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Yosemite National Park
It is not just a great
valley but a shrine to human prescience, vigor of the
granite, strength of the glaciers, the diligence of life
and the serenity of the High Sierra. The Yosemite
National Park, United States, is one of the ever first
wilderness parks of the nation and most popular for its
stupefying waterfalls. And within the 1200 square miles
of the park, one can discover some grueling deep
valleys, antique giant sequoias, vast meadows, a cosmic
wilderness area and lots more!
The Park Past
The geology of this
spectacular region is typified by granitic pieces of
rocks as well as remnants of older rocks. It is known
that about 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was
uplifted and tilted in order to form its moderately
gentle western slopes complemented by the even more
dramatic eastern slopes. And the uplift then amplified
the steepness of the stream and the river beds and thus
resulted in the formation of steep and deep,
unfathomable canyons. Then, about a million years ago,
ice and snow accumulated and that formed glaciers at the
higher alpine meadows which moved down the river valley.
It is said that during the glacial period, the thickness
of the ice was known to be over 4000 feet. Eventually,
the downward slope movement of the glaciers cut out and
sculpted themselves into a U shaped valley and this fine
valley lures millions of tourists every year!
Climate
This stunning park of the
United States witnesses rainfall mostly in the months of
January, February and March. The summers are welcomed
with warm and dry weather conditions. The most exciting
are the months of spring and the fall which are highly
transitional; one can be taken aback when warm sunny
days abruptly turn into stormy evenings with
thunderstorm activities.
The Park under the lens!
Yosemite National Park
conserves a Sierra Nevada landscape characterized by its
sun-baked scrubby chaparrals, groves of pines, sequoia,
firs and massive alpine woodlands and meadows. The
alluring park is a home to over 250
species of vertebrates enclosing fishes, amphibians &
reptiles, mammals and countless birds. The western
boundary of the park is conglomerated with coniferous
forests personified with sugar pines, incense-cedars,
white firs, ponderosa pines, the Giant sequoias and the
giant Black Oak. And thus it is the habitat of many
animals such as the American Black Bear, gray fox, mule
deer, white-headed woodpecker, spotted owl and many
more! As the elevation augments, the forest of the
conifers turn into purer strips of red firs, western
white pines, Jeffery pines, the Lodgepole pines and even the Foxtail
pines. Owing to the elevation, little wildlife exists.
Activities in the Park
The spectacular national
park of Yosemite is flocked by many people enjoying
their short walks and long hikes to the waterfalls of
the Yosemite Valley. People also admire promenades among
the Giant sequoias in the Tuolumne, Mariposa or Merced
groves. Some others prefer to drive to the glacier point
to witness the breathtaking sight of the valley and the
country; while the others love to drive down to the
Tuolumne meadows and practice hiking. If you ever visit
California and happen to miss this beautiful valley
park, accept it that you would be missing out the most
incredible sights of your life.
Related websites and additional information:
Yosemite
National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
http://www.nps.gov/yose/
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