: 2000 ft (610 m)
      Difficulty: Strenuous
      Time: 5-6 hours
  • Tunnel view - his viewpoint is a great lookout for a view over the whole valley.

 

Sequoia

Giant Forest & Lodgepole Trails

·         General Sherman Tree - The main area is via Wolverton Road, off the Generals Highway just north of the tree itself (between Lodgepole and the Sherman Tree). From there, the 1/2-mile (.72 km) trail descends and includes some stairs. Rest on the benches along the trail; don't overexert yourself. Handicapped parking and an accessible trail are along the Generals Highway two miles (3.2 km) north of the Giant Forest Museum. You can drop off and pick up passengers here. If you have difficulty walking at this elevation 7,000 feet (175 m), stop at a park visitor center for a temporary parking permit.

·         Congress Trail – easy 2-mile loop trail, best in the park, begins near General Sherman Tree and winds through the heart of the sequoia forest

·         The Big Trees Trail
This 2/3 mile (1 km) trail circles Round Meadow. Colorful trailside panels describe sequoia ecology. Start at Giant Forest Museum and follow the paved, accessible trail from there. Handicapped parking available at trailhead. Allow 1 hour round trip. (We didn't do this)

·         Mono Rock – ¼ mile on 400 stone steps, great views from the top.

·         Tokopah Falls - The trail to Tokopah Falls starts just beyond the Marble Fork Bridge in Lodgepole Campground. It is an easy 1.7 mile (one way) walk along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River to the impressive granite cliffs and waterfall of Tokopah Canyon. Tokopah Falls is 1,200 feet (365.8 meters) high, and is most impressive in early summer, but be careful around the water! We had some snow on the way, but didn't need hiking boots.

 

Death Valley

Scenic drive – Artist's Drive, 9 miles one-way rout

·         Artist's Palette – one of the signature sights of Death Valley

·         Badwater – the lowest spot on land in the Western Hemisphere (and one of the hottest). From this place make sure to look across to Telescope Peak, which towers more than 2 miles above the valley floor.

·         Dante's View – from here there is 10 min strenuous walk toward a series of rocky overlooks.

·         Darwin Falls – 2 miles round trip hike with refreshing waterfall.

·         Bird viewing place – along the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail. Also along the fairways at Furnace Creek Golf Club you can see some. (We didn't do this)

·         Mosaic Canyon & Dry Fall - Mosaic Canyon is a showcase of geologic features as well as a beautiful example of one of Death Valley’s many canyons. Located 1/4 mile west of Stovepipe Wells Village, the 2 mile gravel access road climbs 1000 ft. to the parking area. From here an easy 1/4 mile walk leads into the canyon narrows, where the surrounding rock walls are composed of smooth, water-polished marble. If time permits, you can continue hiking for another 1-1/2 to 2 miles before the way is blocked by a dry waterfall.