LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

About this photograph

Creator
Margery H. Freeman
Date created
June 1981
Location
Yosemite National Park
License
This photograph copyright ©1981. All Rights Reserved

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Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park, CA

Size: 687×1024

Vernal Falls in Yosemite National Park, California. Vernal Falls falls 317 feet through a verdant nook in a craggy landscape. Trails go to both Vernal Falls and the nearby Nevada Falls, but the one to Nevada Falls is more strenuous and steep. Many hikers stop here at the bridge, where they can catch a good view of the majestic waterfall.

Yosemite National Park was one of the earliest national parks. Formed in 1890, it was preceded only by Yellowstone and Sequoia National Parks. Its creation was advocated by naturalists such as John Muir and Galen Clark, as well as many other influential figures. Today, it protects a broad variety of flora, fauna, geography, and Native American heritage. It is famous for its waterfalls, but visitors can also enjoy lush meadows, craggy rock ridges, and mammoth sequoias. 95 percent of the park’s 747,956 acres is designated wilderness.