If it's not the eighth wonder of the world, it ought to be. California's Yosemite National Park is one of nature's most wondrous creations - and a bargain. A $20 vehicle pass is good for seven days in this Eden.

Long ago made famous by the photos of Ansel Adams, the massive granitic behemoths and tumultuous waterfalls cannot really be captured in a photograph - no matter how large the format. You have to see it all to believe it.

Yosemite is easily accessible from the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento or Fresno. And getting there is half the fun, considering that you'll pass through some of California's most famous Gold Rush country on the way.

Inside the park there's the massive Yosemite Falls, with its upper and lower cascades; El Capitan, billed as the largest granite monolith in the world; Half Dome, reclining on the horizon like a sleeping giant; and Bridalveil Fall, a 620-foot drop of turbulent white water.

From Glacier Point you can view the massive glacier-carved valley from one end to the other. A short trek to the north brings you to the Hetch Hetchy Valley, with its huge dam, where water is reserved for the populous Bay Area.

This smaller valley is full of wildlife. You might sight an eagle's nest, turkey vultures, mule deers or coyotes on the side roads. There are dozens of activities in the park itself, from guided tours (check out www.YosemitePark.com) to photography walks to Indian cultural programs. There are two information stations and two visitors centers where you can plot out your stay and the activities you'd like to pursue.

Various accommodations are available in the park - as well as campsites. Call 559-252-4848 or go to Yosemite's Web site to make reservations.

Of the four gateways into Yosemite, the most interesting is via the southern Mother Lode along Highway 120, which affords the quickest route from San Francisco and Sacramento.

When one travels through the fertile valleys, it's hard to realize that this area was once a torrent of activity. Word spread like a forest fire once James Marshall discovered gold along the American River in 1848. Tent cities sprung up like toadstools all along the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the wildcatting began in earnest.

If you continue via Highway 108, you'll stumble on Sonora, once a rollicking and reportedly wicked town settled by Sonoran Mexicans and swollen to bursting by gold fever. You'll spot the old opera house, the historic "red" church and clusters of Victorian homes.

Accommodations here include the Gunn House Hotel, once owned by the publisher of the area's first newspaper. (For more information, call 209-532-3421.) Or consider the Best Western Sonora Oaks Hotel (800-532-1944).

Nearby is the town of Twain Harte, which is named after two of the most famous writers of the Old West, Mark Twain and Bret Harte.

Here you'll find the McCaffrey House, a commodious bed & breakfast, where they serve bountiful breakfasts and plenty of homestead hospitality (888-586-0757).

There's great grub in Sonora at Guss Steak House, Alfredo's Mexican Restaurant or the locals' favorite, the Diamondback.

Just west of Sonora lies Jamestown, where the magic metal was unearthed in 1848 and quartz deposits still produce the precious element. Try Morelia's Mexican Restaurant, Kamm's Chinese or Locals Made Good for lunch here.

Jamestown harbors Railtown 1897 State Historic Park, where movies like "High Noon," "The Wild, Wild West" and "The Gambler" were shot. It has one of only two roundhouses left in the United States and steam engines right out of Zane Grey. You can hitch a ride on the wild side aboard one of these for $2. You'd never get away with that price at Disneyland.

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