Charlevoix county herald., 1912-07-13

glades with still, clear winding water
at the bottom and you will have as
adequate conception of the Yosemite
as it is possible TO get without seeing
it.
Several thousand persons camp in
this enchanted valley every summer.
It's floor is nearly level-not chaos
of fallen rocks. More than 5000 acres
are meadows and pasture. Trees and
groves make il a natural park Stage
lines and an electric line run from the
terminus of the railroad and there are
stage lines through the park. The
tourist season is from May / to No
vember /, but the park is accessible
and hotels are open throughout the
year.
There is an electric road which
leads TO the Sequoia National park,
near Yosemite. Here is the home of
the big trees, although they are found
in a continuous belt nearly 300 miles
long, from Placer county to Kern coun-
ty in California. These big trees are
the greatest of living things and date
back to the youth Of the world. Some
of them are believed to be 5000 years
old. They antedate the oldest civiliza-
ton of which the archaeologist finds
any trace. They were forest giants be-
fore Moses or Confucius or Buddha
were born. Barring accident and
catastrophe, they appear to be immor-
tai. There is no evidence that they
ever die of disease, decay or old age.
Some Of them are dead at the top but
they were blasted by lightning and
the trunks are still as sound as ever.
Rainier Central Gem.
Rainier National park, of which
Mount Tacoma is the central gem, lies
about seventy miles southeast of Ia
coma, and contains nearly 400 square
miles 1t was set apart by the gov
eminent on account Of fits marvellous
scenery and magnificent forests. Other
world-famed mountains must be
viewed from afar as cold, inaccessible
peaks, but the traveller may explore
every part of Mount Tacoma with COM
parative comfort and ease. Wherever
he goes its snow-crowned head, tow
ering nearly $4,000 feet above sea
level, stands before him. 1t may be
assembled TO its very crater, into which
the climber may retreat from chilly
winds and have the exciting expert
ence of comfortably sleeping on
warm lava bed In the mouth of
slumbering volcano.
The Journey from Tacoma may be
made for few dollars, and with no
extra preparation. 1t is only a days
trip to go, see the sights and return
An automobile line runs from Tacoma
to the park during the summer. The
tourist season is from the middle of
June to the middle of September In
the autumn the splendid SHOWS that
cover the summit of Mount Rainier
descend lower and lower until they
cover the foothills at its base What
Rainier is to the people Of the far
northwest. It's giant mountain dome
of snow seems suspended in the sky
and dominates the region for miles
about.
The Yellowstone National park Is
the largest of all these Fairgrounds OF
the people. 1t is nearly $500 square
miles in area, and is in Wyoming.
Montana and Idaho. Around II are
mountain ranges with peaks $4,000
feet high, and within Il are exhibitions
of natures freaks and moods such as
no other land contains. They are alb
solutely indescribable.
The other national parks are the
General Grant, In California, near the
big trees; Wind Cave National park
In South Dakota, which may be
reached by private conveyances from
Hot Springs, or from Custer; Sullys
Hill park. North Dakota, on the shore
OF DEVILS lake; Plat National park,
at Sulphur. Okla, and the Hot Springs
reservation In Arkansas, which is In
the town of the same name