Yosemite National Park is one of the Nation's first national parks, originally set aside to
protect the stunning beauty of the Sierra Nevada's world-famous Yosemite Valley. The
area's beauty was first discovered by the Native Americans inhabiting the great Central
Valley of California and was later explored by the Spanish and Americans. In 1890,
Yosemite Valley was placed under Federal protection and by the turn of the century,
word of the extreme grandeur of the park had reached the entire world. Today, Yosemite
is heavily visited by tourists from all over the globe. They come to see waterfalls that
plummet thousands of feet into the valley, high alpine lakes, smoothly-rounded granite
walls and domes, and the abundant wildlife found all throughout the park.
protect the stunning beauty of the Sierra Nevada's world-famous Yosemite Valley. The
area's beauty was first discovered by the Native Americans inhabiting the great Central
Valley of California and was later explored by the Spanish and Americans. In 1890,
Yosemite Valley was placed under Federal protection and by the turn of the century,
word of the extreme grandeur of the park had reached the entire world. Today, Yosemite
is heavily visited by tourists from all over the globe. They come to see waterfalls that
plummet thousands of feet into the valley, high alpine lakes, smoothly-rounded granite
walls and domes, and the abundant wildlife found all throughout the park.
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| Photos from a trip in April 2005 |
Yosemite's interestingly smooth granite formations were created when ancient glaciers carved away
blobs of solidified magma exposed through erosion. The granite was sliced, polished, and exposed,
revealing steep valleys and beautiful terrain.
Top Row, Left to Right: Half Dome seen from Curry Village at sunset. Half Dome as seen from
Cooke's Meadow. Little Yosemite Canyon from Cooke's Meadow. Tunnel View, looking down
Yosemite Valley. Upper Yosemite Falls as seen from Camp Currey.
Bottom Row, L to R: Mirror Lake in Tenaya Canyon. El Capitan, the world's largest single mass of rock.
Yosemite Falls, the tallest falls in North America and third tallest in the world. Upper and Lower
Yosemite Falls. Mirror Lake and photographer for scale. Panorama of Yosemite Valley from Curry
Village. Tenaya Canyon heads up to the left below Half Dome and Little Yosemite Valley to the right.
blobs of solidified magma exposed through erosion. The granite was sliced, polished, and exposed,
revealing steep valleys and beautiful terrain.
Top Row, Left to Right: Half Dome seen from Curry Village at sunset. Half Dome as seen from
Cooke's Meadow. Little Yosemite Canyon from Cooke's Meadow. Tunnel View, looking down
Yosemite Valley. Upper Yosemite Falls as seen from Camp Currey.
Bottom Row, L to R: Mirror Lake in Tenaya Canyon. El Capitan, the world's largest single mass of rock.
Yosemite Falls, the tallest falls in North America and third tallest in the world. Upper and Lower
Yosemite Falls. Mirror Lake and photographer for scale. Panorama of Yosemite Valley from Curry
Village. Tenaya Canyon heads up to the left below Half Dome and Little Yosemite Valley to the right.
| Photos from a trip in September 2005 |
| Yosemite Valley |
Top Row, Left to Right: Valley View from Highway 140. Half Dome rises above an oak in Cooke's
Meadow. Yosemite Valley as seen from Tunnel View. View south from Cooke's Meadow. Royal Arches.
Middle Row, Left to Right: Bridalveil Falls, sunset. Pool below Lower Yosemite Falls, early autumn.
Lower Yosemite Falls running low in early autumn. Pool below Lower Yosemite Falls. Happy Isles
beach where Mirror Lake usually fills. Bottom Row, Left to Right: View from Crane Flat Road/Hwy 120
towards Yosemite Valley, El Capitan highlighted by the sun and Half Dome shadowed in the back.
Forest near Mirror Lake. Half Dome as seen from Mirror Lake. Deer grazing in meadow by Camp
Curry. Forest and Tenaya Creek.
Meadow. Yosemite Valley as seen from Tunnel View. View south from Cooke's Meadow. Royal Arches.
Middle Row, Left to Right: Bridalveil Falls, sunset. Pool below Lower Yosemite Falls, early autumn.
Lower Yosemite Falls running low in early autumn. Pool below Lower Yosemite Falls. Happy Isles
beach where Mirror Lake usually fills. Bottom Row, Left to Right: View from Crane Flat Road/Hwy 120
towards Yosemite Valley, El Capitan highlighted by the sun and Half Dome shadowed in the back.
Forest near Mirror Lake. Half Dome as seen from Mirror Lake. Deer grazing in meadow by Camp
Curry. Forest and Tenaya Creek.
| High Country, Tuolumne Meadows, and Mono Lake |
Top Row, Left to Right: Half Dome as seen from Olmstead Point along Tioga Pass Road. Tenaya
Lake shrouded in clouds. Tuolumne Meadows go yellow by late fall. Seasonal stream on the
approach to Tioga Pass. Alpine meadow near Tioga Pass covered in snow.
Bottom Row, L to R: Highway 120 as it leaves Yosemite National Park and heads into the Inyo
National Forest. Tioga Pass is the highest automobile pass in California at 9,945 feet. Tufa Towers at
South Beach at Mono Lake. Mono Lake and Negit Island in the center. Tufa Towers in the rain. Mono
Craters, just south of Mono Lake, receive a brief shower of sun during a rainstorm.
Lake shrouded in clouds. Tuolumne Meadows go yellow by late fall. Seasonal stream on the
approach to Tioga Pass. Alpine meadow near Tioga Pass covered in snow.
Bottom Row, L to R: Highway 120 as it leaves Yosemite National Park and heads into the Inyo
National Forest. Tioga Pass is the highest automobile pass in California at 9,945 feet. Tufa Towers at
South Beach at Mono Lake. Mono Lake and Negit Island in the center. Tufa Towers in the rain. Mono
Craters, just south of Mono Lake, receive a brief shower of sun during a rainstorm.
| Glacier Point and Hetch Hetchy |
Point. Half Dome and the high country as seen from Glacier Point. Sunset over Half Dome.Row, Left to
Right: O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch Row, Left to
Right: O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch
O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Looking downstream, Tuolumne River Canyon.Hetchy Reservoir. Looking downstream, Tuolumne
River Canyon.
Right: O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch Row, Left to
Right: O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch
O'Shaughnessy Dam on the Tuolumne River. Atop O'Shaughnessy Dam. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.
Looking downstream, Tuolumne River Canyon.Hetchy Reservoir. Looking downstream, Tuolumne
River Canyon.
| Directions and Best Times to Visit |