Yosemite National Park

Last year in fall 2012 we went to Yosemite National Park for few days along with my friends and had a great experience and fun. Yosemite National Park is located in the heart of California Sierra Nevada and it is one of the oldest wilderness parks in the United States and established in 1890 as a National Park with an area of almost 1,200 square miles. Its beauty is evident during each of its seasons from the waterfalls of spring to the wildflowers of summer, the golden light of autumn and the crisp snows of winter. During summer, temperature is normally warm and dry while in late fall and winter have a fair amount of rain and snow. Yosemite which is designated as wilderness and you will find waterfalls, high cliffs, spectacular tracts of mountains and valley scenery, 100s of giant sequoias. Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove of Big Trees are only a few of the features for which the park is well known and famous for that.

There are many activities to do in Yosemite Park which will satisfy everyone’s interests whether its park geologic, natural history, in backpacking, bicycling, camping or picnicking or simply meandering on a trail along the river’s edge.

 

Bridalveil Fall: I really had a great fun in Bridalveil Fall as we did rock climbing and went at the end to touch the water. This fall is memorable for its rainbows and billowing clouds of mist. There is “Yosemite Fall” which is the most popular and famous waterfall in Yosemite National Park and it believe that it is the tallest waterfall in North America with a height of 2,425 feet.

 

 

 

Half Dome: This granite landmark Half Dome rising to an elevation of 8,842 feet is the most striking feature and is a well known symbol of Yosemite National Park. Every year many hikers come here and only few hikers reach the summit each year; it really required lot of dedication, preparation and most important self motivation to reach the end line of half dome.  There are steel cables on the half dome which assist hikers climbing the last 400 feet to the top. You  should be well prepared once you decide you are going to hike on half dome like you should wear comfortable shoes and clothes, drink and carry lots of water and foods.

 

Mariposa Grove: In Yosemite National Park there is a biggest attraction called Mariposa Grove which have the largest stand of Sequoia tress and have more than 500 trees and all trees are more than 1,000 years old and some are 3,000 years old. The Bachelor, Three Graces, Grizzly Giant are few giant Sequoia trees found in Mariposa grove and weigh over 2 million pounds.

Grizzly Giant: One of the main attractions of the Mariposa Grove is the Grizzly Giant, one of the largest trees in Mariposa Grove and it is estimated at 2,700 years of age.

California Tunnel Tree: California Tunnel tree is another big attraction in Mariposa Grove. This giant sequoia tree was cut in 1985 to allow stagecoaches to pass through the center of the tree. There is another giant tree called Clothespin Tree which was scarred by numerous fire and naturally formed tunnel which is wide enough for a car to pass through.

There are lots of other attractions to see and do the things in Yosemite National Park and for that you really need to have enough days off to enjoy each and every place in Yosemite. We really had a great and fun time in Yosemite and looking forward to see again such a natural and beautiful place in near future.