Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is a masterpiece of granite, waterfalls, and giant sequoias - a place that inspired the conservation movement and continues to humble visitors with its sheer scale and beauty. Yosemite Valley, surrounded by 3,000-foot granite walls, is the heart of the park and one of the most photographed landscapes on Earth.

El Capitan, a 3,000-foot vertical granite monolith, is the world's most famous rock climbing destination. Half Dome's distinctive shape is an American icon. Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet, thunders with snowmelt in spring. The Mariposa Grove contains over 500 mature giant sequoias, including the 1,800-year-old Grizzly Giant.

Beyond the valley, Glacier Point offers jaw-dropping views, Tuolumne Meadows provides high-country hiking, and the Tioga Road crosses the Sierra Nevada through some of the most beautiful alpine scenery in the world.

The best time to visit Yosemite is late spring (May to June) for peak waterfalls, and fall (September to October) for comfortable temperatures and smaller crowds.

May and June offer the most spectacular waterfalls as snowmelt swells the cascades. Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall are at their most thunderous. Summer (July to August) is warm and dry with all roads open, but very crowded - reservations are required to enter the park.

Fall brings golden light, thinner crowds, and comfortable hiking weather. Winter transforms the valley into a snow-dusted wonderland with fewer visitors, though Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close.