Yosemite National Park is another park whose images are extremely familiar to everyone.  From the writings of John Muir to the photographs of Ansel Adams, the park’s vistas are legendary.  Yosemite represents glacial landscape at its best.  From El Capitan’s monolithic face

El Capitan

 to Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America,

Yosemite Falls

to Half Dome, a huge monolith sliced by glaciers,

Half Dome

to Bridal Veil Falls, another spectacular waterfall,

Bridal Veil Falls

to an alpine meadow called Tuolumne, to Glacier Point, a breath-taking overlook, Yosemite’s beauty is stunning.  The price paid for all this, however, is slow-moving traffic and hordes of visitors, factors which severely diminish the average person’s enjoyment.  But, if the traveler can put up with some of the inconvenience, Yosemite is a true treasure. Incidentally, there are shuttles available in the valley floor area in the summertime, which is a good way to avoid the aggravation of the traffic, and also to reduce the pollution caused by so many cars.  There are even stands of Redwoods, two of which date back to a time when tunnels were dug through the trunks so that cars could pass through, although one of these trees is now dead.

            Another way to minimize the congestion and crowding is to walk several of the numerous trails within the park. 

      Gary’s Gem: 

                        1.  The view of Yosemite Valley from the Valley View overlook is particularly beautiful because it encompasses many of the “famous” landmarks of the park, including El Capitan, Half-dome, and Bridal Veil Falls.

Valley View

                        2.  Other exquisite viewing areas include Glacier Point and Washburn Point, which are both high above the valley floor and look down at Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls, truly showcasing the glacial nature of the landscape.

Washburn Point Vista