Yosemite National Park (California, USA)

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Yosemite National Park Information

Overview

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Covering a rough oval of 1,190 sq mls, Yosemite (the Park) is a huge wilderness region of great natural beauty, notable for its towering waterfalls, rushing rivers, majestic granite escarpments and weird rock formations, mountains and wildlife.

Yosemite National Park embraces a spectacular tract of mountain-and-valley scenery in the Sierra Nevada, which was set aside as a national park in 1890. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows, and forests that include groves of giant sequoias, the world's largest living things. Highlights of the park include Yosemite Valley, and its high cliffs and waterfalls; Wawona's history center and historic hotel; the Mariposa Grove, which contains hundreds of ancient giant sequoias; Glacier Point's (summer-fall) spectacular view of Yosemite Valley and the high country; Tuolumne Meadows (summer-fall), a large subalpine meadow surrounded by mountain peaks; and Hetch Hetchy, a reservoir in a valley considered a twin of Yosemite Valley

Yosemite will be of interest to anyone who appreciates dramatic scenery and a taste of nature. You'll bump into people of all ages and interests, from casual tourists to serious photographers to adventurous types wanting to sample the "great outdoors" and make their own evening entertainment. Be prepared for crowds and traffic congestion in peak season as this area attracts tourism from all over the world.

Accommodation in the area will suit all pockets of the population. Dozens of small wooden mobile homes, log cabins, chalets, lodges, motels and a few full-service hotels in and around the Park perimeter and in surrounding towns as much as 46 mls away. The closer to peak season your visit will be, the farther in advance you should book your room. Peak season can also be quite expensive in some areas.

NB: Bears have proved to be a problem as they've developed a liking for visitors' food; proper storage of food is mandatory.

Unfortunately, it becomes dreadfully overcrowded during the peak spring and summer season. The narrow winding roads become choked with all manner of vehicles and pedestrians, so much so that the authorities have dramatically increased the entrance price and strongly encourage all visitors to use the Yosemite area and Park's bus systems.

Locality:

Yosemite is situated in the far west of the United States, in the east-central part of California State, 30 mls west of the Nevada State border. 190 mls E of San Francisco and its international airport. Merced airport is 75 mls south west. Positioned in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, rising from 2,000 ft to 13,000 ft in elevation, Yosemite is surrounded by designated national forests.

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Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
Local Times:
U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
2 parallel flat prongs

2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why most Americans have never bothered getting a passport.