Yosemite is one of the grandest national parks in the United States. It is also hideously overrun. Therefore, my pictures all tend to be grand vistas littered with tourists. Such as myself.

We went in late April, but were pretty much limited to Yosemite Valley as the upper meadows (Tuolumne, etc) were still under a good seven feet of snow. So much for wildflower viewing. On the other hand, we were told that the bears were out in force. There are some interesting photographs near the lodge buildings and parking lots showing what happens when a hungry bear meets a compact car. Peeled that sucker open like a can of sardines. And the ironic thing is, apparently the bear only smelled the residual odors of fast food, as the owners had followed park directions and not stored any trash or leftovers in their vehicles. Let this be a lesson in aeration to all of us.

Useful note about visiting Yosemite: Entrance fees are steep. Something like $30 a pop to get in. Now, if you live near any park operated by the National Park Service, you probably pay an entrance fee every time you visit. If you know you're visiting Yosemite (and come on, if you're staying anywhere in the park you have to book a year in advance) then buying one of those $50 All National Parks Passes starts to make a lot of sense.