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California

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

Program No. 4352RJ
Witness awe-inspiring nature, grand artifacts of geography, ancient flora and unique fauna as you immerse yourself in four of California’s most stunning national parks.
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National ParksOn the RoadMost Popular
Length
9 days
Rating (4.65)
Activity Level
Starts at
4,149

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9 days
8 nights
22 meals
8B 8L 6D
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
2
Sequoia National Park, General Sherman Tree
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
3
Kings Canyon National Park, Roaring Falls, Zumwalt Meadows
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
4
Tunnel View, Yosemite Valley
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Yosemite National Park
5
Full-Day Yosemite National Park
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Yosemite National Park
6
Tioga Pass, Mono Basin, Museum of Western Film History
Sierra Nevada Mountains - Owens Valley
7
Manzanar Historic Site, Alabama Hills
Owens Valley - Death Valley National Park
8
Death Valley National Park, Death Valley Visitor Center
Owens Valley - Death Valley National Park
9
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Program Concludes
Las Vegas, NV
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At a Glance

Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Yosemite, Death Valley: four spectacular American National Parks. Explore them from the mighty Sierra Nevada range to the stark allure of the Mojave Desert as on-site presentations delve into their geologic, human and natural histories.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to two miles on uneven terrain on paved and unpaved paths. Long distances by large motorcoach with 3-4 hours each day on the coach. Elevations range from 4,000-8,000 feet. Death Valley can reach temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Study the magnificent forest ecosystem of Sequoia, named for giant trees that can live for more than 2,000 years.
  • Admire granite monuments like El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Fall as you learn how Pleistocene glaciers carved the wonders of Yosemite Valley.
  • Explore the forbidding, dramatic, beautiful Death Valley and learn about the unique geology of the landscape.

General Notes

Includes long bus rides to reach rural site. Bus times can range from 3 to 4 hours each day. Spring dates may be affected by seasonal road closures.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Frank Helling
Frank Helling is an active adventurer and naturalist who has spent much of his life “sauntering” in the footsteps of the great mountaineer, philosopher, and nature writer John Muir. He has backpacked, hiked, and climbed in the Sierras, Rockies, Cascades, Alps, Alaska, Hawaii, and the deserts of the American Southwest. A former high school science teacher, Frank has also worked as a ranger and naturalist in Kings Canyon National Park and as a professional wilderness instructor.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Jeff Crow
Jeff Crow View biography
Jeff Crow is a naturalist in the tradition of John Muir, rambling around the wilds of California for decades. He has spent much time in the distinct ecosystems of the state (from marine to mountains), bringing a perspective that incorporates a wide range of environments. He was trained in English at UC Santa Barbara and uses his knowledge to put his students on pilgrimages to exotic lands outside their doors, best told through a lens of classical science, modern science, indigenous cultures, philosophy and observation.
Profile Image of Frank Helling
Frank Helling View biography
Frank Helling is an active adventurer and naturalist who has spent much of his life “sauntering” in the footsteps of the great mountaineer, philosopher, and nature writer John Muir. He has backpacked, hiked, and climbed in the Sierras, Rockies, Cascades, Alps, Alaska, Hawaii, and the deserts of the American Southwest. A former high school science teacher, Frank has also worked as a ranger and naturalist in Kings Canyon National Park and as a professional wilderness instructor.
Profile Image of Dawn Spare
Dawn Spare View biography
Dawn Spare is an avid traveler with a deep love of nature, history, and culture who enjoys both the city and country life. She earned her BFA magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine, and attended graduate school at Temple and the University of Wisconsin. She lives on California’s Central Coast underneath pine trees at the beach, where she walks in nature daily. She belongs to a book club and has sung for over 20 years with the award-winning Vocal Arts Ensemble.
Profile Image of Renee Rusler
Renee Rusler View biography
Renee Rusler was born in the Southwest. She earned a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in ecology from the University of Arizona. Renee spent 20 years as an interpretive park ranger for the National Park Service, working in arid land parks such as Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon and Death Valley. She is now the death valley field institute director for the Death Valley Natural History Association (DVNHA), which is the official non-profit partner of Death Valley National Park and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.
Profile Image of Barrie Simpson
Barrie Simpson View biography
After a long career in the technology, pharmaceutical, and hospitality industries, Barrie Simpson became a Road Scholar group leader. She was raised in New England; following high school, she made her way to Oregon, where she planted trees all over the West before going on to earn a degree in environmental engineering. Currently living in San Francisco, she is a historical group leader for SF City Guides, a waterbird docent on Alcatraz, and a long time member leader of the American Society of Quality (ASQ).
Profile Image of Amy Bowen
Amy Bowen View biography
Amy Bowen was raised in northern New Jersey and currently lives in Sonoma County, California. Amy holds a bachelor’s degree from New York University as well as a teaching credential from Sonoma State, and her prior careers include commercial lending and teaching high school. Amy enjoys leading groups throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. Past and current adventures include San Francisco and Yosemite, Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. In between programs, she spends time with family, often planning personal adventures.
Profile Image of Scott Reinhardt
Scott Reinhardt View biography
Scott Reinhardt, after a childhood of tromping around the forest, received a bachelor’s of science degree for biology with related minor concentrations from UConn. He then spent six years working with black bears in Connecticut. Moving to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in 2014, Scott has since divided his time between working with black bears for the parks and providing hikes, explorations, and outdoor education. Recently, he has become a published photographer who has been featured in Sequoia Parks Conservancy's KNP Complex Fire Report.
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