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Smoke shrouds the valley in Yosemite National Park as a wildfire burns nearby in July.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
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Paddleboarders head out on the Merced River in Yosemite Valley last June.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
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El Capitan is reflected in the Merced River at sunset in February.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
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Sequoia National Park (4-hour drive from Los Angeles)
A researcher climbs a tree in Sequoia National Park.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Kings Canyon National Park (4-hour drive from Los Angeles)
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South Fork Kings River at Road’s End at Kings Canyon National Park.