Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, one of the first national parks in the United States, is best known for its waterfalls and impressive granite walls. Within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can also find deep valleys, sprawling meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and the grandeur of the Sierra Nevada John Muir describes as "the heart of the world".
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Michael TollefsonPhone Number: 209-372-0200
Entrance Fees: Individual Pass: $10 (on foot, horseback, motorcycle); Vehicle Pass (valid for 7 days): $20; Commercial Tour Fees: $25-300 (varies depending on seating capacity); Yosemite Annual Pass: $40
Sights: Yosemite Valley; Bridalveil Fall; Yosemite Falls; El Capitan; Half Dome; Happy Isles; Mirror Lake; Mirror Meadow; Valley View Turnout; Tunnel View; Wawona; Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias; Glacier Point; Badger Pass Ski Area; Hetch Hetchy; Tioga Road; High Country; Olmsted Point; Tenaya Lake; Tuolomne Meadows
Endangered Species: Red-legged Frogs (threatened); Foothill Yellow-legged Frogs (threatened); Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep (threatened); Limestone Salamander (threatened); Giant Garter Snake (threatened); Great Gray Owl; Willow Flycatcher; Sierra Nevada Red Fox (threatened); California Wolverine (threatened); Thompson's Sedge; Yosemite Onion; Congdon's Lewisia; Congdon's Woolly Sunflower; Peregrine Falcon; Southern Bald Eagle; Yosemite Woolly Sunflower (threatened); Congdon's Lewisia (threatened)
Important Dates
Established as Park: October 1, 1890By The Numbers
Acres: 747,956.00Highest Point: Mount Lyell (13114 feet)
Annual Visitation: 3,242,644 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :37.877160 / -119.726650 (map it)
State: CA
Nearby Big City: Yosemite National Park, CA
Gateway Communities: Fish Camp, CA; El Portal, CA; Mather, CA; Lee Vining; Oakhurst, CA; Bass Lake, CA; Wishon, CA; Ahwahnee, CA; Midpines, CA; Coarsegold, CA; Groveland, CA; Big Oak Flat, CA; Mariposa, CA; Auberry, CA; Soulsbyville, CA; Twain Harte, CA; Hayward, CA; Strawberry, CA
Nearby Airports: Fresno-Yosemite International (FAT); Merced Airport (MCE); Modesto City-County Airport (MOD); San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Oakland International Airport (OAK); San Jose International Airport (SJC); Sacramento International Airport (SMF); Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Cathedral Peak
Christophe Testi / Creat...
Family Hiking
Mayskyphoto
Grizzly Giant
Chee-Onn Leong
View More Yosemite Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs There is something happening every day in Yosemite. Whether this is your first visit to Yosemite or your fifth, get the most out of your park experience by attending one of many interpretive programs. ... read more.
Bears in Yosemite About 300 to 500 American black bears live in the park. The name "black bear" is misleading, since the color of each bear varies from blond to cin- namon brown to black. The typical adult male weighs ... read more.
Beyond Yosemite Wawona: Wawona Meadow Wawona Hotel 3.5 miles round-trip Easy Loop 1.5 hours Swinging Bridge Wawona Store/ 4.75 miles round-trip Moderate Loop Pioneer Yosemite 2 hours Hist. Ctr. Parking Ar ... read more.
Campgrounds in Yosemite Campground Number Daily Fee Availability (Elevation) Sites/Spaces In Yosemite Valley North Pines 81 $20/site April—September (4,000 ft) Reservations required. Upper Pines 238 $20/site ... read more.
Camping in Yosemite There are 13 campgrounds in the park, four of which are in Yosemite Valley. A seven-day camping limit is in effect in Yosemite Valley and Wawona from May 1 to September 15, and a 14-day limit outside ... read more.
Effects of Altitude Altitude sickness may develop in otherwise healthy and fit people who are exposed to rapid increases in altitude. It can develop at altitudes as low as 8,000 feet (Yosemite Valley's elevation is 4,00 ... read more.
Eight Tips for Yosemite To make your trip a memorable one, we have compiled the following travel tips gleaned from park "regulars." •â€‚ Bring It With You. Read and carry with you the map and all park informatio ... read more.
Evolution of Yosemite Valley 500—200 million years ago The Sierra Nevada region was once submerged beneath a sea. Sediments slowly accumulated on the ocean floor, growing thousands of feet thick and compressing the layers ... read more.
Flora & Fauna Yosemite's wide range of elevations, from its semi-arid foothills to its snowcapped mountains, has produced a habitat distribution that nurtures 37 types of native trees, over 1,000 species of wildfl ... read more.
Heart of Yosemite The Yosemite Falls area is one of the most popular destinations in Yosemite Valley. In 2005, the National Park Service and The Yosemite Fund completed a 10-year, $13.5 million renovation of the area, ... read more.
Highlights These highlights have been excerpted from The Complete Guidebook to Yosemite National Park by Steven Medley, published by the Yosemite Association. You can purchase the guide at any visitor center, ... read more.
Hikes in Yosemite Trail/ Starting Distance/ Difficulty/ Destination Point Time Elevation Bridalveil Fall Bridalveil Fall 0.5 mile round-trip Easy Parking Area 20 minutes Lower Yosemite Lower Yosemite Fall 1.0 mile ... read more.
History of Yosemite Although Yosemite's history as a national park goes back more than 100 years, its geologic history is timeless. Glaciation is one of the many geologic forces at work shaping the Yosemite landscape (s ... read more.
Hybrid Buses A fleet of cleaner, quieter, and more fuel-efficient transit buses powered by hybrid electric-diesel technology are used in Yosemite. They replaced the aged fleet of 1986 diesel buses and have up to ... read more.
Important Numbers General Park Information (209) 372-0200 www.nps.gov/yose (recording) Guidebooks (209) 379-2648 www.yosemitestore.com Road & Weather (209) 372-0200 www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditi ... read more.
John Muir When a young Scotsman named John Muir arrived in San Francisco in 1868, it is said that he asked for directions to "anywhere that's wild." He was pointed toward the Sierra Nevada, and it was there th ... read more.
Just For Kids Starry Skies over Yosemite and Wawona: Spend a summer evening lying in a meadow looking up at a brilliant sky. This program is offered for a fee (summer only) in Wawona and Yosemite Valley. Space is ... read more.
Keep Wildlife Keep wildlife wild—and alive. Each year, countless animals are killed by speeding vehicles. Please slow down so that you can catch a glimpse of Yosemite's wild creatures. Observe wildlife from ... read more.
License Plates How can your car help Yosemite? Every Yosemite license plate helps fund projects that preserve, protect and enhance the park. To get your plate and preserve Yosemite for future generations, visit on ... read more.
Life of the Bear Spring: April to June Food — Grasses, forbs and other plants. Bears are coming out of their dens. Cubs are just 10 pounds and still nursing. Their mothers begin to teach them about finding natu ... read more.
Recent News
- New Yosemite postage stamp will debut Thursday at the park August 14, 2008, 10:56 am
- Fire near Yosemite park hurts tourist business July 30, 2008, 11:20 am
- Tails of Yosemite July 30, 2008, 11:15 am
- Fire doesn't deter tourists July 29, 2008, 12:05 pm
- Fire rages unchecked near Yosemite July 28, 2008, 11:54 am
- No new cases of virus seen in Yosemite July 24, 2008, 10:54 am
- Tribes Clash, Vying for Place in Yosemite History June 18, 2008, 11:11 am
Yosemite In Depth
News from the Parks
Park Service Employee Earns a Lifetime of Stories
August 18, 2008 - 4:49pm
Regina Jones-Brake remembers the day she met Lady Bird Johnson. Jones-Brake was 22 and setting type at the Benjamin Franklin print shop in Philadelphia's historic district. "I was called a printer's devil," said Jones-Brake. "I wore a mop cap and 18th century attire. I set type, I inked the ink balls, I wet the paper and I ran it through. I was so excited about the job that I worked on Sundays; nobody else wanted to work on Sundays."
August 18, 2008 - 4:49pm
Regina Jones-Brake remembers the day she met Lady Bird Johnson. Jones-Brake was 22 and setting type at the Benjamin Franklin print shop in Philadelphia's historic district. "I was called a printer's devil," said Jones-Brake. "I wore a mop cap and 18th century attire. I set type, I inked the ink balls, I wet the paper and I ran it through. I was so excited about the job that I worked on Sundays; nobody else wanted to work on Sundays."
Maplewood Boy Scouts Are Evacuated near Grand Canyon
August 18, 2008 - 4:29pm
A group of Boy Scouts from Maplewood on a backpacking and rafting trip near the Grand Canyon were evacuated by helicopter Sunday after an earthen dam failed and flood waters threatened their campsite. The six boys and three adult leaders were among scores of people rescued from campgrounds and tribal lands after days of heavy rains caused flooding along two creeks that flow into the Colorado River. "Some boys had enough time to grab their backpacks and some did not," said Bridget Lai, whose husband Michael and son Kyle, 13, are on the trip. "There's not a whole lot you can do about a dam breaking. There's not a lot you can prepare for."
August 18, 2008 - 4:29pm
A group of Boy Scouts from Maplewood on a backpacking and rafting trip near the Grand Canyon were evacuated by helicopter Sunday after an earthen dam failed and flood waters threatened their campsite. The six boys and three adult leaders were among scores of people rescued from campgrounds and tribal lands after days of heavy rains caused flooding along two creeks that flow into the Colorado River. "Some boys had enough time to grab their backpacks and some did not," said Bridget Lai, whose husband Michael and son Kyle, 13, are on the trip. "There's not a whole lot you can do about a dam breaking. There's not a lot you can prepare for."
National Parks Are Offering Podcasts
August 18, 2008 - 4:26pm
Why go to a national park if you can experience one via an Internet podcast? Park officials across the country are hopeful the podcasts themselves will make people want to visit their parks. But if a trip just isn't possible, podcasts are seen as the next best thing.
August 18, 2008 - 4:26pm
Why go to a national park if you can experience one via an Internet podcast? Park officials across the country are hopeful the podcasts themselves will make people want to visit their parks. But if a trip just isn't possible, podcasts are seen as the next best thing.
Pot Farm Found in Park
August 18, 2008 - 4:21pm
A park service pilot on a routine flight over the North Cascades National Park service area helped discover a large marijuana farm worth nearly $48 million -- the first such grow operation found in a national park site in the state. Officials said the farm, which law enforcement officials raided this week, contained more than 16,700 plants. It was well established and resembled the elaborate grow sites run by Mexican drug traffickers plaguing national parks in California, authorities said.
August 18, 2008 - 4:21pm
A park service pilot on a routine flight over the North Cascades National Park service area helped discover a large marijuana farm worth nearly $48 million -- the first such grow operation found in a national park site in the state. Officials said the farm, which law enforcement officials raided this week, contained more than 16,700 plants. It was well established and resembled the elaborate grow sites run by Mexican drug traffickers plaguing national parks in California, authorities said.
Celebrate Zion Wonders
August 18, 2008 - 4:16pm
Next year will be a big celebration for Zion National Park and all who value the majestic views that can be seen within this natural landmark. Zion didn't receive national park status until 1919, but it was recognized for its beauty in 1909, when it was designated as Mukuntuweap National Monument. According to "A History of Washington County: From Isolation to Destination," by Doug Alder and Karl Brooks, The monument designation came after a survey report by St. George resident Leo A. Snow shared the secret of what has become a place of sanctuary befitting its name.
August 18, 2008 - 4:16pm
Next year will be a big celebration for Zion National Park and all who value the majestic views that can be seen within this natural landmark. Zion didn't receive national park status until 1919, but it was recognized for its beauty in 1909, when it was designated as Mukuntuweap National Monument. According to "A History of Washington County: From Isolation to Destination," by Doug Alder and Karl Brooks, The monument designation came after a survey report by St. George resident Leo A. Snow shared the secret of what has become a place of sanctuary befitting its name.
