Sunset Magazine has quite an extensive series of articles on Yosemite, including a slideshow of the ‘Top Wow Spots’ in the park.
From Sunset Magazine:
Getting there. Yosemite lies 195 miles east of San Francisco, 175 southeast of Sacramento, and 90 miles northeast of Fresno. The main gateway towns to Yosemite are El Portal, on California 140 just west of the park; Mariposa, also on 140 30 miles southwest from El Portal; Groveland, on California 120 west of the park; and Oakhurst, on California 41 south of the park. The entrance fee is $20 per vehicle.
When to go. Yosemite is a four-seasons park. Summer is the busiest time, with highs in the 80s and occasional thunderstorms. Fall offers warm days, cool nights and fall color. Winter brings lows in the 20s, considerable snow at higher elevations and lesser quantities in the valley. Spring is gorgeous, with blossoming dogwoods, splashing waterfalls and highs in the 60s.
What to see. Yosemite is a big park―nearly 1200 square miles―but most visitors spend most of their time in Yosemite Valley. It’s worth all the attention. Over a dozen waterfalls–at their most bountiful in spring―splash here: Upper and Lower Yosemite, Bridal Veil, Vernal and Nevada are the best known, but you’ll find your own favorite. Half Dome and El Capitan lure world-class climbers, artists and photographers. In summer you can slip in a raft and bob down the Merced River.
But don’t neglect the other less-traveled parts of the park. North of the valley, Tioga Road leads into Yosemite’s high country, including verdant Tuolumne Meadows, and offers some of the park’s best hiking. South of the valley, Glacier Point Road leads to some of the park’s most amazing views, Wawona retains an easy, 19th century charm, and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees enshrines the giant sequoias that helped earn Yosemite its fame.
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You can read all of Sunset Magazine’s Yosemite National Park Guide HERE.
For more information on Yosemite:
National Park Service; 209-372-0200 or www.nps.gov/yose
DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite; (209) 372-1236 or www.yosemitepark.com
Yosemite Association; www.yosemite.org
The Ansel Adams Gallery; www.anseladams.com
The Yosemite Fund; www.yosemitefund.org
The Yosemite Store: www.yosemitestore.com