Yosemite National Park: The Top Ten Must See Attractions!

Yosemite National Park is one of the most visited parks in the United States. This beautiful park attracts approximately four million visitors each year to witness the sheer beauty and natural wonders the park encompasses. With all the stunning beauty located in this one park, how does one decide on what to see with their limited time available? Is possible to take in the best that the park has to offer? Well, depending on the amount of time that you have at your disposal, it is probably not possible to visit all that the park has to offer, but we've put together what we feel are the MUST SEE attractions within the park! A hike that will challenge you to your core...An excursion back in time... A leisurely walk to an unforgettable sight that helped inspire the protection of this astonishing wilderness. As you read the paragraphs below you will discover our 'top ten must-see attractions' inside Yosemite National Park in no particular order.

1) Yosemite's Epicenter of Information

The Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and Museum are a great place to get started. With all kinds of information, you are certain to find what you are looking for. If you have a specific question feel free to ask one the rangers at the visitor center, (you can also find helpful Yosemite park rangers throughout the park if you have questions or need assistance). The visitors center has great interpretive displays, books, maps, postcards and of course a gift shop. In the museum, you will find the geological and human history of the park, including the important Native American influences.

2) Communing With The Giants

Not far from the Mariposa entrance (south entrance) into Yosemite Park you will find a land filled with living giants, some of which are thousands of years old! With over 500 sequoia trees towering above you, you will certainly get the feeling that you aren't as big as you thought you were when you pass through the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Some of these giants trees top out at around 290 feet tall. That is almost 50 times taller than the average person! These majestic giants even boast a 40 ft perimeter around the base.

Not only are these trees living giants, but they are also one of the oldest living specimens on earth! Some of these trees were on the earth back in the time when Jesus walked the earth, and they are still standing strong today! That alone is reason enough to make the Mariposa Grove a must-see! Of course, a few of these giants are a "must-see" in and of themselves. The Grizzly Giant is estimated to be one of the oldest standing sequoias in the world. It is thought that this ancient giant is somewhere between 1800 and 2300 years old. One branch on the Grizzly is close to 7 ft in diameter that is larger than the trunk of most other non-sequoia trees in the park! Next would be the California Tunnel Tree. This tree was cut out at the base by a man in 1895. They cut the hole big enough for horse and wagon or early cars to fit through. The Faithful Couple Tree is just as it sounds, two joined for life! These two trees are naturally fused at the base and separate as they reach into the sky. The Clothespin Tree has survived many forest fires. It has been, over the years, excavated by fires forming a blackened tunnel through the base. The last of the must-see giants is the Wawona Tunnel Tree. Even though this tree collapsed under record snowfall in 1969 it is one of the most recognized trees in the park known as "the tree you can drive through." It was first tunneled in 1881. It was, however, because of its weakened base that this magnificent giant meets its fate.

3) The Stairway From Heaven

One of the most spectacular views in Yosemite is from Glacier Point. One of the nice things about this viewpoint is that it is only about 300 yards from the parking lot and is mostly wheelchair accessible. Glacier Point looks out over the breathtaking Yosemite Valley, 3200 feet below. From Glacier Point, two different trails lead back into the Yosemite backcountry. Four Mile Trail is 4.8 miles long taking about 3 to 4 hours to complete. This trail is full of beautiful panoramas that lookout over Yosemite Valley as you hike back and forth along the switchbacks that lead down into the valley. This is a very popular trail within the park. The second trial stemming from Glacier Point is the Panorama Trail. This 8.5-mile trail is spectacular, to say the least, and it takes a person about 6 to 8 hours to complete, so getting an early start is certainly recommended. Meeting up with the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls makes Panorama Trail challenging yet worth it!

4) One of The Worlds Most Impressive Waterfalls

If it's waterfalls you want to see, Yosemite Park in the springtime is a sight for sore eyes! Yosemite Falls is one of the largest falls in the world, cascading for 2,425 feet down the granite cliff walls, to reach the Yosemite Valley floor. This impressive waterfall is ten times taller than Niagara Falls, it is the tallest waterfall in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. The hike to Lower Yosemite Falls is quite easy and is only about a mile (round trip). Half of this loop trail is wheelchair accessible. As you hike the trail, you will have lots of opportunities to view both Upper and Lower Yosemite Falls. If you are feeling up for a slight challenge and a closer view of Upper Yosemite Falls then you will want to make sure you have plenty of water and food to make the 7.2 mile round trip trek. Expect to gain 2700 feet in this 6 to 8-hour hike. As you climb you will come across vast panoramic views of Yosemite Valley and Half Dome.

5) The Crown of Yosemite Park

Probably the most recognizable feature in Yosemite is Half Dome. Standing proud like a king reigning over the Yosemite Valley, this giant granite monolith sits 8800 feet above sea level and about 5000 feet above the valley floor. Half Dome is one of the most popular yet strenuous traverses within the park. A permit is required to complete this hike, which should give you some indication of just how difficult this 14 mile round trip hike is. With an elevation gain of 4800 feet, the views that you will encounter on this venture are truly unforgettable. Starting at the Mist Trail, a series of 100's of rock steps present quite a challenge right from the beginning. As you continue climbing you come to Vernal Falls and then Nevada Falls. Make sure to always have proper footwear and watch your step, as the trail is rocky and can become very slippery from the mist of the falls. A bit further along the hike, you will come to Little Yosemite Valley where you will find a little relief from the constant gain in elevation. The air is thin and lights up here, which can make breathing a bit more difficult. After a short rest to catch your breath, you will continue along the trail until you reach Sub Dome at 8000 feet in elevation this is as far as you will be able to go without a permit. The final push of the hike, about 400 feet, is the most challenging. Climbing a smooth rock face holding onto cables is too much for some, but for others, it is the trill of their lives. Reaching the top of Half Dome, looking out into the vast wilderness lets you forget about any stress you might have experienced along the trail... in fact, most people will tell you that at that moment, virtually all of life's stresses just seem to fade away into oblivion. At that moment you will feel as if you have just overcome the world!

6) A Reflection of Paradise

Positioned between Half Dome and North Dome is Mirror Lake. This tiny little "lake" is the last little bit of giant glacial lake that used to cover Yosemite Valley at the end of the last ice age. With it slowly fading away the best time to visit is in the spring when it is at it's fullest. If you stand on the right side of this picturesque lake you can see a reflection of Half Dome mirrored in the water's surface. The water level does decrease as the season progresses and so does the reflection. The trail to Mirror Lake is an easy 2 mile round trip hike which only takes about one hour and it is fully wheelchair accessible. There is also a trail around the lake which can extend the hike to about a 5 mile walk around and back.

7) America's Only In-Park Ski Area

Looking to visit Yosemite when it's a little less busy? Winter in the park is an entirely different world. Beautifully blanketed in the snow the park offers a variety of activities not possible in the summer. Badger Pass Ski Area is a guaranteed good time! Open from mid-December to mid-March this 90-acre winter playground has 10 runs accessed by 5 lifts. The first lift was installed in 1933. With about an 800 ft elevation gain from the base (7200 ft) to summit (8000 ft.) this mountain offers runs from beginner to advanced. Badger Pass offers a verity of services including downhill, cross country, snowshoeing, and tubing. Badger Pass is an entirely different world from winter to spring and summer. Hiking and many other activities make this one of the popular year-round destinations within Yosemite Park.

8) Peer Through The Creative Eye Of A Genius

Sitting in the heart of Yosemite Valley is the Ansel Adams Gallery. Once called Best's Studio this gallery not only features photos of Yosemite but a way of showing the history and preservation of Yosemite like nothing else can! Ansel Adams was born in San Francisco in 1902. As a small boy, he was quite fond of mother nature. When Ansel was 14 he read In the Heart of the Sierras, by James Mason Hutchings. Little did he know, the inspiration of this novel would change Ansel's life and quite frankly the history of many natural wonders! In 1916 Ansel and his family visited Yosemite National Park for the first time, he was in love. He returned in the summer of 1919 and every summer after that for six years as the High Sierra Clubs photographer. In 1928 he married his wife, Virginia Best. Daughter of Harry and Cassie Best, who had opened Best Studios. Ansel and Virginia ended up inheriting the studio and passing it on to their children, who in 1971 change the name to it's current Ansel Adams Gallery. Geared towards the parks sheer beauty and conservation the gallery offers many photography classes year around.

9) A Panorama of Heaven-On-Earth

One of the first impressions visitors get of Yosemite as they pass into the park through the Wawona Tunnel is Tunnel View. This is the most popular viewpoint in the park with about 6000 visitors a day during peak season. Visitors get out to take in the east-facing view of Yosemite Valley. From here you can take in some of the most predominant features in the park such as El Capitan, Half Dome and Bridalveil Falls. This pullout parking area was put on the National Historic Registry in 1986 which tells you just how spectacular this spot is. With so many visitors stopping here throughout the years, Tunnel View needed to be updated. So in 2008, it received a major overhaul. Adding educational exhibits and making it handicap accessible is just a couple of the updated features it received.

10) A Journey Back In Time

To cap off our list of top-tens we suggest an excursion back in time. Located in Yosemite Valley you will find the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Which used to haul logs through the valley. This railway has been reconstructed to provide the present-day guest with this experience of yesteryear. This 4 mile stretch of railway offers daily rides and moonlit rides as well. While you roll through the park the conductor provides you with all the history and info of the railroad. Shey #15, built-in 1913, is the oldest caboose in the park. It came to the park in 1961 after working in two different lumber companies finding it's home in Yosemite National Park. The largest caboose in the park and the largest caboose the Shay company built #10 came to find it's home in Yosemite in 1967. This quick jaunt back in time gives you a sense of what it would have been like in the early days at Yosemite National Park.

With these ten different options, you should be able to easily find one or two that will fit into your vacation plans while you are in the park. Of course, there are so many different things to do in Yosemite and one could spend a lifetime trying to see and do them all. Some have done just that...making the pursuit of Yosemite's beauty and attractions a life-long endeavor. Most of us will have to pick and choose our activities however, based on the time we have during our visit. Hopefully, this top-ten list will provide some valuable insight to help you with that decision.