Yosemite National Park is a United
States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne,Mariposa and Madera counties
in the central eastern portion of the U.S. state of California,
commonly referred to as Northern California The park, which is
managed by the National Park Service, covers an area of 747,956 acres
(1,168.681 sq mi; 302,687 ha; 3,026.87 km2) and
reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain
chain. Over 3.7 million people visit Yosemite each year: most spend
the majority of their 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. Yosemite
was central to the development of the national park idea. First, Galen
Clark and others lobbied to protect Yosemite Valley from development,
ultimately leading to President Abraham Lincoln's signing the Yosemite
Grant in 1864. Later, John Muir led a successful movement to
establish a larger national park encompassing not just the valley, but
surrounding mountains and forests as well—paving the way for the United States
national park system.
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 2,127 to 13,114 feet (648 to 3,997 m) and contains
five majorvegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower
montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine zone, 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
Popular Features
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Sentinel
Bridge and Half Dome
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Yosemite Valley represents only
one percent of the park area, but this is where most visitors arrive and stay.
The Tunnel View is the first view of the Valley for many visitors and
is extensively photographed. El Capitan, a prominent granite cliff that
looms over Yosemite Valley, is one of the most popular rock climbing destinations
in the world because of its diverse range of climbing routes in addition to its
year-round accessibility. Granite domes such as Sentinel Dome and
Half Dome rise 3,000 and 4,800 feet (910 and 1,460 m), respectively, above
the valley floor.
The high country of Yosemite
contains beautiful areas such as Tuolumne Meadows, Dana Meadows, the Clark
Range, the Cathedral Range, and the Kuna Crest. The Sierra crest and the Pacific
Crest Trail run through Yosemite, with peaks of red metamorphic rock, such
as Mount Dana and Mount Gibbs, and granite peaks, such as Mount
Conness. Mount Lyell is the highest point in the park, standing at
13,120 feet (4,000 m). The Lyell Glacier is the largest glacier in
Yosemite National Park and is one of the few remaining in the Sierra Nevada
today.
The park has three groves of
ancient giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) trees; the Mariposa Grove
(200 trees), the Tuolumne Grove (25 trees), and the Merced Grove (20
trees). This species grows larger in volume than any other and is one of
the tallest and longest-lived.
source wikipedia
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