We leave next weak to San Francisco and will spend 10 days
visiting California by car, including Yosemite, Death Valley
and up the coast back to SF.
We are mainly interested in landscapes, the more amazing and
extreme they are, the better it is. And we like to discover
them by foot, but as I said we have only 10 days.
Does anybody know about some spots where we could do a
fast little trek, let's say between 2 and 6 hours maxi, so
we could include 3 or 4 of them in our trip ?
Thanks
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GORP has a good selection and description of outdoor
recreation activities, including multi-hour hikes. For
those in California, take a peek at
*
www.gorp.com/gorp/location/ca/ca.htm
Try:
1.Pinnacles National Monument as approached from the west side (lunarscape with rock spires, huge rocks that fell on each other to form tunnels and caves)
2. removed from recommendation
3. removed from recommendation
4. Glass Beach north of Ft. Bragg/Mendocino, or Sinkyone Wilderness (but that's way up north)
5. Tilden Park or East Bay Volcanic Regional Park, both east of Berkeley and accessible from SF (both are smallish regional parks, but offer diverse ecosystems (chaparral, coastal redwoods and scrub oak) You'd get similar ecosystem at Muir redwoods if you hike from redwoods to the Dipsea trail. Get a Muir Redwoods trail map for a $1 and take water on any trail). It's a nice view but typical California shit.
6. In Yosemite, go to Tuolumne Meadows and hike Lembert Dome (a trek), and then head to Mono Lake for some tufa calcium carbonate sculpture and some weird bug/larvae action (not a trek but what can you do?).
More specifics? Contact me.
The best tour through Yosemite (3 days food, tents, etc,
ride there and back for $185)is with Incredible Adventures.
Talk to the irish guy Reilly, the number is listed in the
phone book and the brochures are in hostels, he gives great
tours and is a load of laughs.
In the Valley take the 4-mile trail (actually longer I
think, but that's its name) up to Glacier Point. It will
be close no doubt (but just go around the closed gate) and
may be impassable due to snow, but if you make it up, all
the better...there will hardly be anyone else up there. I
will be, hopefully, next Saturday afternoon.
Your trekking in Yosemite, especially in the high country,
may be limited by snow, even this late. Tioga Pass may be
closed, so you may have to cross the Sierra up at Lake Tahoe
or down at Techachapi Pass (there are other passes, such as
Sonora, you could also try). 2-6 hour walk equals a trek?
You want short walks/hikes/strolls. Yosemite Valley has
several. Death Valley ditto. Once you get there you'll
find lots of info on recommended hikes. Just go to the
visitor centers and talk with the rangers. You'll know the
weather, etc. "Up the coast" from Death Valley to San
Francisco? So, the big earthquake finally hit? Or are you
hitting L.A. (or even someplace further up the coast, such
as San Luis Obispo) after Death Valley and then going up the
coast? 10 days will be pushing it, not leaving much time
(especially if you have to add a day if Tioga Pass is
closed), so better to hang loose, see how much time you have
after your driving and then just look for shirt half-day
hikes in the area. You simply won't have time for lots of
amazing places, such as the ancient Bristlecone Pines in the
White Mountains, near Bishop (in between Yosemite and Death
Valley).
Hey, Nilo: the guy has 10 days for a long, long drive. No
time for a 3-day trek. duh.
Go, immeadiately. The coast line is so beatiful there. I
prefer Carmel, but Monterey is gorgeous too. Ialso suggest
the Santa Cruz Mountains/Big Basin (where the forest meets
the ocean).
Since Death Valley isn't exactly a stones throw from
Yosemite, I'd suggest that you NOT drive there. Spend your
ten days in Northern California. Trust me, you won't run
out of things to do or amazing places to see.
In response to last posting: The coast is scenic but also
crowded (relatively). Scenery in eastern California,
including (especially) Death Valley, is different from
anywhere else and far less crowded. Sweeping vistas as far
as the eye can see. Monterey and Carmel are beautiful, but
also full of precious boutiques and tourists (well, the
tourists may not be precious). Further, yep. You have to
decide on your priorities. As you can tell from the
responses, it's very, very subjective. Some people want to
get away from it all, and don't mind driving (or even want
to drive) to do so, while others want to go to the more
popular places and see shops, restaurants, etc. as extra
attractions not detriments. Look at a map and get an idea
of where you want to be each day (but be flexible). It's
your vacation. Have a good time.
... for all your great hints. I can't wait for next
Wednesday :-)
Is that you?
just got back from a trip that took me from san fran to la,
and realised that death valley WAS much furthur from
yosemite than i had realised, but it is not to be missed!
it was worth every second of the (very long) drive. plan to
spend some time there, esp. if you are coming from yosemite.
you can't really leave from yosemite and do death valley in
the same day.
also, there is a great nature preserve just outside of palm
springs, the cochilla (?). desert oasis. super.