View
map of California
View
map of USA
Copyright © All World
Vacation Station
|
|
YOSEMITE
NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA TRAVEL GUIDE |
|
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Yosemite National Park is
a national park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera
counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an
area of 761,266 acres (308,073 ha) and reaches across the western slopes
of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Yosemite is visited by over
3.5 million people each year, many of whom only spend time in the seven
square miles (18 km2) of Yosemite Valley. Designated a World Heritage
Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular
granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological
diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.
Although not the first designated national park, Yosemite was central to
the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of
people like Galen Clark and John Muir.
Yosemite is one of the largest
and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park
supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has an elevation range
from 2,000 to 13,114 feet (610 to 4,000 m) and contains five major vegetation
zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine,
and alpine.
Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the
Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite. There is suitable habitat
or documentation for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local
geologic formations and unique soils characterizing the restricted ranges
many of these plants occupy. |
|
The geology of the Yosemite
area is characterized by granitic rocks and remnants of older rock. About
10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to
form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern
slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting
in formation of deep, narrow canyons. About 1 million years ago, snow and
ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved
down the river valleys. Ice thickness in Yosemite Valley may have reached
4,000 feet (1,200 m) during the early glacial episode. The downslope movement
of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so
many visitors to its scenic vistas today.
A small community located
in central California near Yosemite National Park, Oakhurst is located
at the junction of Highways 41 & 49, at the southern end of California's
gold country.
top
|
|
Why
Should You Visit Yosemite? by Tia Jones
If you have been delaying
your travel to Yosemite National Park, you're missing the most magnanimous
endowment by Mother Nature. For an entirely unique encounter with nature
you must plan tours to Yosemite by exploring some popular Los Angeles sightseeing
tours. Don't take our word for it; the following reasons will make you
want to book that tardy tour today! Ranked as one of UNESCO's Top World
Heritage Sites, it is the place about which you feel, "Been there, done
that!" Explore a one-of-a-kind rendezvous with environment on your Los
Angeles to San Francisco tour.
Striking Vistas
Uncannily attractive U shaped
valley, pine forests, pristine waterfalls, vast edifice of stone, lofty
mountains bedecked with luxurious coniferous trees, the park represents
ecological diversity in its truest form. Yosemite boasts America's most
glorious landscape images like El Capitan, Cathedral Spire, and The Lost
Arrow pillar.
The 1,189-square-mile park
contains thousands of lakes and ponds, a high concentration of waterfalls
including the famous 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls, 800 miles of hiking trails,
and 350 miles of roads. Its beauty invariably results in some jaw-dropping
moments and awe-inspiring experiences.
Year-round Adventure
Outdoor junkies can indulge
in all sorts of adventure activities that include biking, boating, camping,
fishing, hiking, whitewater rafting, bird watching, experiencing wildlife,
and skiing. There is an inimitable high in enjoying your favorite outdoor
activity amidst the extraordinary serenity radiated by the natural beauty
of this park. It has some
Diversity in Touring through
the Park
There are diverse ways to
absorb the arresting allure of this park by journeying through it using
your own mode of transport, Yosemite tour buses, bikes (there is a bike
rental facility in the park) and of course on foot.
top
|
Top
|