Yosemite National Park

The Hetch Hetchy to Lake Vernon Trail in Yosemite starts from the parking lot close to the O'Shaughnessy Dam at the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, and goes to Lake Vernon through the Yosemite Wilderness. Staying overnight requires a wilderness permit which can be obtained at the Hetch Hetchy ranger station or reserved online.

Gaylor Peak is an 11,004-foot (3,354-meter) mountain summit located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in northern California, United States. The peak is positioned on the boundary between Yosemite National Park and the Inyo National Forest, and it also lies on the border between Mono County and Tuolumne County. The peak rises prominently above Tioga Pass and Tioga Lake, with a notable topographic relief, as the summit stands approximately 1,400 feet (430 meters) above the lake within a distance of one-half mile (0.80 km).

Taft Point is a viewpoint in Yosemite National Park west of Glacier Point. It offers wide views of Yosemite Valley, Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. The main attraction of Taft Point is the giant fissures in the mile-high granite rock. The fissures are breaks and cracks in the mountain that drop directly down to the valley floor at some points.

Hetch Hetchy Dome is a granite dome, in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park.

Matterhorn Peak is located in the Sierra Nevada, in California, at the northern boundary of Yosemite National Park. At 12,285 feet (3,744 m) elevation, it is the tallest peak in the craggy Alps-like Sawtooth Ridge and the northernmost 12,000-foot (3,700 m) peak in the Sierra Nevada. The peak also supports the Sierra's northernmost glacier system. It was named after the Matterhorn in the Alps. Matterhorn Peak is near Twin Peaks, and just north of Whorl Mountain.

Twin Peaks is a mountain in the northern part of Yosemite National Park, north of Tuolumne Meadows. It is the 15th highest mountain in Yosemite National Park.

Glen Aulin is a segment of the Tuolumne River valley, upriver from the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. Glen Aulin is home to the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp. The name, meaning beautiful valley or glen ("Gleann Alainn" in Gaelic), was suggested by James McCormick of the United States Geographic Board to R.B. Marshall of the USGS.

The Great Sierra Mine Historic Site preserves the site of the largest mining operation in what would become Yosemite National Park. The mine was located on Tioga Hill on the crest and eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, one of several claims intended to work the Sheepherder silver lode. The Sheepherder lode was discovered in 1860, and rediscovered by shepherd Thomas Brusky Jr., who staked a number of claims in the area. In 1881 all of the claims were bought out by the Great Sierra Consolidated Silver Mining Company and established the company town of Dana. Due to the 11,000 foot altitude the town was soon relocated to the bottom of the hill at Bennettville.

The Dana Meadows can be found at the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, at the foot of Mount Dana, not far from Tuolumne Meadows and the Tioga Pass entrance station.

The Cathedral Lakes are two lakes located In Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, California. The lakes are situated 1.6 km (1 mi) southwest of Cathedral Peak and 3.2 km (2 mi) east-northeast of Tenaya Lake. The lower lake is located at elevation 9,288 feet (2,831 m), while the upper lake is located at elevation 9,585 feet (2,922 m). Tresidder Peak is also nearby, as well as the John Muir Trail with a 7 miles (11 km) round trip hike from the trailhead in Tuolumne Meadows.

Mount Gibbs is located in the Sierra Nevada of the U.S. state of California, 2.6 miles (4 km) south of Mount Dana. The mountain was named in honor of Oliver Gibbs, a professor at Harvard University and friend of Josiah Whitney. The summit marks the boundary between Yosemite National Park and the Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Mount Gibbs is the sixth-highest mountain, of Yosemite.

The Soda Springs Cabin is a historic structure in Yosemite National Park in the US, built over Soda Springs. It was built around the year 1889 by John Baptist Lembert, the first white settler on the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite. Lembert had filed a claim to 160 acres (65 ha) in Tuolumne Meadows in 1885 after spending three summers in the area with a flock of angora goats. He built a log cabin directly over the largest soda spring in the area. Although the property was within the park boundaries, Lembert received a patent to the property in 1895. Lembert's cabin was built along the Great Sierra Wagon Road over the Sierra Nevada. He also became a guide for tourists in the high country, gaining a reputation as a naturalist and entomologist. He spent the winter months near Cascade Creek in the Yosemite Valley.

The Tioga Pass Entrance Station is the primary entrance for travelers entering Yosemite National Park from the east on the Tioga Pass Road. Open only during the summer months, the entrance station consists of two historical buildings, a ranger station and a comfort station, built in 1931 and 1934 respectively. Both are rustic stone structures with peeled log roof structures, and are examples of the National Park Service rustic style employed at the time by the National Park Service. Two log gate structures that had been removed since the site's original construction were rebuilt in 1999; the stone piers that supported them remain. The use of stone at Tioga Pass set a precedent for the extensive employment of stone construction in other park buildings in the Yosemite high country. Civilian Conservation Corps workers assisted in the entrance station's construction.

The North Face of Fairview Dome also known as the Regular Route of Fairview Dome is a technical rock climbing route in Tuolumne Meadows of Yosemite National Park. It is featured in Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.

Lyell Meadow is a meadow, in the region of Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite National Park.

Doda Dome is the unofficial name of a granite dome west of the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park, to the northeast of Tenaya Lake. It is a high dome, just northwest of Daff Dome, and may be identified by its mammalian appearance. It is named after Carol Doda, a famous Bay Area stripper.

Dog Dome is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. Dog Dome is quite near Lembert Dome, which is just northeast. Dog Dome is also near to Dog Lake.

Drug Dome is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. Drug Dome is just west of Fairview Dome. It is also near Mariolumne Dome, Lamb Dome and Medlicott Dome.

West Cottage Dome is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. West Cottage Dome is rarely visited, though it is the closest dome to Daff Dome.

East Cottage Dome, also, Erratic Dome, is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park.

Lamb Dome Dome is a granite dome, in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. It is one of the smaller domes.

Yosemite Cemetery, also known as Pioneer Cemetery, is a cemetery built in the 1870s and located on the west end of Yosemite Village, in Mariposa County, California. In 2014, the Yosemite Conservancy worked in restoring the cemetery and graves. Many of the graves are from the earliest European-descent pioneers, and a few of the graves were for Native Americans that had lived in the valley.

The Great Sierra Wagon Road was a route through the Sierra Nevada in California, built to bring supplies to the Great Sierra Mine on Tioga Hill in the high country of what was to become Yosemite National Park. The road was built in 1882 by the Great Sierra Silver Mining Company, extending over 56.25 miles (90.53 km), in 130 days. The mine promptly shut down, leaving the road without a purpose. In 1915 the road was purchased by Stephen T. Mather, the independently wealthy first director of the National Park Service, who donated it to the Park Service. The Park Service opened the road to the public, calling it the Tioga Road. Designated California State Route 120, the road traverses the park from its west to east entrances.

Merced Grove is a giant sequoia grove located about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) west of Crane Flat in the Merced River watershed of Yosemite National Park, California. The grove occupies a small valley at an elevation of 5,469 feet (1,667 m) and is accessible by a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) dirt trail.

Young Lakes are three lakes, north of Tuolumne Meadows, in Yosemite National Park, California.

Echo Peaks consists of nine peaks, in the Tuolumne Meadows region of Yosemite National Park, California. They are near Echo Ridge.

The Sierra Nevada ( see-ERR-ə nih-VA(H)D-ə) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily in Nevada. The Sierra Nevada is part of the American Cordillera, an almost continuous chain of mountain ranges that forms the western "backbone" of the Americas.

The Pika Fire was a wildfire near North Dome in Yosemite National Park. It began at about 3:00 pm PT on June 28, 2023. The fire burned 841 acres (340 ha). Yosemite Fire crews used a strategy to allow the fire to move naturally across the landscape while also minimizing the risk to people and infrastructure.

The Sentinel Hotel, originally known as the Yosemite Falls Hotel, was a hotel located in Yosemite Valley, California in the United States. Built in 1876, it was open until the early 1900s. Situated on the banks of the Merced River and across the Sentinel Bridge, the hotel had views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. The hotel, originally established during the stagecoach era, subsequently grew into a favored destination for tourists journeying to Yosemite via railway and stagecoach. Despite multiple renovations and changes in ownership, the Sentinel Hotel's relevance declined with the advent of modern hospitality services. The entire complex was eventually dismantled between 1938 and 1941.

The Yosemite Firefall was a summertime event in which burning embers were pushed from Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park to the valley 3,000 feet (900 m) below. This event has been replaced by viewing Horsetail Fall on El Capitan in February, when the setting sun illuminates the waterfall and casts a warm, fiery glow resembling a cascade of fire.

Camp 4 is a tent-only campground in Yosemite National Park in the United States. It became notable after World War II as "a birthplace of rock climbing’s modern age." It is located at an elevation of 4000 ft (1200 m) on the north side of the Yosemite Valley, close to base of granite cliffs near Yosemite Falls.

Housekeeping Camp, located in the Yosemite Valley, is one of the more inexpensive lodging options for visitors to Yosemite National Park. The camp is open from April through October and is one of the most popular places to stay in the valley. Reservations typically fill up on the first day they become available. The original design of the camp was intended to provide a camping-like experience for visitors who did not want to have to provide their own equipment.

The Glacier Point Hotel was a historic chalet-style hotel, located at 7,240 feet (2,207 m) above sea level, the highest elevation for a hotel in the West. Constructed in 1917 in the rustic style, it was an architectural marvel with stunning views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley. Notable for its massive fireplace, carved from a single boulder weighing over a million kilograms, the hotel was also the venue for the iconic Yosemite Firefall spectacle where burning embers were pushed off the point to create a visually stunning 'burning waterfall'. Despite its unique location and features, the hotel grappled with numerous challenges such as a short tourist season, a remote location, and water shortages. After severe damage due to heavy snowfall in the winter of 1968–69, the hotel was destroyed by an electrical fire in July 1969. Despite proposals for rebuilding, including the idea of an aerial tramway by MCA, the site eventually became subject to restrictions against commercial development. Today, remnants of the hotel's foundations remain at the site, along with a granite amphitheater and a visitor center.

The 1996 Yosemite Valley landslide occurred on July 10, 1996, near the Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, California. 162,000 tons of rocks and other debris fell to the ground at over 160 miles per hour. Of the 12 campers/hikers involved in the incident, one was killed. The landslide competes with the 1997 Merced River flood and the 2013 Rim wildfire for the designation of the worst natural disaster in Yosemite to date. The earthquake caused by the rock slide was followed almost immediately by a sonic boom. Soon afterward a granite dust mushroom cloud formed over Happy Isles. The immense pressure created at the base of the rock slide blew down giant pine trees. Afterwards the nearby campground tables and trees were covered with a thick coat of granite dust.

Happy Isles is a group of small isles in the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, California, USA. They are located at the easternmost end of the Yosemite Valley floor. This scenic spot is the starting point for the Mist Trail, and is also the northern trailhead for the John Muir Trail. Happy Isles is also the trailhead for popular hiking destinations along the Mist Trail (including Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls) and Half Dome.

The Royal Arches Route is a big wall climbing route in California's Yosemite Valley on the Royal Arches wall. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America. The route was first climbed Oct. 1936 by Ken Adam, Morgan Harris, K. Kenneth Davis. The route is moderate in difficulty and is frequently climbed. The first 4 pitches are along a west-facing dihedral. At Pitch 5, the route turns north and ascends the main face along crack systems. Pitch 10 can be free climbed at 5.10b however, most climbers use a fixed rope to pendulum to a long ledge. At the end of Pitch 15, begins the bolted rappel route. It is 18 rappels to the Valley floor. Some climbers prefer to continue to "The Jungle" at the end of Pitch 16. Beyond The Jungle is a 5.4 slab and 4th Class scrambling to the Valley Rim. The descent is usually accomplished by traversing northeast to Washington Column and descending the exposed North Dome Gully.

The Salathé Wall is one of the original big wall climbing routes up El Capitan, a 3,000-foot (900 m) high granite monolith in Yosemite National Park. The Salathé Wall was named by Yvon Chouinard in honor of John Salathé, a pioneer of rock climbing in Yosemite. The route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and is considered a classic around the world.

The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome was the first Grade VI big wall climbing route in the United States. It was first climbed in 1957 by a team consisting of Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas. Its current aid climbing rating is VI 5.9 A1 or 5.12 for the free climbing variation. It is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world.

The Yosemite Valley Bridges are eight bridges in the Yosemite Valley of Yosemite National Park, most of them spanning the Merced River. Five of them were built in 1928, with the remainder built between 1921 and 1933. The bridges feature a concrete structure faced with local stone, in an elliptical or three-centred arch configuration. They are notable for their uniform character and for their conformance to tenets of the National Park Service rustic style. Design work for the seven newer bridges was by George D. Whittle of the San Francisco District Office of the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads for the National Park Service. Concrete bridges were chosen at the urging of Thomas Chalmers Vint of the Park Service, in lieu of alternative designs for steel truss bridges, or suspension bridges suggested by the park superintendent.

Hammer Dome, is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. Hammer Dome is a bit north, of Cathedral Creek, which has its source, near Cathedral Peak. Hammer Dome is loosely northwest of Fairview Dome, is north of both Medlicott Dome and Pywiack Dome, all three of which are south of California State Route 120, which runs through Tuolumne Meadows to Tioga Pass. North and South Whizz Domes are close.

North Whizz Dome is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. North Whizz Dome is a bit south, of Cathedral Creek, which has its source, near Cathedral Peak. North Whizz Dome Dome is north of both Medlicott Dome and Pywiack Dome, both of which are south of California State Route 120, which runs through Tuolumne Meadows to Tioga Pass. It is near Hammer Dome, also, Daff Dome and Polly Dome are nearby.

South Whizz Dome is a granite dome in the Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite National Park. South Whizz Dome is a bit south, of Cathedral Creek, which has its source, near Cathedral Peak. South Whizz Dome Dome is north of both Medlicott Dome and Pywiack Dome, both of which are south of California State Route 120, which runs through Tuolumne Meadows to Tioga Pass. It is near Hammer Dome, also, Daff Dome and Polly Dome are nearby.

West Quarter Dome is a granodiorite dome, in the Tenaya Canyon area of Yosemite National Park. It is composed of Half Dome Granodiorite.

White Wolf is a campground and concession area outside of Yosemite Valley in the northern area of Yosemite National Park (37°52′14.44″N 119°38′49.52″W) along Tioga Road (Highway 120). The campground is directly off the road and thus does not require a rough drive to the campground such as other Yosemite campgrounds outside of the valley. White Wolf Campground contains 74 campsites and has the look and feel of Bridalveil Creek Campground. The campground is not near a creek and is quite rocky and sunny. The area also includes a cluster of wood-and-canvas cabins and a small restaurant and general store.

The Steck-Salathé Route is a big wall traditional climbing route up Sentinel Rock.

The Clark Range is a subrange of California's Sierra Nevada in Yosemite National Park. Initially, the range was known as the "Merced Group" in early writings of Yosemite from Josiah Whitney and John Muir.

Separate Reality is a 66-foot (20 m) traditional climbing route in Yosemite National Park in California. The route is known for its exposed and dramatic crux that consists of a 20-foot (6.1 m) long crack in its horizontal roof. When it was first free-climbed by Ron Kauk in 1978, it was one of the first climbs in the world to have a grade of 7a+ (5.12a) (it was temporarily downgraded one notch when a hold broke in the mid-1980s). In 1986, German climber Wolfgang Güllich free soloed the route, and the photographs by Austrian Heinz Zak became iconic in rock climbing history.

The January 1997 flood of the Merced River (flooded/flooded from the watershed/floodplain of the Merced River) occurred from December 31, 1996, to January 5, 1997, throughout the Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, California, US. The flood stands as arguably the park's worst natural disaster to date (some would give this designation to the rockfall of 1996 or the Rim Fire of 2013), and inarguably the worst flood in park history. The Merced River at Happy Isles peaked at 10,100 cubic feet per second during the flood. A book was written on the flood later in 1997 by Mark Goodin titled Yosemite: The 100-Year Flood. It is part of the 1997 California New Years Floods.

The Meadow Fire was a wildfire which burned areas near Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, California. Park officials believe it was started near Starr King Lake, during a lightning storm, on July 19, 2014. On Sunday, September 7, 2014 the fire forced authorities to order the evacuation by helicopter of dozens of hikers and tourists. On September 16, 2014 the fire burned 4,971 acres (2,012 ha) and was 80% contained. On September 18, the containment of the Meadow Fire increased to 85%, without having expanded further. During the next 4 days, firefighters were able to make significant progress on extinguishing the fire, especially with the 0.25 inches of rainfall during the weekend, and by September 22, the containment of the Meadow Fire had increased to 98%. From September 25 to 26, the containment of the wildfire still remained at 98%, despite some snow and rain falling in the region. On September 27, an additional inch of precipitation helped quench the wildfire, and on September 29, the Meadow Fire was 100% contained. No injuries or fatalities were reported.

Washington is a giant sequoia located within Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park, California. The tree was named after George Washington, the 1st president of the United States. It is the 18th largest giant sequoia in the world, and could be considered the 17th largest depending on how badly Ishi Giant atrophied during the Rough Fire in 2015. It is also the largest giant sequoia north of Boole.

The Red Fire was a wildfire that burned in Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County, during California's wildfire season in 2022. Lightning started the fire, which was then discovered on August 4. The fire burned 8,364 acres (3,385 ha) before it was declared completely contained on September 20. The Red Fire burned within the footprint of the 2001 Hoover Fire.

The Empire Fire was a wildfire that burned in Yosemite National Park in California in the United States. The fire was reported on August 1, 2017 and was caused by lightning. It burned 8,094 acres (33 km²), before it was fully contained on November 27. The fire affected recreational activities in the national park.

Fort Monroe is a historic site in Yosemite National Park. There are no longer remnants; it is a location only. The fort was not a military fort, but started as a stage station. As various buildings were added or demolished, the general location acquired and kept the name well into the automobile age. Prior to the building of the Wawona Tunnel in 1933, the Wawona Road passed next to it, at the point where the start of Pohono Trail was located. (The Pohono Trail includes part of what was the old Wawona Road.)

Chinquapin (also, Chincapin and Chinkapin) is a former settlement in Mariposa County, California. It was located 8.5 miles (14 km) north-northwest of Wawona. It is located within Yosemite National Park, adjacent to the community of Yosemite West. Chinquapin is the midway point between Yosemite Valley and Wawona, a community inside the park.

The McCauley and Meyer Barns in Yosemite National Park are the last barns in the park that retain their original characteristics as structures built by homesteaders. The McCauley barn and the two Meyer barns represent different construction techniques and styles of design.

Crane Creek is a census-designated place (CDP) in Mariposa County, California, United States, within Yosemite National Park. It encompasses the community known as Foresta, 11 miles (18 km) west of Yosemite Valley. Crane Creek was first listed as a CDP for the 2020 census, at which time it had a population of 29.