Yosemite National Park attracts more than four million guests each year. Situated in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the oldest national parks in the US.
The number-one attraction here is the rugged landscape, including towering peaks like Half Dome, chilling mountain lakes or powerful waterfalls. Stands of giant sequoia trees are onsite. It’s hard to believe a tree could really grow to this size, wide enough that a fallen log on the road is cause for carving a tunnel.
Yosemite Falls is a favorite site. It’s a three-tier cascade that falls nearly 2,500 in all. Mist from the falls freezes into powdery ice in the winter. In the summer, snow up the mountain melts in the springtime and the entire river swells.
Vernal Fall is another popular attraction. It’s accessed by Mist Trail, ascending five 500 steps leading to an observation platform over the falls. Views like this are available across the park, whether they’re of waterfalls, mountain peaks at Glacier Point or the curve of Half Dome’s summit.
In brief
** What is it?** The third-oldest national park in the US.
When to go? From June to September when everything is open.
** Nearest town**: Oakdale is the nearest city to the west, and remains a favorite gate of entry.
Don’t miss: towering Half Dome and the adjoining hiking trail.
Factoid: Abraham Lincoln took early steps to protect the forests of Yosemite at a time when conservation was largely unheard of.
Getting there
The park is large, and it’s possible to get in from the west, the east and the south by car. Route 120 connects to Oakdale, and from here it’s around a 4-hour drive to San Francisco International Airport. This is one of the most important travel hubs on the west coast, with flights connecting worldwide and to the east coast in just over 5 hours.