Yosemite National Park is truly one of California's greatest treasures. I grew up within a three- to four-hour drive of Yosemite, yet it wasn't until just after I turned thirty that I finally saw it for myself.
Not just a great Valley...
but a shrine to human foresight, strength of granite, power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.
Yosemite National Park, one of the first wilderness parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
Famous for breathtaking views, powerful waterfalls, and the majesty of Half Dome and El Capitan, Yosemite is a dream for poets, photographers and hikers alike. It was one of the earliest designated national parks, taken over by the newly-formed National Parks Service in 1916. Before that, John Muir had convinced President Teddy Roosevelt to take control of the park away from California and give it to the federal government, which Roosevelt did in 1906.
Muir was one of Yosemite's staunchest champions, as well as a champion of much of the west coasts forests and natural treasures. He founded the Sierra Club, which to this day is one of the oldest and largest conservation groups in the country. Muir promoted the idea that places like Yosemite should be enjoyed and shared by all, with a view to conserving the very natural resources that make them special. To this end, he lobbied for protection for America's natural wonders and was successful in petitioning the National Park Bill that passed in Congress in 1899. It is because of Muir that many of our national parks exist as parks, rather than overpopulated urban developments.
Yosemite, at first glance, is worthy of the devotion visited on it by Muir. In my one visit, I only manged to see one small part of the park--the most famous part: Yosemite Valley.
Erosion over the millennia caused the granite rock of Yosemite to become the valley, and cased the famous rock structures of El Capitan and Half Dome.
El Cap, as it is fondly known, is a 3,000 sheer rock face overlooking the valley. Popular with BASE jumpers, the park has banned this dangerous support, after many injuries and deaths have occurred there.
El Capitan rising above the valley.
Equally famous and stunning is Half Dome, a slab of granite that rises nearly 4,800 feet off the valley floor. Half Dome is a popular destination for hikers and climbers alike--in the early part of the twentieth century, cables were mounted on the south side of the rock for hikers to use to gain access to the top. Climbing Half Dome is on my Bucket List--but I definitely won't be ready to try it this summer.
The imposing Half Dome, as viewed from Glacier Point.
Glacier Point, at 7,214 feet, is a popular viewing place over the valley. There is a hiking route; most people opt to start at the top and hike down. I drove to Glacier Point early in the day, when the views of Yosemite Valley are still a little misty. It was a glorious sight.
Half Dome stands guard over the valley floor.
There are many, many other popular features of Yosemite National Park, such as Hetch Hetchy reservoir, Mirror Lake, and the famous falls (all pretty much just a trickle when I visited in the fall--they are best in the spring, when the run-off is going). I leave you now with pictures of some of my favorite parts of Yosemite, and a quote about this California jewel.
Incense cedar--not only lovely to look at, but heaven for the olfactory glands. It is very common in the valley.
A simple grave for an unknown boy.
I was startled and delighted when I looked up from my camera to see this gorgeous buck, not 15 feet away from me. I stopped and we watched each other for a moment, before he calmly resumed his quest for leaves to munch.
“I have seen persons of emotional temperament stand with tearful eyes, spellbound and dumb with awe, as they got their first view of the Valley from Inspiration Point, overwhelmed in the sudden presence of the unspeakable, stupendous grandeur.”
– Galen Clark, guardian of the Yosemite Grant
All photos are my own.
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