Yosemite National Park

Designated as a national park in 1890, Yosemite wows visitors with it’s glacier valleys and waterfalls. Yosemite National Park is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains, a few hours east of San Francisco. Many people are familiar with Yosemite through the photography of Ansel Adams and the adventures of John Muir.

Over the years, the popularity of Yosemite has steadily grown and with that, the number of tourists have increased. To curb the effects of this, the park service encourages the use of shuttle bus systems like YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System coming from outside the park and the internal shuttle bus system within the park.

Reservations are a must for Yosemite. Lodging and permits are quickly filled, so plan ahead and book early.

Some of the many highlights in the park include the Yosemite Valley, and its high cliffs and waterfalls; the historic Wawona hotel and Ahwahnee hotel; the Mariposa Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point’s spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows, a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Valley is a haven for rock climbers. From the bottom of Yosemite Valley, you can often view climbers ascending El Capitan. If you are not ready this type of multi-day climb, the Yosemite Mountaineering School offers climbing lessons to help break you in.

Around the valley there are plenty of short day hikes to explore. Once you leave the valley, the Yosemite backcountry offers many options for overnight Backpacking trips. Overnight trips do require permits, so plan ahead. The Happy Isles trail head is also the start of the John Muir Trail.

• National Park Service
• NP Guide