Table of Contents
Adventures 17
Hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, river rafting-Yosemite has it all. The only question is what not to do in the park!
Basics 32
Everything you need to know for a saccessful visit: entrance fees, lodging and camping, best times to visit-and how to deal with pesky black bears.
Geology 41
Over the past 500 million years, Yosemite has been shaped by erupting volcanoes, Ice Age glaciers, massive rockfalls, and countless other splendid catastrophes.
Ecology & Wildlife 59
Yosemite's pristine mountain wilderness is home to thousands of fascinating plants and animals that coexist in remarkable ways. From miniature orchids to bighorn sheep, Yosemite's ecology is as stunning as its scenery.
History 85
For centuries Yosemite Valley was home to the Ahwahneechee tribe. Following the Gold Rush, artists and adventurers discovered its charms. Yosemite later inspired visionaries like John Muir, Ansel Adams, and the rugged athletes who pioneered Big Wall rock climbing.
Yosemite Valley 123
The most famous part of the park, home to soaring cliffs, towering granite domes, and six waterfalls over 1,000 feet tall. Discover what makes Yosemite Valley one of America's most beautiful destinations.
Glacier Point 191
Three thousand feet above Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point offers panoramas of the park's most famous sights. Sunsets are spectacular, and clear nights provide some of the best stargazing in California.
Tioga Road 221
This 46-mile road rises into the heart of the High Sierra-a gorgeous alpine wilderness filled with shimmering lakes, snow-capped peaks, and some of the parks most dramatic scenery.
Tuolumne Meadows 247
The largest high-altitude meadow in the Sierra Nevada is the jumping-off point for many of Yosemite's best hikes and backpacks.
Wawona & Hetch Hetchy 295, p.301
Wawona is home to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the largest sequoia grove in the park. Hetch Hetchy-once a beautiful valley, now a flooded reservoir-set the stage for one of America's earliest environmental battles.
Top 5 Viewpoints
Glacier Point 196
Tunnel View 144
Washburn Point 193
Taft Point 202
Olmstead Point 224
Top 5 Adventures
Hiking 17
Rock Climbing 23
Biking 125
River Rafting 29
Skiing 28
Top 5 Hikes
Half Dome 174
Clouds Rest 236
Mist Trail 168
Yosemite Falls 184
Four Mile Trail 182
Top 5 Watrfalls
Yosemite Falls 132
Bridalveil Fall 148
Nevada Fall 168
Vernal Fall 168
Horsetail Fall 157
