This collection of essays and photographs, originally published as a special issue of California History, the journal of the California Historical Society, documents the creation and management of California's first three national parks, focusing on the debate over preservation versus development. As the authors of these essays remind us, tourists visited Yosemite long before its establishment as a national park; and the issues of park development so hotly debated today were raised and debated first in Yosemite, nearly a hundred years ago.

Describes the parks' attractions and provides information on tours, hikes, lodging, and camping.

Describes the parks' attractions and provides information on tours, hikes, lodging, and camping.

Get inspired and plan your next trip with Fodor’s e-book guide to Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon national parks. To get your bearings in the parks, browse through a brief overview of each park and peruse full-color maps of the region. You’ll develop an immediate sense of each park’s awe-inspiring landscape as you flip through a photo album of vivid full-color photographs. Move on to read more about each park and find all of the essential, up-to-date details you expect from a Fodor’s guide: from the best dining and lodging in the area to must-see hikes and scenic drives, Fodor’s has it all. Discover two great Central California parks in one e-book. Shimmering waterfalls and the soaring granite monoliths of Half Dome and El Capitan are some of the classic images you’ll see in Yosemite’s 748,000 acres. Ancient evergreens tower over visitors among the jagged mountain slopes of Sequoia and Kings Canyon, which cover more than 850,000 acres combined. Note: This e-book edition includes photographs and maps that will appear on black-and-white devices but are optimized for devices that support full-color images.

Describes the parks' attractions and provides information on tours, hikes, lodging, and camping.