8 Superb Natural Features at the Yosemite National Park

Have you ever visited the Yosemite National Museum, and if you have, did you enjoy your time there? This tutorial provides you with an easy guide on how to enjoy your time at the Yosemite National Museum.

Yosemite is a place of National heritage, with outstanding natural features that motivate people to go hiking, camping, or enjoy beautiful views.

With a helpful guide on what to expect, you can easily avoid some outstanding scenery, get into trouble, or even get lost in the vast park that covers an area of up to 1,190 square miles. It is a shared resource between four counties, Tuolumne, Mariposa, Mono, and Madera.

The majestic natural beauty is home to millions of visitors annually who engage in fun activities. The numbers, however, drop during winter since most people are not willing to bear the unforgiving cold weather in the mountain ranges.

When visiting Yosemite for hiking and camping, you must prepare well by getting the following items ready.

• Maps and Compass
• Camping tent and cushion mattress
• A big enough backpack to fit all the items you intend to carry along, especially if you are camping and backpacking.
• Enough food and drinking water – Yosemite has several water points, so you might not need to carry much water.
• A first aid kit containing prescription medications, painkillers, bandages, antiseptic, sanitizer, and masks.
• Lighter or matches
• Headlamp and extra batteries - You can also get a hybrid headlamp that you can charge with solar energy.
• A functional knife
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Sleeping bag
• Appropriate clothing depending on the current weather and the forecast of the time you will be there.
• Utensils – both for cooking and eating in
• Cookstove with enough fuel
• Water bottles – look for compressible ones that take up little space in your backpack.
• Water treatment chemicals – you may drink the water from the streams after purifying instead of carrying water which will increase the weight of your luggage.
• Mosquito repellent
• Toiletries which include tissue paper, soap, body oil, toothbrush, and toothpaste.
• Camera and binoculars – to capture the memories and for better views, respectively.

Granite Cliffs

While visiting Yosemite, expect to experience the beauty of the granite cliffs, which glow magnificently under the setting sun. The most magnificent one, El Captain, rises to about 915m in height.

The El Captain is a major attraction for rock climbers. World-class rock climbers find the place appropriate to test their endurance and break records.

However, you do not have to be a rock climber to visit the El captain. You can go as a spectator to enjoy the sites and watch the climbers do their thing. Set base at the El Capitan Meadow and arm yourself with a powerful DSLR or a telescope.

Besides rock climbing, you can hike up the 17-mile trail and enjoy beautiful Nevada and vernal falls.

Waterfalls

While visiting Yosemite national park, you will have to chase waterfalls because they are irresistible. The beauty of the white-looking water gushing down the high cliffs is therapeutic. It is a site you can gaze at the whole day without getting bored. The sound of the dropping water can make you forget all your problems.

Yosemite national park is home to glorious waterfalls such as:

• The Yosemite falls
• Bridalveil falls
• Sentinel falls
• Ribbon fall
• Horsetail Fall
• Nevada Fall
• Vernal fall
• Illilouette Fall
• Chilnualna Falls
• Wapama Falls
• Tueeulala Falls
• Rancheria Falls
• Waterwheel Falls
• Snow Creek Falls
• Pywiack Cascade
• Royal Arch Cascade
• Silver strand Falls

We advise you get more information on when you can visit the different waterfalls and the safety measures from the park management.

Rivers

The rivers in the valleys that cut through Yosemite national park are a sight. These rivers adopt different moods depending on the season; in winter, they are cold, slow, frozen in some parts, filled up and flooding in spring, warm and welcoming in summer, and very calm in fall.

Two main rivers are cutting across Yosemite, namely:

• The Merced River
• Tuolumne River

The two rivers derive their water from the Sierra Nevada Mountain. They form beautiful scenery all through the park as they flow downstream.

The Merced river is kind enough to offer you a range of activities during summer, such as:

• Swimming
• Rafting or Kayaking

• Fishing
• Site seeing the natural beauty beside the river

Giant Sequoia groves

The sequoia groves in Yosemite are as natural as they come. The three main ones are:

Tuolumne Grove: The Tuolumne grove comprises many beautifully arranged giant sequoias on the Eastern side of Crane flat. You will need to hike down 500 feet to enjoy the scenery. Coming back up will be an uphill task, literally. Carry water, as this location does not have a source.

Mariposa Grove: Mariposa Grove is the largest in Yosemite, consisting of more than 500 giant sequoias. Several trails go to the grove and range from easy to strenuous. The management has provided a rest area where drinking water is available throughout the year. Driving from Yosemite Valley will take you about 75 minutes.

Merced Grove: Merced grove contains an almost similar number of giant sequoias as Tuolumne grove. The parking space here is limited; hence hiking is the better option despite the strenuous trail you will encounter on your way back. Water is also not available to make sure you carry enough of it.

Lakes

Yosemite national park contains more than 2,000 lakes of varying depths and coverage. The most glorious ones, which are also attractions, are as follows:

• Mirror Lake
• Tenaya
• Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
• Young lakes
• Cathedral Lakes
• May Lake
• Ostrander Lake
• Gaylor Lake
• Dog Lake
• Lake Eleanor

The lakes are accessible via different trails and are also home to more than 400 species of animals. The one thing they all have in common is the clear waters that primarily originate from the thawing snow.

Mountains

The terrain of Yosemite mainly consists of high peaked mountains and waterfalls, a combination that creates a masterpiece. The peaks range from the steep El Capitan to the magnificent Half dome, and the higher of them all is Mount Lyell, scaling up to about 4,000 m. Other outstanding mountains include:

• Rodgers peak
• Mount Dana
• Mount Gibbs
• Mount Florence
• Simmons Peak
• North Peak
• Parson Peak
• Clark range
• Sentinal Rock
• Cathedral Rocks

Meadows

Meadows make up about 3% of Yosemite National Park. They are about 3000 in number, supported by the underground water from the melting snow. The most outstanding meadows in Yosemite include:

• Tuolumne Meadows
  
• Sentinel/Cook's Meadow Loop
• Leidig Meadow
• Stoneman Meadow
• Wawona Meadow

While visiting Yosemite national park, make sure you experience the lushness of the meadows. The experience is magical

Glaciers

Glaciers have played a significant role in forming the Yosemite landscape, despite gradually fading away due to global warming. Glaciers are responsible for all the park's amazing lakes, rivers, and waterfalls.

The two surviving glaciers include:

• The Lyell Glacier, and
• The Maclure Glacier

These two have stood the test of time, but researchers have indicated that they may not last long as they are also disappearing gradually.

Yosemite is a vast ecosystem, and we hope this tutorial has given you a glimpse of what to expect as you plan your trip to the national heritage.

We will appreciate your feedback on whether we have addressed your concerns in the comment section. Share with us your relevant interests so that we can capture them in our upcoming tutorials.

Your review of Yosemite national park is also welcome after visiting.

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