Vernal Falls during a dry spell, Yosemite National Park, CA
About this photograph
- Creator
- Margery H. Freeman
- Date created
- Unknown
- Location
- Yosemite National Park, California
- License
- This photograph copyright ©2009. All Rights Reserved
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- Search LEARN NC for 1890, California, designated wilderness, early national park, fall, Galen Clark, John Muir, national parks, Nevada Falls, sequoia, Vernal Falls, waterfall, wilderness, Yosemite, and Yosemite National Park.
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Vernal Falls during a dry spell, in Yosemite National Park, California. Vernal Falls falls 317 feet through a verdant nook in a craggy landscape. Like most waterfalls, Vernal Falls experience periods of strong and weak flow according to the season. They peak during late fall, when thunderstorms provide plenty of water, and during spring, when the snow packs melt. The falls are usually at their lowest during the summer. 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 and preserves 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.
