A river in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, CA
A river in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California. A shrub grows in a sandbar that stretches across the river’s rippled surface. Coniferous trees grow on the shore of the river, and cliffs rise up in the background.
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.






