Yosemite National Park, North America

A geological wonderland, Yosemite is one of the most awe-inspiring destinations in all of North America.

From the tumbling waterfalls to the peaks, glaciers, rivers and lakes, Yosemite spills over with stunning, natural beauty. Famous for its unique geological features, the exposed rock that you’ll see in Yosemite is made up of large quantities of granite – some of which was formed over 200 million years ago. Granite is formed from the slow cooling of magma under the Earth’s surface. Over time, the layers on top are eroded away to expose the granite beneath. Some of the iconic geology you can see in Yosemite include Half Dome, Glacier Point, El Capitan and Royal Arches which were all formed by glaciers carving their way through the area 3 million years ago to 10,000 BCE polishing the faces of many of these cliffs and rock faces you can see today.

But it’s not all about the foundations… Yosemite Falls are also a sight to behold whilst visiting the Park, the tallest waterfall in all of North America, you’ll see the water plummet a massive 2,425 feet from the top of the upper fall to the base of the lower fall as it pours down the granite into the waters of Merced Valley below.

Yosemite National Park is situated in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the state of California making summertime a popular time to visit. However as the weather is pretty reliable in California the park can be enjoyed most of the year round. Come autumn you’ll see the trees turn to shades of fiery reds and orange as the leaves begin to shed. Winter offers solitude and picturesque scenery, including snow covered meadows and mountains, whereas spring is a time for the waterfalls to gush and the rivers to flow. In spring you can also witness an abundance of wildflowers in the meadows.

With all this unadulterated natural terrain on offer it will come as no surprise that you can do a bit of wildlife spotting whilst visiting Yosemite. The park plays host to Mule Deer, Squirrels, Yellow Belly Marmots, multiple species of birds and you may even catch a glimpse of the Californian Blacks bears if you’re extremely lucky.

Did you know…Yosemite Facts

• Half Dome (8,839 ft)- The most recognisable feature in Yosemite that rises 4,737 feet above the valley floor, is featured on the state quarter and the North Face logo, and is actually thought to be 80% intact but appears cleft in half as a result of glacial polishing. Its Native American name is Tis-sa-sack.
• El Capitan (7,569 ft)- with a face over 3,000 feet high, it is the largest piece of unbroken granite in the world and was the birthplace of modern climbing. It was named by the Mariposa Battalion as a loose Spanish translation of the Native American name for the cliff which meant ‘The Chief’. Named To-to-kon-lah by the Native Americans.
• Yosemite means Grizzly Bear – of which there are none left in the area or in fact the whole State of California.

Visiting Yosemite

Taking out day trippers as well as offering extending touring of up to five nights in Yosemite National Park, Lasting Adventures operate tours in Yosemite all year round. To find out more about how to explore Yosemite with their expert guides visit their site lastingadventures.com