Covering a rough oval of 1,190 sq mls, Yosemite (the Park) is a huge wilderness region of great natural beauty, notable for its towering waterfalls, rushing rivers, majestic granite escarpments and weird rock formations, mountains and wildlife.

Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things. Highlights of the park include Yosemite Valley, and its high cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point's (summer-fall) spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall), a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite Valley

Yosemite will be of interest to anyone who appreciates dramatic scenery and a taste of nature. You'll bump into people of all ages and interests, from casual tourists to serious photographers to adventurous types wanting to sample the "great outdoors" and make their own evening entertainment. Be prepared for crowds and traffic congestion in peak season as this area attracts tourism from all over the world.

Accommodation in the area will suit all pockets of the population. Dozens of small wooden mobile homes, log cabins, chalets, lodges, motels and a few full-service hotels in and around the Park perimeter and in surrounding towns as much as 46 mls away. The closer to peak season your visit will be, the farther in advance you should book your room. Peak season can also be quite expensive in some areas.

NB: Bears have proved to be a problem as they've developed a liking for visitors' food; proper storage of food is mandatory.

Unfortunately, it becomes dreadfully overcrowded during the peak spring and summer season. The narrow winding roads become choked with all manner of vehicles and pedestrians, so much so that the authorities have dramatically increased the entrance price and strongly encourage all visitors to use the Yosemite area and Park's bus systems.

Locality:

Yosemite is situated in the far west of the United States, in the east-central part of California State, 30 mls west of the Nevada State border. 190 mls E of San Francisco and its international airport. Merced airport is 75 mls south west. Positioned in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, rising from 2,000 ft to 13,000 ft in elevation, Yosemite is surrounded by designated national forests.