Sadly, the most popular area of Yosemite National Park, including Yosemite Valley, is indefinitely closed due to the wildfires raging in the area. Every year, millions of visitors arrive here to witness the wonders of the park like Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. If you’re one of the countless who’ve planned a trip only to be disappointed, make things a little better by considering one of these fabulous alternatives instead.
Lassen National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park offers lots of things to do though it doesn’t tend to attract the big crowds, and the trek to Lassen Peak has been compared to Half Dome. This 166-square-mile park has been called “The West’s most beautiful, least visited wonderland,” by Sunset magazine, with just 400,000 visiting annually. It also offers features similar to Yellowstone like multiple groups of hot springs and fumaroles that are remnants of former volcanic activity, along with jagged peaks, serene alpine lakes and tranquil wildflower-filled meadows.
Lake Tahoe
While Lake Tahoe is especially popular in the winter for its many ski resorts, it offers a ton of things to see and do all year round. When all that powder is gone, you can still ride the Heavenly Gondola for spectacular panoramic vistas of Lake Tahoe, Carson Valley and Desolation Wilderness. There is endless hiking and mountain biking trails, zip line tours and 4X4 tours available as well. On the lake, take a cruise, jet-ski, kayak to hidden coves, paddle board or just soak up the sun on one of the beautiful beaches along the shore.
Calaveras Big Trees, Murphys/Arnold
Just north of Yosemite, Calaveras Big Trees State Park is one of the top spots for viewing giant sequoia trees. There are numerous hikes that wind through the sequoia groves as well as routes that will take you along the Stanislaus River and Beaver Creek. You may want to base your stay in the charming town of Murphys. Its historic Main Street is lined with a wide variety of independent shops, fantastic eateries, candy stores and even wine tasting rooms. Discover award-winning small production estate wines, enjoy tasting and chatting with local winemakers.
Mono Lake
Mono Lake is located on the eastern side of the Sierras via Tioga Pass from Yosemite. Estimated to be 760,000 years old, it’s one of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere, and one of the state’s most magnificent spots for sightseeing spots, thanks to Los Angeles’s water diversion efforts which started in 1941. Four decades later, a little more than half the lakes surface area had disappeared, revealing once-submerged limestone referred to as tufa. The form towers that jut across the surface of the water, giving it hauntingly beautiful look with the snow-capped Sierra Nevada reflected in the calm, deep blue waters. The saltwater not only makes swimmers float like a cork, but it sustains trillions of brine shrimp, attracting millions of migratory birds to feast on them. Its ideal for bird watching, kayaking and canoeing, with many islands to explore, outside of the period between April 1 and August 1 when they’re closed to protect nesting migratory birds.
Giant Sequoia National Monument, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
There are over 30 lesser known groves that are protected within Giant Sequoia National Monument. The habitat of these impressive trees is limited to a narrow swath of conifer forest along the western edges of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range just outside of Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park. The southern section is home to the 269-foot-high Boole Tree, one of the ten largest Giant Sequoias, while General Grant Grove to the north is an isolated section of Kings Canyon National Park, home to the more than 1,500-year-old General Grant Tree, the third largest known tree on the planet. In the national parks, you can also view geologic formations similar to Yosemite’s and there is outstanding rock climbing too.
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, one of the largest historical districts in the United States, is the best known of Nevada’s early mining towns. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in the late 1800s made it a booming metropolis with over 25,000 residents. In its heyday, it was a center for arts and culture. Today, while the population has dwindled, not much has changed. You can stroll authentic boardwalk sidewalks, visit Old West saloons and ride a stagecoach or even a historic train. It’s also rather famous for its reputedly haunted hotels, annual Rocky Mountain oysters stir fry and world championship outhouse races.
Lake Shasta
Lake Shasta is just two-and-a-half hours north of Sacramento International Airport and is the state’s third largest body of water. It also happens to be surrounded by jaw-dropping scenery that includes the soaring 14,000-foot peak of Mount Shasta that looms above it all. Here you can enjoy swimming, water skiing and fishing for trophy-size bass and 10-pound trout, along with salmon, catfish, bluegill, crappie and sturgeon. Boat rentals are available at many of the lakeside marinas, and visitors can even spend the night on the lake by renting a houseboat, with room for up to 16 people. Some even include a hot tub and big-screen TV.
Point Reyes National Seashore
The Point Reyes National Seashore is only about an hour north of San Francisco and showcases a breathtakingly magnificent stretch of coastline with miles and miles of scenic hiking trails and a healthy oyster fishery. The Point Reyes Lighthouse, built in 1870, offers some of the most awe-inspiring views of the rugged coast with its lush, dramatic cliffs and even a few waterfalls. Harbor seals can often be seen lounging on the rocks, and by paddling out in your kayak or taking a tour with Blue Waters Kayaking, you can get a closeup look at these adorable creatures. In town, dine at the Station House Cafe which serves dishes based on local, organic ingredients. Be sure to stop at Tomales Bay Foods as well – set within an old hay barn, it’s the creamery and tasting room for the famous Cowgirl Creamery.
