Yosemite National Park embraces
a vast tract of scenic wild lands set aside in 1890 to preserve
a portion of the Sierra Nevada that stretches along California's
eastern flank. The park ranges from 2,000 feet above sea level
to more than 13,000 feet and offers 3 major features; alpine wilderness,
groves of Giant Sequoias, and Yosemite Valley. The 196 miles of
roads and 840 miles of trails give access to all of these features
either by car or by foot and by free shuttle bus in some areas.
To get to know the real Yosemite, however, you must leave your
car and take a few steps on a trail. You don't have to walk far
to discover the grandeur that can be found here and the values
this special place offers. Millions of people have come to Yosemite
and left refreshed and relaxed and perhaps a bit more knowledgeable
about what they want out of life.
The story of Yosemite began about 500 million years ago when the Sierra Nevada region lay beneath an ancient sea. Thick layers of sediment lay on the seabed, which eventually was folded and twisted and thrust above sea level. Simultaneously molten rock welled up from deep within the earth and cooled slowly beneath the layers of sediment to form granite. Erosion gradually wore away almost all the overlying rock and exposed the granite. Even as uplifts continued to form the Sierra, water and then glaciers went to work to carve the face of Yosemite. Weathering and erosion continue to shape it today.
Click here for more information about Yosemite Park.
Click here for a live Yosemite WEB cam
