Things To See At Yosemite

Yosemite is home to countless waterfalls. Yosemite Falls (2,425 ft) flows from winter through early to mid-summer. Yosemite Falls, one of the world's tallest, is actually made up of three separate falls: Upper Yosemite Fall (1,430 ft), the middle cascades (675 ft), and Lower Yosemite Fall (320 ft). You can walk to Lower Yosemite Fall in just a few minutes. A hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall is a strenuous, all-day hike.

Ribbon Fall (1,612 ft) flows during the spring only. Staircase Falls (1,300 ft) flows in spring, cascading down various ledges from near Glacier Point to Curry Village.

Half Dome can be seen throughout eastern Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point. El Capitan is opposite Bridalveil Fall and is best seen at the far west end of Yosemite Valley at Bridalveil and El Capitan Meadows. Sentinel Rock, like a sentry, overlooks Yosemite Valley, along the opposite side of the Valley From Yosemite Falls.

Yosemite Point prominently juts out just east of Yosemite Falls. Glacier Point is perhaps the most famous viewpoint in Yosemite. Massive and ancient giant sequoias live in three groves in Yosemite National Park. Olmsted Point, along the Tioga Road, looks down on Yosemite Valley from the east--and from a very different angle. Tunnel View is one of the most famous views of Yosemite Valley. From here you can see El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall rising from Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome in the background. El Portal View, 2 miles up the Glacier Point/Badger Pass Road from Chinquapin (intersection with the Wawona Road). Pothole Dome, at the west end of Tuolumne Meadows, along the Tioga Road, affords many visitors’ first view of Tuolumne Meadows.

There are many vistas including: Bridalveil Meadow, which has views of both Bridalveil Fall and El Capitan. El Capitan Meadow, which provides a view straight up El Capitan. Valley View, which looks up Yosemite Valley from alongside the Merced River. The area around Sentinel Meadow and the Yosemite Chapel is a favorite place to stop to look at Yosemite Falls. Sentinel Bridge is famous for its views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls.

Yosemite Lodge and Lower Yosemite Fall provide a closer view of Yosemite Falls. The Yosemite Museum, next to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, has displays that interpret the cultural history of Yosemite's native Miwok and Paiute people from 1850 to the present.

The historic Yosemite Cemetery is located across the street and just west of the Yosemite Museum. A Guide to the Yosemite Cemetery is available at the Valley Visitor Center.

Very few lakes are easily accessible in Yosemite National Park. Rivers flow through Wawona, Yosemite Valley, and Tuolumne Meadows and numerous seasonal creeks flow in places throughout the park. Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and Wawona have some of the more popular meadows in the park, but you can find meadows throughout the middle and upper elevations of the park.

©ted mccaleb