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One of California’s national parks is Yosemite. most intimidating natural settings. offers nearly 1,200 square miles of awe: towering waterfalls, thousand-year-old redwoods, towering and awe-inspiring cliffs, and some of the world’s most iconic rock formations. Most unique in the United States. But despite its enormous size, most tourist activity takes place within the 8 square mile Yosemite Valley region. El Capitan and Half Dome are two of the park’s most well-known monuments, are located here, along with some of the best hiking paths in the area.landmarks.

Even inexperienced hikers can enjoy Yosemite: guided tours and rock climbing lessons are available from local adventure outfitters (such as those on our list of the best tours in California). Don’t expect to experience it for yourself. Like so many other U.S. tourist destinations, crowds are the biggest obstacle to an enjoyable vacation in Yosemite — around 4 million people visit each year. But if you go at the right time (and start your day a little earlier than usual), the wonders of Mother Nature will reveal themselves to you in a miraculous and serene way.

Best months to visit

The best times to visit Yosemite are May and September, when the park is accessible but not crowded. It is important to know that many roads and trails in Yosemite are closed most of the year due to snow. Snow can arrive as early as October and comes in full force in November, usually staying until March. But just because snowstorms stop in March doesn’t mean closed parts of the park suddenly open. Depending on conditions, all seasonally closed roads and trails do not open until May or June.

The park’s seasonal closures are precisely why so many travelers visit the park during the summer months, making it the busiest time of year (think crowded trails, road traffic, hotel rates exorbitant, etc). To avoid this, the best time to visit is before or after the summer crowds arrive, usually in late May and September. Late May and early June are the best times to admire the waterfalls, roaring with freshly melted snow, and September offers cooler temperatures ideal for hiking (summer temperatures can reach the 80s). If the only time you can visit is summer, be sure to book several months in advance. Campsites are known to reach capacity as soon as they become available for booking. If you’re looking for a bargain on accommodation, winter is the best time to visit Yosemite. 

Glacier Point

Glacier Point, a lookout point with sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and the Yosemite High Country, is accessible by car from late May through around October or November. From mid-December through March, cross-country skiers can experience this view after skiing for 10.5 miles.

From the Glacier Point car park and tours drop-off area, a short, paved, wheelchair-accessible trail takes you to an exhilarating (some might say unnerving) point 3,214 feet above Curry Village at the bottom of the valley. Of Yosemite.

Hetch Hetchy

Hidden away in the peaceful northwest corner of Yosemite National Park, Hetch Hetchy Valley is a treasure to visit in all seasons. Located at 3,900 feet, Hetch Hetchy has one of the longest hiking seasons in the park and is a great place to view thundering spring waterfalls and displays of wildflowers. High temperatures prevail during the summer months, but it’s a small price to pay for the reward of a vast wilderness filled with stunning peaks, hidden canyons, and secluded lakes.

Swimming and boating are prohibited in the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir to maintain a source of clean drinking water. Hetch Hetchy is on the main course of the Tuolumne River and is part of the Tuolumne watershed. The Tuolumne River originates in the peaks above Tuolumne Meadows and is the main drainage system for the northern part of Yosemite. The Tuolumne River continues through Tuolumne Meadows and associated park developments at an elevation of 8,600 feet. It then cascades on its westward descent through the Tuolumne Grand Canyon and enters the eastern end of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Hetch Hetchy is dammed by the 430-foot-high O’Shaughnessy Dam and has a storage capacity of 360,360 acre-feet. It is the main source of water for approximately 2.5 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Wawona

“Wawona is like an emerald nestled in the midst of the brilliant diamonds of the Yosemite Valley waterfalls and the red rubies of the redwoods of Mariposa Grove.” – Yosemite visitor, early 1900s

Although Wawona was not added to Yosemite National Park until 1932, this large, mid-elevation basin has been home to many people and activities for centuries and is home to many other natural features. Originally home to American Indians, the Wawona area later became a thriving settlement and the main thoroughfare for people traveling to Yosemite Valley in the late 19th century. Galen Clark, Yosemite State’s first appointed warden, built Clark’s Station, which later became the Wawona Hotel.

The southernmost section of Yosemite is where the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is Yosemite’s biggest sequoia forest and has more than 500 trees. Mature giant sequoias. The idea of a national park is rooted in Mariposa Grove. In 1864, President Lincoln signed legislation protecting Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for “public use, resort, and recreation.” This historic legislation occupied an important place in the history of our country and was enacted when the country was in the throes of civil war. For the first time in our country’s history, the federal government has saved beautiful natural regions for preservation so that future generations may enjoy them. Added to Yosemite National Park in 1906, Mariposa Grove is a popular destination within the park.

Mariposa Grove closed in the spring of 2015 for a full-scale Mariposa Grove Restoration Project Final Environmental Impact Statement, which established the restoration project. The main goals of this project were to improve the habitat of the giant sequoia and to improve the visitor experience. This included addressing declining grove and nearby South Entrance conditions that were negatively affecting the ecological health of redwoods (e.g., roads, trails, and other buildings encroaching on old tree roots, problems of hydrology). On June 15, 2018, Mariposa Grove reopened.

The Mariposa Grove was created to accommodate this effort. A number of people to maintain the facilities, protect natural and cultural resources and provide a quality visitor experience. We are carefully monitoring the grove to assess how the new services are working. I invite you as a tourist to visit these places