Skip The Crowds And Visit California's Mini Yosemite Instead
By Mina Elwell
VACATIONS
If you'd prefer not to fight crowds while attempting to reconnect with nature, your best bet is Devils Postpile, which is only a few hours away from the Yosemite area.
The Devils Postpile National Monument spans about 1% of the size of Yosemite National Park. Travelers have acres of wilderness to explore and plenty of other spots to check out.
Due to a lava flow that met with a glacier to produce basalt columns, the Devils Postpile appears to form a honeycomb pattern from above, like tall columns rising towards the sky.
Another spot to see is the Rainbow Falls. The more than 100-foot tall cascade lives up to its name thanks to the rainbows that form in the mist.
Travelers say Rainbow Falls via Devils Postpile Trail is the most popular hiking path. The tricky trail takes about two hours to complete and includes a lot of trekking uphill.
If you want an easier trail, do the Devils Postpile Loop. It’s a little over a mile and takes you from the base of the Devils Postpile to the top to see the honeycomb columns.