Frommer's Yosemite & Sequioa/Kings Canyon National Parks
Chapter One
Introduction to Yosemite
and Sequoia & Kings Canyon
National Parks
California's Sierra Nevada imposes rugged features on a state that
many associate with sandy beaches and palm trees. It's a mountain
range of great beauty, hidden amid harsh wilderness, and nowhere
is the terrain more dramatic than in Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings
Canyon National Parks. Both combine mountains with meadows,
waterfalls with wildflowers, and spectacular geology with awe-inspiring
vistas that span, in some cases, nearly the breadth of the
state. Together, these parks cover 1.6 million acres (roughly 2,520
sq. miles). They host approximately 6 million visitors a year and are
home to thousands of species of plants and animals.
Yosemite attracts more tourists than Sequoia & Kings Canyon,
although all three are absolutely delightful parks. Yosemite covers
1,169 square miles-roughly the size of Rhode Island-and 94% is
designated wilderness. Here you can enjoy the quiet beauty of a forest
or a pri ... read full excerpt from Frommer's Yosemite & Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks ebook
