Brenda Wells, age 10, of Indianapolis, Indiana, for her question:

Where exactly is Yosemite National Park?

If you are coming from Southern California, take the road northward through the Central Valley of California. After Fresno, start looking for signs. Yosemite National Park is way off to the right, where the road leads you to the western slopes of the lofty Sierra Nevada. From the foothills, the towering peaks rise up ahead and take your breath away. But wait until you get inside the park. You may drive around all day and behold a breath taking scene every few minutes. A gentle river wanders

through a lush green valley. There are towering cliffs and stupendous domes, impossible waterfalls and forests crowded with giant trees.

The fabulous park is a natural wonderland pocketed in the Sierra Nevada. It includes 759,000 acres of wilderness, preserved as nature created it. As the crow flies, San Francisco is 200 miles to the north and west. But you may prefer to ignore the crows and approach the wondrous place by way of the Central Valley