Manzanar National Historic Site

Manzanar, in the Owens Valley at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, was the first of ten camps in seven states where the U.S. government confined people of Japanese ancestry after President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. About 120,000 people were held in all, roughly 10,000 of them here. The name is Spanish for "apple orchard." The 640-acre (260 ha) camp held 504 barracks in 36 blocks.

Start at the visitor center, the restored auditorium of the camp's school: about 8,000 square feet (740 m²) of exhibits and a film. Then follow the 3.2-mile (5.1 km) loop for cars and bikes, which passes the sentry posts, Block 14, the cemetery monument, the hospital grounds, and the foundations of the Children's Village; vehicles must stay on the roads. On foot you can reach remnants of the Japanese gardens and orchard trees. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk. Bring water, sun protection, and a jacket, since the weather can change quickly. Allow two to three hours.