Yosemite National Park

A protected area in California’s Sierra Nevada, known for granite cliffs, waterfalls, giant sequoias, and alpine wilderness.

Yosemite Valley: A glacially carved valley in Yosemite National Park, framed by steep granite walls and waterfalls. Its cliffs and valley floor form the park’s most recognizable landscape.
Glacial landform: A landscape feature created or substantially shaped by the movement and melting of glaciers. Glaciers helped carve Yosemite Valley and polish its granite surfaces.
Ahwahneechee: A Native American people historically associated with Yosemite Valley and the surrounding region. Their long presence in the valley predates its designation as a park.
Rock climbing in Yosemite: The practice of climbing Yosemite’s granite walls, including routes on El Capitan and Half Dome. Climbing makes the park’s geology a setting for a major outdoor sport.
United States conservation movement: A diverse effort to protect, manage, and sustainably use natural resources in the United States. Yosemite’s protection helped strengthen public support for conservation.
El Capitan: A massive granite monolith on the north side of Yosemite Valley. Its sheer face is a defining feature of the valley and a world-famous climbing destination.
Sierra Nevada batholith: A vast mass of granitic rock formed from cooled magma beneath California’s Sierra Nevada. Its exposed granite provides the cliffs, domes, and peaks that define Yosemite.
Yosemite Grant: An 1864 federal act that granted Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove to California for preservation and public use. It established early public protection for areas later incorporated into the national park.
Yosemite Firefall: A brief orange glow on Horsetail Fall that can occur at sunset in February under suitable conditions. Crowds drawn by the seasonal spectacle have prompted visitor-management measures.
Wilderness Act: A 1964 U.S. law that created a system for designating and protecting federal wilderness areas. Yosemite’s designated wilderness is protected under this national framework.

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