Yosemite Nat’l Park, Tuolumne Co.

Key Reasons to Go: Yosemite is simply a must-see park, period. Of course there are going to be lots of people, but the valley floor is a tour you should do, then get away from it and head for places like Glacier Point or Tioga Pass and take a hike with (relatively) few other people to disrupt your outdoor experience.

Best Time to Go: Clearly late spring is a great time for waterfalls, but plant fans will want to wait until June and July. Yosemite Valley is about 4000 ft and plants don't just bloom right away.

If you can handle crowds, any time is a good time to see the rock of Yosemite. And it doesn't take much to get away from the crowds if you head for the trails.

Directions: Yosemite is surprisingly easy to get to from El Dorado County. The valley floor (Visitor Center, Ansel Adams Gallery, and the iconic views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and El Cap) is just 2.5 hours away if you go by Hwy 49. Once the snows have melted and you can use Monitor Pass; my favorite approach is to go over to 395 and stop at Mono Lake before going up to Yosemite via Tioga Pass.

Yos s e'meti (Central Miwok) originally referred to the Indian tribe that lived in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite means literally "those who kill" . It was used by the surrounding Miwok tribes. The Yosemite people were referred to as killers by these surrounding tribes, who feared them. The Yosemite tribe, led by Chief Tenaya, were composed of renegades from multiple tribes, including Mono Paiute from the eastern Sierra. The Paiute were traditional enemies of the more-peaceful Miwok people. (Source: "Origen of the word Yosemite")

* Searching for Lewisia disepala

* A walk around Saddlebag Lake near Tioga Pass

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