Just prior to going to the Escapees rally in Tuscon, we joined the Escapees club, however we had yet to stay in an Escapees park. This is our first and it won't be our last. This is also our fist chance to see Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks. First a little about the park.
Park of the Sierras is located about a half hour drive from Yosemite. Nestled in the mountains about a 10 minute drive to the town of Coursegold, an old mining town that has some nice shopping, mostly artsy stuff... you know the usual. The park itself is large with a terraced type of design so most people have a nice view. As we've discovered at most SKP parks they have pot luck dinners, game nights and if you're feeling energetic you can even join a work crew and do some gardening, maintenance, or even help build one of their various projects. The people are wonderful and go out of their way to include you in the various activities, not that you have to, if you want you can just sit in your chair and watch the wildlife go by.
 |
| The view of the mountains from the park. |
 |
| The main meeting hall. |
 |
| One of 5 waterfalls in the park. |
 |
| The town of Coursegold. |
As National parks go Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia are all pretty spectacular. Because it is early April, ( I know, I'm way behind), a few of the roads are closed because of snow and ice. But we take it with a grain of salt because if we are going to be back in the Midwest in Sept then we need to be moving north now or we won't have time for everything along the way. To try and describe the parks is a fruitless endeavor. Words and the following pictures do not do them justice. So if you haven't been there and you like these pictures then you have to add them to your bucket list. Here is Yosemite.
 |
| That's Half Dome peeking out behind the mountain. |
 |
| One of the many waterfalls. Because of the drought and less then average snowfall the flow is nothing like it usually is. |
 |
| Half Dome |
 |
| El Capitan. |
 |
| I love these growth ring trees. They make you think about life just a little bit. |
Kings Canyon and Sequoia.
 |
| Yup, Lynn's a tree hugger |
 |
| The black on the trunks are burn marks on these trees. The bark, up to 2 feet thick protected it from fire. |
Our little lunch spot on a river.
 |
| There was a mist covering the area as we walked to see the Gen. Sherman tree. I loved the effect . |
 |
| The largest tree by Volume in the world. |
 |
| Kings Canyon |
Well, that's is three more National Parks down, only a couple hundred to go. See you down the road.
