California is richly endowed with striking landscapes but none of its natural sights quite compares with the beauty of Yosemite Valley, 11.2 km long and 1.6 km wide, coated by fir trees, patrolled by wild deer, and walled by towering granite cliffs. The whole park is a walker’s paradise, threaded with well maintained and signposted trails.

The thrill of sighting the valley as the approach road twists through the surrounding forests has yet to grow stale despite many vis­its. Here the highlights of the valley are a mix­ture of waterfalls; sky-high peaks and domes; startling viewpoints at the end of foot trails; and some of the more accessible portions of the rest of Yosemite National Park, such as Wawona and the giant sequoia trees of the Mari­posa Grove. To do justice to all the best places to visit, allow at least two days.

You can cross over here with our coverage of the town of Mariposa and Fresno and – during the summer when the Tioga Pass Road is open – can be coupled with Eastern Sierra Although the park is open all year, ideally you’d visit during spring or fall, when the valley is free of its heavy summer crowds. Note that accommodation in the park is often fully booked, especially during summer. Cancellations can some­times, however, be picked up on the day.

TRANSPORT

AMTRAK (www.amtrak.com) operate three trains and buses a day between Fresno, and Yosemite Village and stopping along the way.