In the middle of the 19th century, a fever dream of riches beyond measure drew countless explorers west to the mountains of central California. Although the gold rush ended up being abustfor many who sought a fortune, some of those explorers discovered a natural treasure that would draw permanent settlers to Yosemite Valley in the following decade.
Vast wilderness, beautiful mountains, countless waterfalls, and abundant wildlife drew Native Americans to Yosemite roughly 10, 000 years ago. The first non-native tourists arrived in the mid-1850s after reports from gold seekers told of an area of breathtaking beauty that no words were able to describe.
Fortunately, some of Yosemite's earliest settlers recognized that Yosemite's natural beauty and resources needed to be preserved for future generations. In the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed a grant to protect Yosemite permanently, thus making it the nation's first land to be dedicated to recreation and setting the stage for what would become the national park system.
One of Yosemite's earliest ambassadors was Scottish-American naturalist and writer John Muir. After living in Yosemite for a few years, he helped define its proposed boundaries. He also wrote articles that helped lead to its official title as a National Park in 1890. He later co-founded the Sierra Club in 1892 to advocate for its continued preservation and protection.
Located on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in central California, Yosemite National Park runs across nearly 748, 000 acres, almost 95％of which is wilderness. Around four million visitors come to Yosemite each year to camp, hike its miles of trails, climb its rock formations, and photograph its impressive sights. Are you ready to visit Yosemite National Park? Which of Yosemite's sights would you most like to experience?
