Yosemite National Park’s Civilized Wilderness

Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range about three hours east of San Francisco, Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful natural environments in the world. Home to stunning glacier-carved valleys, sculptural granite cliffs, dramatic waterfalls and groves of ancient sequoias, this 1,200-square-mile paradise has been protected as a national park by the United States government since 1890. Yosemite attracts more than 3.5 million visitors annually—a vast majority of whom see only the seven-square-mile Yosemite Valley.

Yosemite Valley

Compact Yosemite Valley boasts the must-see icons of the park, and for this reason is heavily trafficked, especially in summertime. The one-way loop road around the Valley is often jammed with cars, especially during “rush hour,” at sunset when day-trippers leave. (Avoid adding to the stream of cars while in the Valley by using the Yosemite Hybrid Shuttle. It's free, makes frequent stops, and the routes are easy to understand.) Don’t miss these highlights in the Valley:

• Ladder up to the summit of Half Dome
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• Half Dome. Rising 4,800 feet, this granite rock formation is on the California state quarter and can be seen throughout the Valley. Half Dome is striking because a glacier rubbed off the lower portion of the otherwise round feature. Hard-core hikers trek to the top with the aid of cable lines, which are left in place year-round. Alternatively, rock climbers can choose from numerous routes up Half Dome's vertical northwest face.
  

• Yosemite Falls. At 2,425 feet, this waterfall—a combination of Upper Yosemite Fall and Lower Yosemite Fall—is the highest in North America. It is fed almost entirely by snow melt, so its character changes significantly with the seasons. In spring the falls roar through the Valley, creating pools and streams in their wake; in late summer or fall, they can dry up entirely.

• El Capitan. This imposing granite cliff overlooks the Valley, and is wildly popular with challenge-seeking rock climbers. Because of its smooth, flat face, expect stunning displays of reflected color at sunset and sunrise.

Mariposa Grove and Wawona

Mariposa Grove, in the southernmost portion of the park, is an enchanting and expansive forest of Giant Sequoia trees. Come to this less-visited spot to see black bears, which scramble over the trails at dawn and dusk. But don’t get too close: A few summers ago on the grove trails, my family ran into a tagged black bear—indicating that he’d shown over familiarity with humans in the past. When we stopped to take a photo (from what we judged was a safe distance!), the bear decided he would cross the ravine that separated us to get a closer look. We left the trails (quickly) after this encounter.