Yosemite National Park
Granite walls a kilometer high, thundering waterfalls and trees older than most civilizations.
Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
Yosemite guide: Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, giant sequoias, peak-season reservations and insider tips.
Few places shaped the idea of protecting nature as much as Yosemite. Abraham Lincoln set aside the valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in 1864, and John Muir’s writing helped make it a national park in 1890. Glaciers carved the valley into a U-shape, leaving behind sheer granite cliffs and hanging valleys that pour water over the edge each spring.
The view from Tunnel View sums it up: El Capitan, a wall of rock about 900 meters tall, on the left; Bridalveil Fall on the right; Half Dome in the distance. Yosemite Falls, at 739 meters one of the tallest waterfalls in North America, roars in April and May and can be almost dry by late summer.
Drive up to Glacier Point for sunset over Half Dome, wander among 3,000-year-old giants in the Mariposa Grove, or take the Tioga Road into the high country of alpine lakes and granite domes. In recent summers the park has required reservations to drive in at peak times, so check the official website before you go.
Don’t miss
- 1Tunnel View at golden hour
- 2Lower Yosemite Fall in spring, when the spray reaches the bridge
- 3Sunset from Glacier Point over Half Dome
- 4The Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias
Insider tips
- Enter the park before 7 a.m. in summer to beat the lines and find parking.
- Bears break into cars for food; use the bear lockers at every trailhead and campground.
- Use the free Yosemite Valley shuttle instead of hunting for parking spots.
Photo gallery
No reviews yet. Been here? Be the first to share your tips!
Traveler reviews