Yosemite: YARTS Bus Service from Fresno Up and Running

 

YARTS bus service to Yosemite

Just in time for summer, YARTS  (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) has added a new route to its schedule: Fresno to Yosemite Valley via Highway 41.

 

Buses make five round-trips daily, picking-up passengers at the Greyhound and Amtrak stations, the Fresno Airport, CSU Fresno, and the Highway 145 Park and Ride. Stops are made at the Coarsegold Historic Village, the Oakhurst Best Western, and Fish Camp’s Tenaya Lodge on the way to Yosemite Valley.

 

Tickets can be purchased on the bus with cash, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Or pre-purchase your tickets at various local outlets. One way tickets from Fresno to Yosemite Valley are $15 or $30 round trip. Reduced fares are available for seniors (62+), children (12 and under without an adult paid fare), and persons with disabilities. Your YARTS ticket includes admission to the park, as well as one free child ride (12 and under) per adult ticket purchased.

 

YARTS also has bus service to Yosemite Valley from Merced, Mammoth Lakes and Sonora. For a complete list of schedules and fares, visit the YARTS website.

Lassen Volcanic National Park: RentMyTent Camping Ease

 

Lassen Volcanic National Park

 

Are you a first-time camper wanting to experience the outdoors but don’t want to buy camping gear until you’re certain you’ll like it? Or maybe you love camping, but dread hauling, setting up and taking down your own tent. Listen up, then. The new RentMyTent program at Lassen Volcanic National Park is just for you.  Starting today, visitors to the park can rent a clean 17’ x 9’ Coleman “Adventure” tent for four, set up and ready to be enjoyed upon arrival. No need to take it down when you leave – that will be done for you, too. The cost is $67 per night (plus the standard $18 per night campsite fee) and also includes two deluxe cots, two steel deck camper chairs, and a battery operated lantern. Just bring your own sleeping bags and cooking gear. You don’t want to lug those items either? You can rent them for an additional cost.

 

The RentMyTent program has a two-night minimum and reservations must be made at least four days prior to arrival. To start the process, reserve a tent site in Loops A or C of the Manzanita Lake Campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Once completed, call 530-335-7557 or email California Parks Co. to reserve your RentMyTent package.

 

Lassen Volcanic National Park covers 106,000 acres of spectacular scenery and has over 150 miles of hiking trails. It’s the only place in the world where you’ll find all four types of volcanoes in one place. The focal point of the park is Lassen Peak (10,457 feet), the largest plug dome volcano in the world.  Nearest major airports include Sacramento (165 miles away) and Reno, Nevada (180 miles away).

 

More Information: Lassen Volcanic National Park

Mailing Address: PO Box 100, Mineral, CA 96063

Phone (Visitor Center): 530-595-4480, 9am-5pm daily

Park operates year-round, 24 hours per day

 

Yosemite: Range of Light Film Festival

 

El Capitan in Yosemite National Park

 

One hundred and fifty years ago, President Abraham Lincoln recognized the beauty of the Yosemite Valley and vowed to keep it in its natural state, free from development. He signed the Yosemite Land Grant, ensuring that 39,000 acres of the Yosemite Valley and nearby Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias would be set aside for “public use, resort and recreation.” That act is believed to have given birth to the idea of the national park system.

To commemorate this milestone in the park’s history, Yosemite National Park is hosting the Range of Light Film Festival, a “mid-winter celebration of film, music, storytelling, conservation, art and adventure.” It takes place February 27 to March 2, 2014 at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center’s theater and auditorium. The theme of the event is "150 Years of Yosemite."

More than a dozen films, ranging from shorts to feature-length movies, will be screened, including “El Capitan,’” a digitally remastered, award-winning film from 1968 that’s recognized as one of the best climbing films of its kind. Also of note is a new documentary directed and narrated by Ken Burns called “Yosemite: A Gathering of Spirit,” about the Yosemite Land Grant signed by Lincoln. In addition to the screenings, there will also be artist and filmmaker panels, and live musical performances.

 

More Information: Range of Light Film Festival

Yosemite Valley Auditorium, 9035 Village Drive, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Phone: 209-372-0200

Dates: February 27 – March 2, 2014

Tickets: $10 to $30**

Lodging Discounts: 10%-15% with promo code ROLFF. Call 801-559-5057.

 

**Thursday night's screening of 100 years of Yosemite on Film and Yosemite: Fate of Heaven is a free event, open to the public.

National Parks – Free Apps from Chimani

It's FREE - Chimani's Yosemite park app for iPhone, iPad, iTouch, Android

Just in time for National Park Week (April 21-29), Chimani is offering all of its iOS and Android national park apps for free. These informative guides are busting with information such as park hours and services, location of picnic and camp sites, hiking descriptions, ranger-led activities, lodging choices, and more. The app’s photo gallery gives you a glimpse into sights you’ll encounter and narratives describe almost everything you can see or touch in the park. Countless maps are included, none of which require Wi-Fi or cell service – important when traveling to parks out of cell range. These apps are consistently top-rated and normally sell for $4.99 to $9.99 each.

The selection of free Chimani national park apps includes: Acadia National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Zion National Park. Also free is The National Parks app which includes information on 383 National Park Service units.

The Chimani national park apps will be free until April 29, 2012. Download them at the Apple iTunes App Store or Google Play (keyword “chimani”).

National Park Week: April 21-29, 2012 – Free Entrance

Yosemite's Half Dome

Mark your calendars for National Park Week: April 21-29, 2012. Admission to all 397 parks nationwide will be free the entire week. What better time to experience the great outdoors! This year’s theme, “Picture Yourself in a Park,” encourages folks to create memories while exploring the 84 million acres of spectacular scenery, historic landmarks and cultural treasures that make up our national parks. There will be ranger talks, nature hikes, guided tours, and family-friendly activities throughout the week.

The following parks in California will waive entrance fees (normally costing $3 to $20) for National Park Week.

• Cabrillo National Monument
• Death Valley National Park
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Lassen Volcanic National Park  
• Lava Beds National Monument
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Pinnacles National Monument
• Sequoia National Park
• Whiskeytown Unit National Recreation Area
• Yosemite National Park

If you’re unable to visit a park during National Park Week, additional free dates in 2012 are June 8 (Get Outdoors Day), September 29 (National Public Lands Day), and November 10-11 (Veteran’s Day weekend). Remember, there are many national parks which never charge an entrance fee.

Which national park will you visit?

National Park Week – Free Entrance April 16-24, 2011

Sequoia National Park (Photo: Zrim)

More than 100 U.S. national parks will waive entrance fees during National Park Week April 16-24, 2011, including several in California. Focusing on the theme “Healthy Parks, Healthy People,” folks are encouraged to get outdoors and embrace a healthy lifestyle while appreciating the value of keeping our nation’s parks healthy and alive.

As part of National Park Week, there will be ranger talks, nature hikes, guided tours, and family-friendly activities. There will be special events, such as an organized walk through Muir Woods on April 21 in observance of John Muir's birthday and festivities celebrating Junior Ranger Day on April 23. Park concessioners will offer specials and discounts on food, transportation, lodging and souvenirs throughout the week.

If you’re unable to visit a park during the fee-free week, additional 2011 free days are scheduled for June 21, September 21, and November 11-13. Let us know which parks you plan to explore!

National Parks in California

• Cabrillo National Monument
• Death Valley National Park
• John Muir National Historic Site
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Lava Beds National Monument
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Pinnacles National Monument
• San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
• Sequoia National Park
• Whiskeytown Unit National Recreation Area
• Yosemite National Park