Where in the World Wednesdays - Destinations to Explore Before Leaving This Life

Yosemite National Park – California

Yosemite was established as a National Park back in 1890, though parts of it were set aside for preservation and protection as far back as the 1860’s when Abraham Lincoln was residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  The park itself contains more than 800 miles of hiking trails and 300 miles of paved roads within the approximately 1,189 square mile park (about the size of the state of Rhode Island) – and about 95% of the park is designated wilderness. 

Yosemite ranges in elevation from 2,127 to 13,114 feet and boasts five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine zone, and alpine.  Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite, and Yosemite boasts about 160 rare plant species.

Highlights within Yosemite Valley, the parks central area where the majority of the park’s established camping and lodging facilities are located include numerous waterfalls (Yosemite Falls being the highest waterfall in the nation), as well as a variety of well-known mountain formations popularly documented in famed photographs by noted photographer Ansel Adams, such as Half Dome, and El Capitan – the largest single granite rock on the planet.

Activities abound within the park, for naturalists and adventurists alike. Hundreds of miles of hiking trails, as well as nearly 20 miles of scenic Class IV rapids for white water rapids enthusiasts. The moderately strenuous Mist Trail offers a close-up look at Vernal Falls, a 317-foot waterfall on the John Muir Trail, as well as Bridalveil Fall, a 620-foot waterfall.  The John Muir Trail itself works its’ way through 211 miles, and up to 11,000 feet in elevation.

Lodging within the Yosemite Valley includes hotel accommodations, tent-cabins and traditional campsites.  The beautiful and majestic Ahwahnee hotel, constructed in 1927, is a master showpiece of stone and native timber, with heart-stopping views and breathtaking public spaces.  Winters at the Ahwahnee are a glorious experience, especially during the holiday season when the lodge features its’ beloved, traditional, Bracebridge Dinner, which dates back to the 1930’s, and features Old English Yuletide cheer. 

For more information about Yosemite, or to explore the possibility of creating your own vacation memories in or near this crown jewel in America’s portfolio of National Parks, don’t hesitate to visit my website, or call 855.776.1733.