Explore Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is famous for many things, but most of all for its ancient Giant Sequoias. In 1864, before the park even existed, President Lincoln signed a law protecting Mariposa Grove for 'public use, resort, and recreation'.

While travelling along State Route 41, make sure to stop at Tunnel View. Looking east from Artist Point Trail, you can see El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall rising from Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome in the far distance.

Many hold that Glacier Point is the most spectacular viewpoint in the park. Come here for breathtaking views of Yosemite Valley, including Half Dome, and three of the park's many waterfalls.

The sunbaked granite of El Capitan is a forbidding sight from a distance, and even more so up close. This vertical cliff face, rising up to 3000ft above Yosemite Valley, is one of the most popular rock climbing sites in the US.

This iconic peak is one of the most recognisable sights in Yosemite. With a curved back and a vertical face, it gives the impression of a mountain sliced in half. Once described as 'perfectly inaccessible', today it can be reached by intrepid hikers.

High above Yosemite Valley, just east of El Capitan, is Eagle Peak. This viewpoint marks the highest of the Three Brothers rock formation, comprising the Middle and Lower Brothers

If you fancy a longer walk, the Ottoway Lakes Trail runs west for 29.6 miles from Glacier Point Road towards Lower Ottoway Lake. It's a tough day trip, but well worth it for its stunning views and abundant wildlife.

The native Ahwahneechee people called Yosemite Falls Cholock (The Fall) and believed that the plunge pool at its base was inhabited by the spirits of several witches, called the Poloti.

Many of the lakes in Yosemite are difficult to reach, but the shallow bays of Tenaya Lake make it a popular spot for picnicking, swimming, and canoeing.