Yosemite

Yosemite has no sea, and swimming is a small part of a stay. In late summer, once snowmelt has slowed, the Merced River in Yosemite Valley forms calm pools and sandbars where visitors wade and float. High in Tuolumne country, Tenaya Lake has a sandy shore with clear, very cold water. Just south of the park, Bass Lake near Oakhurst is warmer and has a proper summer lake-resort feel.

In spring and early summer the rivers are fast, icy and dangerous, and drownings are a real risk near the falls. Treat a swim as a cool-off after a hike, not a reason to come.

Food here is fuel for hiking. Inside the park you eat at lodge dining rooms, cafeterias, pizza counters and general stores, and a grand historic dining room in the Valley is the one setting that feels special. The gateway towns of Mariposa, Groveland, Oakhurst and Lee Vining have diners, barbecue, Mexican cooking and a few wine bars pouring Sierra foothill wines.

Many visitors cook at their campsite or pack picnics, and that is often the best meal of the day. Nobody comes to eat, and choice runs thin late in the evening and outside summer.

Yosemite's landmarks are granite and water, not buildings, and the man-made heritage is a modest set. The best of it is the rustic park architecture of the early twentieth century, above all the timber and stone grand hotel in Yosemite Valley, with its beamed lounges and Native American design motifs. Nearby stand the small wooden Valley chapel from the 1870s and the granite LeConte Memorial Lodge.

The Yosemite Museum in the Valley covers Ahwahneechee Miwok culture, with basketry and a reconstructed village behind it, and Ansel Adams's photographs shown in the Valley tie the place to the story of American conservation. At Wawona, a white Victorian hotel and the Pioneer History Center, with its covered bridge and relocated cabins, recall the stagecoach era. An hour or two covers each of these.

There is essentially no nightlife. Evenings mean a drink in a lodge lounge, a ranger talk or a campfire, and the Valley goes quiet soon after dark. The gateway towns have a saloon or brewpub each, but nothing runs late. The best thing to do after dark is look at the stars, which in the high country are some of the clearest in California.

Few landscapes anywhere match Yosemite Valley. Sheer granite walls rise about 1,000m from a flat meadow floor: El Capitan, Half Dome and Cathedral Rocks, with Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil and Vernal Fall pouring off them. Waterfalls are strongest from April to June, on snowmelt. The Mist Trail, the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point and the cable route up Half Dome are classic day hikes. El Capitan is the world's best-known big-wall climb, and climbers can be seen on it all summer.

Beyond the Valley, Mariposa Grove holds hundreds of giant sequoias. From about June to October, Tioga Road opens the high country of Tuolumne Meadows, with domes, alpine lakes, wildflowers and long backcountry routes. Black bears, mule deer and coyotes are common. In winter, the Valley under snow is quieter, and Badger Pass offers gentle skiing and snowshoeing.

Most days are spent inside the park, but a few outings are worth making. West of Groveland lies the Gold Country. Columbia keeps a whole gold-rush main street as a state historic park, Sonora and Jamestown have old storefronts and a steam railway yard, and foothill wineries are scattered around Murphys. Mariposa, at the southern gateway, makes an easy half day.

In summer, the drive east over Tioga Pass leads to Lee Vining and, about an hour beyond, the ghost town of Bodie, left as it was abandoned. The mountain town of Mammoth Lakes is also within reach on that side. In winter the pass closes and the eastern outings are off the map.

Yosemite is a classic family camping trip rather than a place built for children. The flat Valley floor works well for them. There are paved cycle paths, short walks to the foot of Lower Yosemite Fall, meadows to run in and shallow river margins in late summer. The Junior Ranger programme and ranger talks keep children busy, and walking among the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove impresses every age.

There are no attractions aimed at children, the drives in are long and winding, and summer crowds and parking take patience. Cliff edges, fast spring rivers and bears call for real supervision. Families who like to hike and camp get the most from it.

Inside Yosemite Valley things are simple. Free shuttle buses loop past the lodges, trailheads and villages, and bike paths and footpaths cover the flat floor. A regional bus runs in from Merced, which has the nearest train station, and from the gateway towns, so a car-free trip to the Valley is possible.

The rest of the park is a different matter. Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove and Tuolumne Meadows are each an hour or more of winding road from the Valley, and a car is effectively needed. Summer brings queues at the entrances and full car parks. Tioga Road, the only route east, is closed by snow from late autumn until early summer.

There is little to shop for. Park stores sell maps, outdoor basics, books and souvenirs, and a long-standing gallery in the Valley sells fine-art landscape prints. The gateway towns add a few antique shops, local craft stores and outfitters for forgotten gear. Bring what you need.

In season, Yosemite is an expensive place to stay. Rooms inside the park are few and sell out early at high prices, and the motels and cabins in the gateway towns charge peak rates all summer. Captive-market food in the park costs more than it is worth. Campsites are the great exception and very cheap, but they are hard to get, and the shuttles and trails cost nothing once you are in. Visiting in winter, or staying further down in the foothills, keeps costs down.

There is almost nothing to attend. Evenings bring ranger campfire talks and the occasional slide show or one-person historical performance in the Valley. Sonora has a small repertory theatre, and summer concerts take place in the foothill towns. No one should plan a trip around performances here.

Yosemite is restful in the sense that wild places are, not in the sense of spas. A couple of resort hotels near the southern entrance have spa treatments. In summer, the natural hot springs around Bridgeport and Mammoth Lakes, beyond Tioga Pass, offer open-air soaks with mountain views.

The Valley in July can feel more like a busy town than a retreat. For real quiet, come in winter or go up to the meadows and lakes of the high country.