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NATURAL WONDERS
Inspiring artists, naturalists, and poets for centuries, the beauty of Yosemite Valley is legendary. Thanks to the unflagging efforts of Scottish naturalist John Muir, Yosemite National Park was founded in 1890, adding momentum to a country-wide campaign for a national park system.
That same year, the giant sequoia forests of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were also protected. Today, Yosemite's towering waterfalls, signature granite-rock formations, rushing rivers, and alpine lakes are safeguarded for future generations.
No matter which season you take your Yosemite vacation in, there's an endless parade of wonders for nature lovers and budding naturalists to explore. The Kings River canyon, which is the USA's deepest canyon, and the Giant Forest inside Sequoia National Park are also awesome, not-to-be-missed sights.
Mt Whitney, the tallest US peak outside of Alaska, is a top attraction in the eastern Sierra Nevada.
The Yosemite Valley claims some of the USA's most impressive waterfalls. The triple-tiered Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. Other standouts include Bridalveil Fall at the entrance to Yosemite Valley and the twin Vernal and Nevada Falls, which drop dramatically from Glacier Point. In late spring, scores of nameless waterfalls emerge to cover the sides of granite rock formations and rush through forested gulches throughout the park. Some are conveniently located near roadside lookouts, while others only reveal themselves to backcountry hikers. More waterfalls flow in nearby Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. > See MoreThe Sierra Nevada is California's loftiest mountain range. Skyscraping peaks along the spine of this rugged divide, which separates California's fertile agricultural central valley from the deserts of the Great Basin, tops out at over 14,000ft in elevation. Formed by volcanic activity and violent earthquakes, these mountains have been eroded by wind and water over time. Prehistoric glaciers that once washed down over the mountains and cliffs have formed unusual U-shaped valleys and left behind granite rock formations for you to marvel at, such as Half Dome and El Capitan in the Yosemite Valley. > See MoreAs if super-sized waterfalls and granite rock formations weren't enough to make you feel as small as a bug, Yosemite and its nearby national parks also protect giant sequoias, the biggest trees on Earth. This record-breaking arboreal species grows only on the western side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Near the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park, the Mariposa Grove alone has over 500 specimens, while those growing in the forests of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are uncountable. Taking a walk among these living giants is not to be missed, especially in the early morning when dew glistens on their evergreen limbs. > See MoreThe Merced River meanders through the Yosemite Valley, its mood changing with the seasons. In spring, it can be a torrent of flooding rapids, while in summer as water levels drop, it's safe enough for families to take float trips along or paddle downstream in canoes and kayaks. Innumerable waterways course through Yosemite's backcountry, delivering snow melt from the peaks to the lush valleys below. The tumultuous Kings River, running inside Kings Canyon, can be a fearsome beast in spring, but in late summer its waters usually run calmly enough for kids to splash around and cool off in, which is especially fun when you find all-natural swimming holes. > See MoreMirror Lake, an easy hike in the Yosemite Valley, is at its best in spring, when higher water levels make it easier to capture the famous reflection of Half Dome with your camera lens. Along Tioga Road in the park's Sierra Nevada high country, Tenaya Lake is a photogenic alpine lake with almost crystalline waters, which brave souls can swim in and boaters paddle around during July and August. Most of Yosemite's other lakes are more remotely located in the park's backcountry, though some are accessible via short hikes from roadside parking lots. In Kings Canyon, pretty Hume Lake is a family-friendly recreational area located on national forest land. > See More > See More > See More > See More > See More > See More
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