Top Ten Summer Parks

(Chris Ramm)

California

Ansel Adams memorialized this park with his famous black-and-white photographs. Today, it still sparks the imagination: From the peak-ringed and wildflower-studded Tuolumne Meadows to the Mariposa Grove's gargantuan sequoias, from the rushing waters of the Merced River to the huge views from Glacier Point, you'll find cause for wonder in every corner of Yosemite. And if that's not enough, try taking in one of the spectacular waterfalls, hiking the John Muir trail, or marveling at the beautiful El Cap, a Mecca in the climbing world. And for those inclined to do nothing, there's the soul-satisfying indulgence of just standing in Yosemite Valley and absorbing the beauty of the most famous glacially carved landscape in the world. Just try not to add to the equally famous automobile traffic.