Yosemite
Location: California
Established: October 1, 1890
Tucked into the mountains of California, Yosemite National Park is a U.S. national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its spectacular granite monoliths and domes, plunging waterfalls, clear streams, and giant sequoia groves. Yosemite inspires a sense of awe and beauty, and I could fill pages with information and descriptive text, but a few key facts will help to paint the picture.
Despite being in the midst of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill on June 30, 1864 establishing Yosemite Valley’s amazing cliffs and waterfalls and the Mariposa Grove’s towering sequoias as protected wilderness areas. It was the first time in U.S. history that land was designated for public use and preservation and it laid the foundation of the national and state park systems. Yellowstone became America's first national park in 1872 and Yosemite followed in 1890. Yosemite is now one of the most visited national parks, with over 4 million visitors annually.
Towering more than 350 stories above Yosemite Valley, El Capitan is the largest exposed granite monolith in the world.
At 1,189 square miles, Yosemite is roughly the same size as the state of Rhode Island.
Yosemite Falls is the largest waterfall in North America.
Half Dome and El Capitan are two of the formations made famous by photographer Ansel Adams.
