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Yosemite - California

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Descriptive:
This vast tract of scenic wilderness high in the Sierra Nevada is a spectacular display of rare and solemn beauty. Sheer granite walls ascend like a cathedral from the lush meadow floor of Yosemite Valley. The Park contains seven waterfalls -- featuring two of the largest in the United States, which rush off the canyon rim to the valley below. Most notably is Ribbon Falls, which drops over 1,600 feet -- a height greater than the Empire State Building. Sequoia can be found thick in Mariposa Grove where the oldest, the Grizzly Giant, resides, and is thought to be 3,000 years old.

Geography/terrain:
Steep walls of granite and magnificent alpine forests mark the terrain of Yosemite, which ranges from 2,000 to more than 13,000 feet above sea level. The sculptured monoliths of El Capitan, Half Dome and Cathedral Rocks silently guard Yosemite's "Incomparable Valley," while Mount Lyell, the highest peak, towers to the east, and 200 feet giant sequoias grow in Mariposa Grove in the southernmost tip of the Park.

Vegetation:
Lodgepole pine
Mountain hemlock
Western white pine
Incense cedar
Black oak
Sequoia


Wildlife:
Mule Deer
Gray fox
Stellar's jay (bird)
Mountain quail
Mountain bluebird
Coyote
Mountain Lions
Bear

Key locations:
Tunnel View on Wawona Road offers a sterling view down the mouth of the Valley. Sitting here all day, watching the sun dance across the rock faces is breathtaking. From here, a hike to Inspiration, Dewey or Taft Points, all along the same trail, offers varying views into the valley.

Trails:
Bridalveil Fall
Four Mile Trail
Half Dome Trail
John Muir Trail
Lower Yosemite Fall
Mirror Lake
Pacific Crest Trail
Panorama Trail
Pohono Trail
Upper Yosemite Trail
Vernal-Nevada Falls Trail