"Yosemite is Perha ..." a Yosemite National Park Travel Page by atufft

First, Yosemite is pronounced Yo-sem-e-tee*, not Yohz-might* or any of a number of other silly misprounciations I've heard tourists use. The Yosemite Valley, the 7 sq. mile area most heavily trampled by tourists is at an elevation of only 4,000 ft, which means it will have a modest amount of snow in winter, and relatively warm and sunny summer days. This is the oldest Federally established national park in the United States, created by President Theodore Roosevelt who had been inspired by John Muir and others in the Sierra Club. The valley beauty speaks for itself though, as it is a remarkable glacier carved valley, where the valley walls average about 2,000 feet of essentially vertical and solid granite, and where the number of world-class waterfalls are many. There are numerous superlatives heaped on Yosemite Valley features--the highest falls in North America (Yosemite Falls), the largest single piece of granite in the world (El Capitan), and so on--but, the main reason to visit the park is it's sheer beauty and range of activities. This park is extremely popular though and accommodations difficult, so plan ahead. Options that include day trips to the park or staying outside the valley are not recommended as there is so much to do here.

Most of the 1,189 square miles (3,081 kmē) of Yosemite are visited by a hard few willing to hike. Indeed, backpackers will not want to stay long in Yosemite Valley, which is crowded and has a sort of theme park atmosphere to it. Rather, most backpackers head for the alpine region of Tuolumne Meadows, where there are excellent base camp facilities and a large number of trail heads. I have hiked out of Tuolumne Meadows many times since I was very young kid and have hiked on many trails. In the last couple of years, I have preferred hiking to Young Lakes because its slightly less glamous peaks and water reduces the backpacker traffic somewhat. Also, in one day, I can hike back to the top lake and appreciate true alpine solitude with a tourqouise colored lake. There are hundreds of trail options though, and those coming from abroad should consider carefully which trail to take at the time they check in at the ranger station. Fancy gear is not strictly necessary however, as the trails are well maintained and easy to keep a good footing. An inexpensive backpack and decent sport shoes will be sufficient for most hiking in Yosemite, but bear in mind that camp fires are no longer permited in the alpine regions, for air and water pollution reasons. Gathering dead wood to burn and leaving behind a campfire ring is illegal and a sure sign of a backpacker who is not GREEN. So, a light-weight propane burner is needed as part of the equipment. See my tips on good backpacking...

In the past, Yosemite had a nightly fall of fire tossed off the edge of Glacier Point, while at Camp Curry a Miwok Indian song was sung. Also, there once was a small golf course behind the Awahnee Hotel, for those who could afford to stay there. At the Maripose Grove of Sequoias, the family drove the car along the roads and through the tunnel tree. Traditionally, my family would spend a week or so in one of the campgrounds along the Merced River, and I can recall a horrific night once as a child, lost in the dark wandering for hours among the many dimly light campsites in search of the family campsite. At that time, campgrounds were numbered, but now the number of campgrounds have been reduced and given meaningful names. Yosemite Valley is such a busy place that the arcade like perks have been eliminated in favor of many educational programs oriented to all ages. Maripose Grove can only be visited by foot or on the special tram, and the tunnel tree has since fallen over. I recommend checking out my tips for various activies that help one learn about the wonders of Yosemite.