Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world"s largest living things.

Highlights of the park include Yosemite Valley, and its high cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona"s history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point"s (summer-fall) spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall), a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite National Park - The Classic Beauty

The classic beauty and fascinating ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada mountain range are well represented in the wilderness of Yosemite National Park. Almost 95% of the Park is designated Wilderness. A place retaining its primeval character and influence, this wilderness area provides opportunities for solitude and unconfined types of experience. The lands within the wilderness range in elevation and life zones from 2,900" to 13,114" at the summit of Mt. Lyell. With over 800 miles of trail, visitors will find a spectrum of opportunities, of natural systems, and of levels of use. Use the following information, or that which is available at the permit issuance stations, to help you plan your Yosemite Wilderness Experience.