YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK* *SUMMER AND FALL* YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK EMBRACES A SPECTACULAR TRACT OF MOUNTAIN AND VALLEY SCENERY IN THE SIERRA NEVADA. YOSEMITE WAS SET ASIDE AS A NATIONAL PARK IN 1980. LOCATED 37 MILES NORTH ON US 395, TAKE A LEFT ON THE TIOGA PASS *CA-120* DEATH VALLEY* OPEN YEAR ROUND* BEST IN SPRING. THIS NATIONAL PARK IS ONE OF THE HOTTEST PLACES ON EARTH, THE LOWEST POINT IN THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE *282 FEET BELOW SEA LEVEL* AND THE DRIEST PLACE IN NORTH AMERICA *LESS THAN TWO INCHES OF RAIN A YEAR*. IT IS KNOWN FOR BEAUTIFUL WILDFLOWERS, SAND DUNES AND UNIQUE HISTORY. FIND IT BY TAKING I-15 FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THROUGH BAKER TO STATE ROUTE 127. VISIT DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK. MT. WHITNEY* *SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL* AT 14,494 FEET, THIS IS THE TALLEST MOUNTAIN IN THE LOWER 48 STATES AND THE MOST FREQUENTLY CLIMBED PEAK IN THE SIERRAS* ACCESS IT 13 MILES WEST OF THE TOWN OF LONE PINE, WHICH IS LOCATED ON HWY 395, ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTH OF MAMMOTH. ALABAMA HILLS/ LONE PINE* HIKE AROUND SOME INCREDIBLE ROCK FORMATIONS. YOU MAY EVEN RECOGNIZE THEM FROM THE MOVIES, BECAUSE HOLLYWOOD LOVES TO SHOOT WESTERNS HERE. MANZANAR HISTORIC SITE* THIS USED TO BE EASY TO MISS, BUT NOW MANZANAR IS HOME TO A NEW INTERPRETIVE CENTER THAT CONTAINS AN IMPORTANT PART OF CALIFORNIA *AND AMERICAN* HISTORY. IT*S SIX MILES BEFORE INDEPENDENCE, ALONG HWY 395. ANCIENT BRISTLECONE PINE FOREST* *MAY THROUGH OCTOBER* THE TREES IN THE BRISTLECONE FOREST, POPULAR SUBJECTS FOR FILMING AND PHOTOGRAPHY, ARE 4,000 YEARS OLD.