#OurWorldIsAwesome – Edition 11
Yosemite National Park covers about 1,169 square miles. The incredible Yosemite Valley is just 1% of the entire national park. And yet it’s where most people – including me – have spent most of our time.
There are so many beautiful aspects to Yosemite National Park. Yosemite contains 20% of all of California’s plant species. The Giant Sequoias in the park are the biggest living things on the planet. You get completely transported to a different ecosystem when you walk amongst the Giant Sequoias at Mariposa Grove.
Then you make it to the stunning Yosemite Valley. It is home to Yosemite Falls, North America’s tallest waterfall, cascading 2,425 feet.
The incredible El Capitan is a breathtaking wall of granite. It takes on a whole different meaning after you see Alex Honnold climb it without ropes in “Free Solo.”
There is the Bridalveil falls – misty and magical.
There are beautiful viewpoints like Glacier Point from where you appreciate the beauty of “Half Dome.”
You can go over the other side to Tuolumne Meadows and experience a beautiful meadow high up that provides water for most of Central California.
Once you get out of the valley, you do occasionally see wildlife. This mama bear was out for a feed with her babies.
Yosemite has been a land of wonders for us. We first went there about 5 years ago and do our best to visit every year. A pilgrimage of sorts that reminds us of how awe-inspiring nature can be.
Yosemite Valley is the perfect place for bikes – with almost 12 miles of bike trails. The massive granite mountains all around you, the beautiful trees, the streams, the gentle Merced River with many spots around it to hang out and dip your toes in its beautiful water, and the stunning Mirror Lake in early spring and summer are all highlights.
Then there are beautiful hikes. The Mist Trail up to Vernal Falls, for example. And obviously much longer hikes like Half Dome and the rest of the Sierra Nevada.
The most stunning part about Yosemite, especially in the spring and summer, is the flow of water. If you visit anytime between April and June, when the waterfalls are running in full flow, it is without question one of the most beautiful places in the world. This is what it can looks like from “Tunnel View” on a sunny day in early summer.
It is one of my favorite places in the world. And I think it took me a few years to write this post simply because I wasn’t sure I’d find the words to do it justice.
It is no wonder that it was the first land protected by the US government. It is an incredibly special place and deserving of that honor.
A Learning a Day 