Spotlight: Yosemite Valley is the most beautiful 7.5 mile stretch of land in the state of California, and quite possibly the nation. With its magnificent waterfalls, its awesome monoliths of granite, and its stretches of forests and meadows (home to bears, deer, bobcats, and a host of other native plants and animals), Yosemite is simply awe-inspiring. In fact, when photographs of Yosemite Valley, by Carlton Watkins, were sent to Washington D.C., they inspired Pres. Lincoln, in 1864, to sign "the first ever legislation protecting an area based solely on its natural beauty." Although Yosemite was originally placed under the control of the state of California, Yosemite National Park (the first completely national park) was established in 1872 to add greater protection. The park covers 759,620 acres (3,074 km2) and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1984. The park protects several groves of giant sequoia trees and draws about 4 million visitors annually.
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| Half Dome |
Location: Yosemite National Park is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in between Tuolumne and Mariposa counties in central California.
Cost: A one-week pass costs between $20-$35 per vehicle; an annual pass costs $70, but you might as well buy an America the Beautiful annual pass for $80 ($20 for seniors). FYI - the park has gone cashless.
Time: Although the park is open all year, certain sections of the park are only open once the snow is cleared (usually late May or early June, but occasionally later) until it is closed by snowfall again (usually November). Although you can see some of the highlights in a one day visit, several days are necessary in order to get a wide perspective of what the park has to offer. Others can spend years exploring the park.
Description: The Park's top tourist stop is obviously Yosemite Valley. The Valley is home to two iconic granite monoliths: El Capitan and Half Dome. It is also home to several famous waterfalls: Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Bridalveil Fall and Yosemite Falls. Is is also the starting point for a multitude of hiking trails, of variable distances and ability levels. Of course, even if you don't hike, the Valley drive offers great view points of many of the most popular sites. The Valley is also home to Yosemite Village, which is where you'll find most of the amenities that you will need during your stay: dining, lodgings, and souvenirs - but no gas. The park does offer a free shuttle service with stops at the popular tourist spots throughout the valley.
One of the most popular photo spots in Yosemite is Tunnel View. The viewpoint is located at the entrance of the Wawona Tunnel, located along the Wawona Road - one of the main access roads into the park. The viewpoint offers a spectacular view of Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall.
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| Tunnel View lookout |
One of the top activities to do in Yosemite is to hike the Mist Trail. Although this trail can be used to hike to the top of Half Dome (about 15 miles), there are other less ambitious destinations. At 0.75 miles, you arrive at the footbridge with an excellent view of Vernal Fall. Shortly past the bridge (0.2 mi.) the Mist Trail and the John Muir Trail diverge. If you climb the Mist Trail for another 0.5 miles up a steep granite staircase (600+ steps), you'll reach the top of Vernal Fall. Continuing for another 1.3 miles, you'll reach Nevada Fall. To hike to both waterfalls, plan on about hiking for 5-6 hours.
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| Vernal Fall |
Another popular hike is the 5-mile round trip Mirror Lake Loop. The lake's calm surface acts like a giant mirror of the awesome mountains and forests that surround it.
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| Mirror Lake |
The Mariposa Grove at the southern end of Yosemite National Park has a magnificent grove of giant sequoia trees. The Grizzly Giant is estimated to be 3,000 years old, with a circumference of 90 feet. There is also the California Tunnel Tree, which is the only living sequoia tree in the park with a human-made tunnel carved through the middle of the trunk.
Yosemite Falls are the tallest waterfall (2,425 ft.) in the United States. The waterfall is actually 3 separate falls with the upper fall (1,430 ft.) being the tallest, the middle fall measuring 675 feet and the lower fall only 320 feet. Although visible from many spots within the park, the popular Lower fall trail is a one-mile paved loop that gives hikers several close-up views of this fabulous marvel.
Yosemite is heaven for rock climbers. Both El Capitan and Half Dome offer a variety of challenging climbs as well as a few spots where novices can safely try out this dangerous sport.
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Free climbing at the base of El Capitan
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Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
Things You Should Know:
- All National Parks are free on certain dates throughout the Year. These dates may vary from year-to-year, so you might want to check if you are planning just a day trip.
- Yosemite Valley fills up quickly with tourists. It is recommended that you arrive early (before 8 am) in order to avoid waiting hours just to get into the park, and to find a parking spot once your inside.
- Yosemite Valley is accessible via highways 120, 140 and 41.
- There are no gas services in Yosemite Valley, so enter with a full tank. The closest gas station is Crane Flat Gas Station (15 miles west of the park).
Nearby: Sequoia National Park (123 mi. SE of Yosemite), San Francisco (170 mi. west of Yosemite), Devil's Postpile National Monument (50 mi. south of Yosemite), Lake Tahoe (185 mi. north of Yosemite)
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