Four Jewels: Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite & Death Valley

Program Registration: 3:30-5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, take your luggage to your room then join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar On The Road (OTR) program. OTR journeys take participants to multiple study sites in a region with a number of overnight stays. Lectures, talks, discussions, field trips, and on-board commentary by local experts will amplify the program theme. Long or short, On the Road journeys are learning experiences that make the most of our time together. This is a rigorous, moving program in which we will be on the road every day but one, with access to rooms at the beginning and end of each day. Transportation will be via private motorcoach unless specified otherwise. We will pre-order our preferred entrées for several meals. Please see the “Notes” section for details. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At a local restaurant.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel.

We will board a motorcoach and ride to Sequoia National Park. Established in 1890, the park — south of and contiguous with Kings Canyon National Park — now encompasses a vertical relief of nearly 13,000 feet with the highest point in the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney. We will ride along Highway 180 through the rich farmlands of the central valley into the oak woodland foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We will enter Sequoia National Park through the Big Stump Entrance and continue to the Giant Forest Museum. The road passes through pine forests and in and out of Sequoia National Park and Sequoia National Forest. We will stop at the Giant Forest Museum for a self-directed exploration of exhibits that will give us an introduction to the giant sequoias and the area’s cultural history. Then, during an expert-led hike on Big Trees trail, we’ll learn about Sequoia forest ecology. The Sentinel Tree stands in front of the museum with easy access via a paved path. There is a large network of paved and unpaved trails surrounding the museum with sequoias scattered throughout the pine forest. Sequoias live in a mixed conifer community with many other pines growing around each tree. The size of the trunks is what differentiates the sequoias from other pines but their bark is also an indicator that it is not like the rest.

At a scenic spot, we’ll have box lunches.

Next, we will walk through the Giant Forest Grove to the General Sherman Tree and continue to learn about giant sequoia ecology. The trail is paved and descends 1 mile with some steps to the General Sherman Tree. The trees are estimated to be 2,300-2,700 years old. The General Sherman Tree is the largest currently living tree in the world at 275 feet tall and 36 feet in diameter. Surprisingly, the cones can fit in the palm of a hand and are scattered on the ground at the base of these large trees.

At a local restaurant.

We will reboard the motorcoach and ride back to the hotel. The remainder of the evening will be at leisure.

At the hotel.

We will board a motorcoach with a local expert for or our next field trip to Kings Canyon National Park. Our first stop will be the Visitor Center in Grant Grove Village for a self-directed exploration to view the exhibits. After our stop at the visitor center, we will continue into Kings Canyon which was created by snowmelt running through the canyon. We will make a stop to hike to Roaring River Falls along the way to see the falls drop nearly 40 feet off a narrow ledge into the pool below. We’ll have expert commentary about natural history and storytelling from a local naturalist as we make our way down the canyon to Zumwalt Meadows. We’ll also have excellent views of the Kings River and the surrounding granite cliffs, including Grand Sentinel (8,518 feet) and North Dome (8,717 feet).

At a local restaurant.

We’ll then ride to the General Grant Tree. Named for General Ulysses S. Grant, this giant sequoia is only second in trunk volume to the General Sherman. A relative of the coastal redwood — several of which rank among the tallest trees on Earth — giant sequoias can reach a height of well over 200 feet and can live several thousand years. The General Grant Tree is estimated to be close to 1,700 years old. During an expert-led exploration, we’ll learn about the ecology and natural history of these tree communities, as well as insights into related human history.

We will ride to a local restaurant.

We’ll remain at our dinner location for a living history presentation featuring “John Muir” (in the person of a talented historical reenactor). Muir (1838-1914) was born in Scotland and emigrated to the U.S. with his family in 1849. During his lifetime, he was a farmer, inventor, sheepherder, explorer, botanist, and writer, but is best known as America’s most famous and influential naturalist, conservationist, and founder of the Sierra Club. Considered one of the founders of the National Park System, Muir’s writings and efforts resulted in Congress creating Yosemite National Park. He was also involved in the creation of the Grand Canyon, Kings Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Mount Rainier National Parks. Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

We’ll check out, board the motorcoach, and be on our way to Yosemite National Park. During our ride, we will pass through the cities of Fresno and Oakhurst.

At a local restaurant.

Next, we’ll walk to the Yosemite History Center near the Wawona Hotel. This “village” has been assembled from structures that were originally found in different locations throughout the park and moved in the 1950s and 1960s. Each building represents a different chapter in Yosemite’s story. Moving on, we’ll ride along Highway 41 into Yosemite Valley with a stop at Tunnel View for our first glimpse of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Bridalveil Fall. Many artists painted the scene as they entered the newly formed park in the 1800s. It is one of the most recognized Yosemite scenes. We’ll continue our ride and expect to check in to our hotel late afternoon.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The “Yosemite Guide” park newspaper published several times a year includes dining choices and is available on line at www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/dining.

At leisure. There are many opportunities to enjoy the park after dark on your own. Use the “Yosemite Guide” to find out what activities are being offered. Visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm. Programs at the Yosemite Theater require a ticket that can be purchased the day of at the visitor center bookstore or on-line at yosemite.org/experience/theater/.

At the hotel.

We will meet our naturalist in front of the lodge and set out on a walking field trip into the valley. Along the trail, we will learn more about the local plants, animals, and cultural history from a local naturalist. The valley has gone through many phases as the people inhabiting the area have changed. The valley continues to adapt as millions of people visit here in the modern era.

Picnic lunch at scenic spot

Enjoy the afternoon on your own to explore. The Yosemite Valley Visitor center has exhibits on the geology, flora, and fauna of the park. The theater shows the park film "The Spirit of Yosemite." Next to the visitor center is the Yosemite Museum with a large collection of historical artifacts from Yosemite’s past. The building was built in 1925 — the first museum in the national park system. Explore the museum on your own which will provide insights into the history of Native Americans in the valley and the Yosemite area. The Indian Village of the Ahwahnee behind the museum sits atop what was once the largest village in the valley. People have been living in the valley for thousands of years but have been using the valley’s resources in different ways.

On your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure. Refer to the “Yosemite Guide” to find out what activities are being offered: www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/guide.htm. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

At the hotel.

After checking out, we will board the motorcoach and set out for Lone Pine via the scenic Tioga Road, the park’s trans-Sierra Nevada crossing. We’ll stop at Olmstead Point for a scenic overlook and a walk at Tuolumne Meadows located in the heart of Yosemite’s high country. Tioga Pass Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive between Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadows through forests, meadows, lakes, and granite domes. The road is one of the few roads that pass over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the eastern side into Owens Valley. It started as a dirt road in 1915 and was slowly paved and widened over the years. It was fully completed by the 1960s with the rise in car sales and families taking road trips to the national parks. Olmsted Point looks down on Yosemite Valley from the east and from a very different angle. Tenaya Lake is a magnificent High Sierra lake surrounded by granite domes, lodgepole forests, and Yosemite’s vast wilderness. Tuolumne Meadows is a large, open sub-alpine meadow graced by the winding Tuolumne River and surrounded by majestic peaks and domes. Our Group Leader will provide commentary.

Boxed lunches at a scenic spot.

Next, we’ll ride on to Lone Pine and check in to the Dow Hotel. This charming hotel was built in the early 1920s and hosted many early Hollywood stars who were filming in the Alabama Hills including John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers.

We’ll walk across the street to a restaurant in Lone Pine.

We’ll walk from the restaurant to the Lone Pine Film History Museum and learn about the Hollywood history of this tiny dwelling in the California desert. The small museum houses a collection of memorabilia from Hollywood “westerns” that were filmed in the Alabama Hills. We will watch one of those movies. Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow.

At a restaurant across the street from the hotel.

We will check out of the hotel, take our luggage to the motorcoach, and ride to the Manzanar National Historic Site Interpretive Center. We’ll view a short documentary, “Remembering Manzanar.” We will then ride through the best preserved site where more than 10,000 Japanese-Americans were incarcerated behind barbed war during World War II. We’ll hear stories of the 120,000 Japanese-Americans who were relocated to ten different sites by the War Relocation Authority in 1942.

Catered by a local restaurant in a scenic spot.

Our day will continue with an expert-led ride through the Alabama Hills, an area of granite boulders that is part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. They are considered their own range due to features which contrast sharply with the rest of the Sierra Nevada, containing Mount Whitney; the highest summit in the continental United States with a peak of just over 14,500 feet. The Alabama Hills are featured in numerous movies. An expert from the film museum will lead our exploration and tell us about movies made here. We will ride through the Panamint Mountains on the way to Death Valley National Park. We will check into Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel, an oasis in the desolate landscape of Death Valley National Park.

At Stovepipe Wells.

At leisure.

At Stovepipe Wells.

We’ll set out from the hotel on a full-day, expert-led field trip in Death Valley. Located in the northwest corner of the Mojave Desert, this is lowest point in North America, Its name derives from the extreme heat and limited rain that make it one of the most desolate places on the continent. The diverse landscape ranges from sand dunes and salt-flats to canyons and mountains. We’ll learn about the area’s geology, cultural and natural history. We will make stops at Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, and the Furnace Creek Visitor Center to see exhibits.

At a Furnace Creek Restaurant.

Our field trip to sites in Death Valley will continue.

At Stovepipe Wells. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

At leisure. Prepare for check-out, transfer, and departure tomorrow.

At the hotel.

We’ll board the motorcoach and set out for our last field trip to the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. These graceful desert dunes are among the best known in Death Valley National Park. They are beautifully rippled from the always blowing wind. While the highest dune rises less than 150 feet, they cover a broad expanse. They may be most famous as the location of dune scenes in the Star Wars series. Returning to the hotel, we will check out and be on our way to Las Vegas. Our journey will end at the Las Vegas International Airport. There are several hotel shuttles from the airport to a variety of hotels in the area. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!