Yosemite National Park is a beautiful area of the central Sierra Nevada of California located about 150 miles east of San Francisco. The park has spectacular waterfalls, cliffs, streams and giant sequoias. It is 1200 square miles in area and has hundreds of miles of roads and hiking trails. Yosemite is visited by over 3.5 million visitors each year, with most only seeing the seven square miles of Yosemite Valley. Most of the park is considered a wilderness area.

There are many specatular sites to see in Yosemite. One is El Capitan, which is one of the most popular rock climbing destinations in the world. There are large granite domes such as Half Dome and Sentinal Rock which rise thousands of feet above the valley floor. Yosemite Valley is best seen from Glacier Point or Tunnel View in the late spring through autumn. You can see many spectacular rock formations such as Cathedral Rocks and Spires and "The Three Brothers".

Yosemite also has dozens of waterfalls which are best seen in the spring due to the melting snow and ice. Some slow down to a trickle by the end of summer. One of the largest waterfalls in the world is Yosemite Falls at 2425 feet high. It is actually made up of 3 separate falls. To hike to the top would be an all day adventure but you can walk near the bottom in just a few minutes. Other falls to see include Bridalveil Fall, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Ribbon Fall, Horsetail Fall and Staircase Falls.

What else can you do besides seeing amazing natural wonders? How about hiking, biking, birdwatching, camping, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, skiing, snowboarding, stargazing, or swimming. It all depends on what time of year you go of course.

Yosemite will be an amazing adventure for you and your family to see the wonderful natural vistas.