Journey through the American national parks

First of all, you need to know that there are more than 60 national parks in the United States, and that they are mainly spread along the west coast, the same coast where California's most beautiful beaches are strung out like pearls in a rosary. This configuration makes things very exciting, as you will obviously be able to visit several parks during the same trip. As long as you prepare well, have a realistic vision of the successive routes and therefore a minimum knowledge of the realities of the terrain. So don't be too greedy, and choose between spending time in one park but seeing fewer in the end or visiting more but less well. The happy medium seems to be somewhere between these two options, as the parks are very different from one another and the ideal is to see as much as possible, but in good conditions.

Here's a realistic 15-day road trip itinerary, by car, through some of the most beautiful parks on the West Coast.

The American national parks are a relatively recent creation, since the first and oldest of them is only 150 years old. It is Yellowstone Park in Wyoming. Originally, the parks were classified as National Monuments in order to benefit from federal protection. National Park status came later, but required the government to obtain the agreement of Congress. These large areas are therefore subject to legislation designed to protect them, particularly from human intervention. You can't go everywhere (for example, you can only visit less than 2% of Yosemite Park) and strict rules must be respected to preserve the fauna, flora, soil and atmosphere. So you'll need to take this part of your trip seriously. Similarly, there is very little protection around gullies, ravines and precipices. You'll be in the middle of nature, a nature watched over by man, but totally free of his hold. Always bear this in mind. Accidents happen.

We suggest you start your journey in San Francisco, the city where you will have landed. If you leave France in the morning, you will probably arrive in the United States at the end of the day on a direct flight. If you leave in the middle of the day, you'll land in San Francisco in the evening. In both cases, it will be a bit short to get to the parks. Take the time to pick up the car you've booked from Paris, then take a stroll around San Francisco if you have the time, then head for the hotel where you'll rest up after your trip to make sure you're fresh the next day for this extraordinary 15-day journey.

San Francisco is well worth a trip in itself, with its many faces and points of interest. Unless you're planning to go all the way (you'd need several days), head off straight away to your first park, and not the least, the remarkable Yosemite Park!

Yosemite Park is only 300 km from San Francisco. In other words, San Francisco is the airport to choose when you arrive from France (you have the alternative of Reno International Airport, but it's even further away and there are no direct flights from France. The same goes for Las Vegas). Choose a hotel on the outskirts of the city to save time at the start. The journey takes around 4 hours. It's a pleasant, gently undulating road that passes through fairly green rural areas planted with maize crops and, in places, wind farms. You'll arrive either via the CA120, which will take you to the entrance known as Big Oak Flat Entrance, or via the CA140, which will take you to Arch Rock Entrance (El Portal).

In all likelihood, you'll arrive at the park in the early afternoon, or late morning if you're an early riser. But be warned: Yosemite is closed in winter, from mid-October to mid-April, as it snows heavily and freezes. If you're coming from Fresno or Reno (Nevada), access is closed from November to May.

You will probably be able to park in the park, but it is not unusual for its car parks to be full. You can also drive around the park, but this will depend on how busy it is and when you are travelling, and the road network is very limited. If you are able to park, the authorities strongly recommend taking the shuttle bus to your chosen points of interest.

You can also choose to walk. There are some great walks and hikes to be had, particularly at the starting points served by these shuttles. The Mist Trail might be your choice, as it's one of the most beautiful treks you can do. Mist means mist. It's actually the natural aerosol of water released by the Verna and Nevada Falls on your way up, which give this round trip its name. We recommend it. It takes around 5 hours and involves a 600 m climb. So it's a bit of a challenge, but doable even with children. And the 100-metre-high Verna Fall is well worth a visit.

You wouldn't expect to find a hotel in this park. Against all expectations, the village of Yosemite is a small island of civilisation, home to the Yosemite Valley Lodge, an excellent hotel with a boutique and restaurant, in the heart of a forest of giant sequoia trees. There is also the Yosemite Museum, devoted to the history of the park and a fine collection of photographs byAnsel Adams, the key photographer in American culture who gave his name to the nature reserve to the south-east of the park: the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Of course, there are also some fine hotels on the outskirts of the park. The Yosemite Valley Lodge and its dream location are booked up well in advance. There's also a campsite in the park called Curry Village, less than 2 kilometres from Vernal Fall, with all the facilities you'll need, including 24-hour reception, a restaurant and even an ATM!

You can only visit 36 square kilometres of the park, but you'll still be able to enjoy an exceptional panorama. Tunnel View, also known as Discovery View, is the natural lookout on Wawona Road, close to the eastern entrance to Wawona Tunnel. From here, you'll have the best view in the park, over the redwood forest and Half Dome in the distance, as well as El Capitan and Sentinel Dome. A must for any self-respecting Americanophile!

If you arrived the day before via the Arch Rock Entrance, it's very close, so you can't go wrong.

Bridalveil Fall is also in your sights. You can easily reach this 189-metre-high waterfall and enjoy the lively splash.

If you fancy a hike around Half Dome, you can take the Mirror Lake Trail, which begins at the Merced River. It takes a couple of hours to get there and back, but it's a really fun and invigorating walk. On the way up, North Dome will be on your left, and Half Dome on your right.

You can also come and soak up the Yosemite Fall, the park's largest waterfall at 739 metres high. There is a hike to admire it from above, the Upper Yosemite Fall, but you need to have the time and be physically ready, as it's quite a tough trek.

If you have the energy for it and prefer to see it up close, you can also approach the imposing El Capitan. It's not impossible that you'll see mountaineers there, or even rock climbers, as its kilometre-high south face flanks the mythical route known as The Nose, one of themost famous in the world.

At the end of this busy day, take advantage of a well-deserved rest in your hotel to prepare for the next day, which will take you to the very impressive Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. It's about 220 kilometres by road from where you are now. So enjoy a bit more of Yosemite, have a good breakfast, then hit the road!

The road between Yosemite Park and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks is beautiful, very wooded, but with lots of bends and slowdowns, as the mountains oblige. You'll need at least 4? hours to make the journey. From Fresno onwards, it's highway for about a quarter of the way, giving you a chance to relax a little and refuel.

You'll probably arrive in the middle of the afternoon.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon are two national parks that the authorities grouped together in 1943 for reasons of administrative convenience. This ensemble, located south of the Sierra Nevada mountains, is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Sequoia, as its name suggests, is rich in redwood forests, but also oaks and whitebark pines, while Kings Canyon is much more diverse, combining its pine forests with a rich and often challenging terrain...

Campsite

In theory, you can camp here, and there are prepared pitches for this purpose, but this can only be envisaged if you book in advance. You'll need to find out about this in advance of your trip.

Crystal Cave Tours Sequoia National Park

You may well have come to visit this cave, which is located in Sequoia National Park, and more precisely in Giant Forest. Its name probably comes from its perfectly crystal-clear lake, which sleeps in an icy atmosphere. You can only visit it in a group, accompanied by a guide. The 2.5 km walk takes just under half a day. The cost is $18 per person. Make sure you bundle up, it's chilly, and don't forget the tip at the end.