Trail Running
All of the roads into the park are currently open. Be sure to bring plenty of water with you on your hike!
You can reach the park visitor center by calling this number if you have any further questions on current park conditions: (760) 786-3200
Here are two examples of American Indian caves at Yosemite:
Yosemite Falls Indian Caves
These caves consist of a series of meandering fissures (cracks) between boulders. A single boulder with three mortar cups (a depression in the rock formed from pounding acorn) situated beneath the overhang of a larger boulder occurs at the site.
From the parking area, walk to and from the base of Lower Yosemite Fall using the western trail. Here you can explore the talus caves or "spider caves." In addition, visitors may participate in interpretative walks and other educational activities such as learning games or cave exploration conducted by the Yosemite Institute and the National Park Service.
Hot-low, or Lah'-koo-hah
This Indian cave, immediately under Washington Column at the mouth of Tenaya Canon is a low, broad, and deep recess under a huge rock. It is said to have been occupied as a winter shelter, and also when attacked by the Mono Lake Piutes. The overhanging rock is black from the smoke of ages, and far back in the cave large quantities of acorn-shells have been found. The word Lah-koo-hah, often applied to Indian Cave, is a call meaning "come out."
Here are some other places to discover American Indian culture at Yosemite:
Mirror Lake Trail
Mirror Lake interpretive trail is a short loop adjacent to Mirror Lake, a seasonal lake on Tenaya Creek. Exhibits focus on the rich natural history of the area and American Indian use. To reach the start of the trail, walk one mile from shuttle stop #17 to the disabled parking spaces near the lake. The trail begins here.
Indian Village
This short loop winds through the Indian Village of Ahwahnee, a reconstructed Miwok-Paiute village. A booklet is available at the trailhead and in the Visitor Center. The trail begins behind the Yosemite Museum.
Yosemite Falls is one of the most stunning sites in the entire park. It is the tallest falls in North America and the 5th tallest in the world. Yosemite Falls is actually made up of three water falls, Upper Falls, the middle cascades and Lower Falls. There are several hikes that will take you around the falls. You can even climb up to the top. That being said, the falls do tend to dry up in the late summer. Their is no particular date and it varies on the rain and snowfall the park received that year. I was there in late July and was still able to see the falls. The falls is at its peak in the spring when melted snow plunges over the cliff. The falls are also a great site in the when the cliffs are covered with ice and snow.
Capitol Reef, Waterpocket Fold, Land of the Sleeping Rainbow—all are colorful names to describe a park with many striking characteristics.
Waterpocket Fold, the main feature of the park, is the name of a 100-mile-long fold in the earth's surface. This uplift contains innumerable eroded basins or pockets that hold thousands of gallons of rainwater. These pockets of water have affected the history of humanity within the park and the flora and fauna of the region.
Entering the park from the west gives the most impressive view of the 1,000-foot-high stone barrier into which erosive forces have sculpted fascinating canyons, mesas, buttes and mazes. Once in the park, other astonishing panoramas await you.
Within a short distance of the visitor center, you will see Capitol Dome, Chimney Rock, the Goosenecks and the Egyptian Temple. Hickman Bridge, the Golden Throne and Capitol Gorge reward you after easy to moderate hikes. Prehistoric petroglyphs, the Fruita Schoolhouse, the Gifford Farmhouse and the Behunin Cabin speak of bygone eras and can be reached by car. The 20-mile round-trip Scenic Drive will take you past the Ripple Rock Nature Center and many of the park's features.
If you are seeking a remote wilderness experience, Capitol Reef has it. To the north of Route 24, dirt roads, which generally require high-clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, lead into the park's north end through the heart of Cathedral Valley, an area of monolithic formations of Entrada and Curtis sandstones, some of which are 500 feet high. South of Route 24, graded roads, usually suitable for high-clearance vehicles, lead into some very fine hiking country. Besides good hiking opportunities, the southern part of the park also offers spectacular views of the folded strata of Capitol Reef and the Henry Mountains. Muley Twist Canyon is in the southern end of the park, as is Brimhall Bridge. Check with a park ranger before setting out for any of these more remote locations. Weather conditions may make the roads slick and impassable.
On the bottom of every page on OhRanger.com there is a square box that offers a link to ordering guides. The guides are not 100% free, but they are offered for less than $1/piece to cover handling.
If you want to find out where the guides are locally, you can send an email to [email protected]
Here's the link just in case:
