Yosemite National Park

CONTENTS

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. Closures & Restrictions The Tioga Road (Highway 120 through the park) beyond Yosemite Creek Campground and the entire Glacier Point Road are closed. They are both anticipated to open (without services) on May 14th at noon. For updated road information, call 209/372-0200.

IN DEPTH

Sights To See Yosemite Valley Yosemite Valley is accessible year-round via Highway 41 from Fresno, Highway 140 from Merced, and Highway 120 from Manteca. In late spring through late fall it is accessible...read more

Spirit Of Yosemite The 23-minute surround-sound film, Spirit of Yosemite provides an introduction to the stories behind Yosemite's grand beauty, extraordinary community of living things, American Indian culture and history of wildland...read more

Visitor Services Visitor centers are located in Yosemite Valley (year-round) and seasonally at Wawona, Big Oak Flat and Tuolumne Meadows. Most other visitor services in Yosemite operate under contract with NPS. Comments...read more

Walking & Hiking With over 800 miles of hiking trails, what better way to enjoy the beauty of Yosemite than on foot? Whether you're interested in an easy stroll or a challenging...read more

Yosemite Waterfalls Falls Height Angel Falls, Venezuela 3,212 ft. Tugela Falls, South Africa 2,800 ft. Utigordsfossen, Norway 2,626 ft. Mongelfossen, Norway 2,540 ft. Yosemite Falls, Yosemite 2,425 ft. Espelandfoss, Norway 2,307 ft. Sentinel Fall, Yosemite 2,000 ft. Cuquenàn Falls, Venezuela 2,000 ft. Sutherland Falls, New Zealand 1,904 ft. Kjellfossen, Norway 1,841...read more

Welcome to Yosemite On behalf of the National Park Service, welcome to Yosemite! There are as many ways to experience this amazing place as there are granite rocks in the Sierra Nevada landscape....read more

Who's Who in the Park It takes a legion of people working together to protect this special park for you and future generations of visitors. Many of the faces you may see during your...read more

Plan For Future Yosemite National Park is a complex place to manage. The National Park Service strives to protect park resources while providing an excellent experience for park visitors. In order to...read more

Plan Your Visit Near the eastern border of central California is a park about the size of Rhode Island. Situated in Sierra Nevada splendor, Yosemite National Park was established by an act...read more

Preserve Yosemite In Yosemite, the natural forces at work—such as rockfall, fire and flood—are respected. This is a place where wildness prevails. The National Park Service recognizes the importance of Yosemite's...read more