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yosemite
national park
EASTERN CALIFORNIA
Some 900,000 visitors flock to Yosemite
National Park in an average July. By January,
that figure has fallen to just 26,000, making
winter a wonderful time to visit, not just for
the lack of crowds but also for the added
splendor that snow lends to the landscape
and the ice-sharp clarity of the mountains
on crisp, blue-skied days. Join rangers on
guided snowshoe hikes, sit in a warm shuttle
bus on a drive around the park, or just curl
up in front of the fire at the Ahwahnee
Hotel, a national historical landmark.
DON’T MISS
Some trails remain open in the Yosemite Valley in
winter, and there’s skiing at nearby Badger Pass.
You can also skate outdoors at Curry Village in the
shadow of Half Dome and Glacier Point, two of the
park’s most spectacular natural features.
The sun-dappled rock walls of El Capitan loom over a
snowy Merced River in Yosemite National Park.
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P E A K S & VA L L E Y S