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Figure 1: Yosemite National Park Poster credit: madebysc.com

Yosemite National Park

Figure 2: Yosemite National Park Overview credit: wallpaperfx.com

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Yosemite National Park – Table of Contents

Geologic Map of Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park Map

Introduction

Part One: Tuolumne Meadows to Benson Circuit

Tuolumne Meadows

Waterwheel Falls

Fairview Dome

Lambert Dome

Benson Circuit

Part Two: Wapama Falls to Merced Grove

Wapama Falls

Tuolumne Grove

Merced Grove

Part Three: Tunnel View to Half Dome

Tunnel View

Bridalveil Falls

Yosemite Falls

Glacier Point

El Capitan

Half Dome

Part Four: Mammoth Rock to Merced Lake

Mammoth Rock

Cathedral Range

Mr. Florence

Merced Lake

Part Five: Ostrander Lake to Mariposa Grove

Ostrander Lake

Buena Vista Park

Wawona Dome

Mariposa Grove

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Geologic Map of Yosemite National Park

Figure 3: Geologic Map of Yosemite credit: yosemite.ca.us

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Yosemite National Park Map

Figure 4: Yosemite National Park credit: yosemite.ca.us

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Introduction to Yosemite National Park

Figure 5: Yosemite National Park Scenic View credit: symg.com

Yosemite National Park has become one of the most well-known national parks around

the world, attracting about four million tourists each year, including people from other countries,

such as Germany, Korea, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.1 Due to its diverse ecosystem, from

waterfalls to mountain peaks, Yosemite tends to attract a lot of artists and photographers. This

paper will guide newcomers through the popular landmarks of Yosemite National Park.

1 nps.gov/yose/learn/management/statistics.htm

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Figure 6: Overview of Lyell Glacier and Maclure Glacier

credit: hydrosciences.colorado.edu

Figure 7: Yosemite Falls during the summer

credit: nps.gov

This park was first

established in October 1, 1890,

when John Muir presented to

the U.S. Congress that

Yosemite Valley must be

preserved because people were

destroying natural resources

and affecting the wildlife in the

surrounding area.2 It is known

to be a glacial national park

because its massive valleys and

land formations were formed from a huge glacier that is no longer here today. In the past,

Yosemite contained a lot of glaciers, but over the years, they’ve melted away to form the many

lakes and waterfalls that we see today. These glaciers were originally formed during the Ice Age

and later, there was an event called the Little Ice Age that has helped preserve some of the

glaciers. Of these glaciers, two have survived to this day: the Maclure Glacier and the Lyell

Glacier. The Maclure Glacier moves about an inch and day, while the Lyell Glacier is unable to

move due to its light-weight. Because the Lyell Glacier has been thinning over the years, due to

global warming, it is estimated that it will disappear by the year 2020. 3

Yosemite is comprised of mostly granite that was formed over the course of 100 million

years. The Sierra Nevada Mountains that borders the east side of Yosemite was created due to a

part of the Earth’s crust getting pushed at an upward fashion. As this happened, magma would

pour out of the volcanos, and over the years, the magma consistently piled up over one another,

gathering up deposits of smaller granites and forming new types of granite on the surface. Due to

this, there is a massive variety of granite that can be found in Yosemite. 4

The weather in Yosemite National Park is

relatively pleasant depending on the months. Most of

the rain that Yosemite gets occur between the months

2 nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/muir.htm

3 nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/glaciers.htm

4 nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/geology.htm

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of October and May. Between the months of November and May, certain parts of Yosemite will

be covered in snow. During a winter storm, it will either rain or snow in Yosemite.5 So, if you’re

looking for a winter wonderland, come visit Yosemite during the winter seasons. If not, the best

time to visit is during the summer when it is warm and dry in mid-June. 6 During this time, the

snow have melted away, opening up several areas of Yosemite to the public, which allows for

some great backpacking opportunities.

Part 1: Tuolumne Meadows to Benson Circuit

Tuolumne Meadows

Coordinates: 37.877367, -119.377654

Figure 8: Tuolumne Meadows photo credit: allyosemite.com

Tuolumne Meadows is definitely a must-see destination in Yosemite Park. This meadow

was formed from the Tuolumne Glacier. Originally formed on Mt. Lyell, the 2,000 foot thick

5 nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/weather.htm

6 nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/seasons.htm

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Figure 9: Three Creeks Supply Tuolumne Meadows credit: nps.gov

glacier travelled down the

Canyon of Tuolumne, forming

the landscape along the way.

As this glacier melted, it

became the lakes that we

currently see today.7 The

glaciers contribute to the flat

plains of the meadows,

however, other features played

a role in forming Tuolumne

Meadows. Gas formed from the

magma underneath Tuolumne Meadows exploded up through the granitic bedrock, causing

cracks on the surface called tabular fractured clusters. These clusters stand perpendicular to the

glacier as it moves down the valley. This is important to the formation of Tuolumne Meadows

because it helped erode the glacier at a quicker rate and helped wash away unstable rock. 8

Being one of the largest, high-elevation meadows at 8,600 ft., its ecosystem is home to

many animal and plant communities due to its variety of different landforms. The water that

flows into the meadows come from several sources, such as the three creeks – Budd, Delaney,

and Unicorn – two forks of river – the Dana and the Lyell – and lastly, from snowmelt. Because

the water doesn’t need to be cleaned, the water is used as drinking water for the city of San

Francisco. 9

7 shannontech.com

8 livescience.com

9 nps.gov

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Figure 10: Tuolumne Meadows in winter credit: nps.gov

It takes about 1 to 1 ½ hours

to reach Tuolumne Meadows via

Tioga Road. The best time to visit is

between the month of June and

October when the roads are free of

snow. Aside from the breath-taking

sights, tourists can also go hiking

on one of the many trails that are in

Tuolumne Meadows, as well as, go

rock climbing.10

10

allyosemite.com

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Waterwheel Falls

Coordinates: 37.927420, -119.459920

Figure 11: Waterwheel Falls photo credit: flickr.com

Waterwheel Falls is a very unique waterfall, where tourists care more about how high the

water is thrown up. These “waterwheels” are made due to the water dashing down and striking at

a series of small ledges, causing the water to jump back from the rocks in great arches that can

soar up to 15 to 20 feet. The water in these falls comes from the Tuolumne River. Many tourists

often mistaken the LeConte Falls as the Waterwheel Falls because it is further upstream and also

produces some waterwheels but at considerably smaller sizes.11

Therefore, the best way to tell

the two apart is by the size of the waterwheels.

Waterwheel Falls is accessible through the Glen Aulin trail. It would take about 6 to 8

hours to hike the 18-mile roundtrip. The best time to visit is in late May or early June, when this

trail is open to the public.12

11

amusingplanet.com 12

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Fairview Dome

Coordinates: 37.871956, -119.403727

Figure 12: Three Climbing Routes of Fairview Dome credit: ucolick.org

Fairview Dome is a granite rock formation located about 4 miles west of Tuolumne

Meadows and is a very popular rock climbing location.13

There are three major climbing routes:

the Regular Round, Lucky Streaks, and the Great Pumpkin. Most rock climbers take the Regular

Route because many climbers before them often recommend this climbing route. There is a $20

entrance fee because Yosemite National Park administers the land, however the price is nothing

compared to the amazing view that you will see when you reach the top of this dome. This 9,705

ft. dome is so tall that it is visible to people driving by on Highway 120.14

13

geonames.usgs.gov 14

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Lembert Dome

Coordinates: 37.881317, -119.348832

Figure 13: Lembert Dome credit: everytrail.com

Lembert Dome rises to a height of 9,450 feet and is a granite dome classified as a Roche

Mountonnees.15

Roche Mountonnees are created through glaciation. As the glacier pushes over

the rock, abrasion creates a smooth slope, while irregularities are created on the opposite side. In

addition, the glacier plucks away at the rock. This plucking process occurs when ice sticks to the

rocks and then pulls away fragments of the rock as the glacier moves. 16

This monolith received

its name in the mid-1800s, when John Lembert settled in the surrounding area, in Soda Springs,

to become an Angorra sheep farmer. 17

15

epod.usra.edu 16

geography-site.co.uk 17

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Benson Circuit

Figure 14: Benson Circuit map credit: richardgingras.com

When you want to avoid the huge crowds in Yosemite National Park, you may want to

consider taking the Benson Circuit. This informally-named trail is about 57.5 miles long, but it

contains some of the most amazing sights that Yosemite has to offer.18

Starting off at the

MonoVillage Resort, the trail leads down to Peelers Lake and cuts through other places such as,

Benson Lake, Rodgers Lake, Matterhorn Canyon Creek, and Snow Lake. From Snow Lake, it

18

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loops back to Peelers Lake. Because this trail is a non-stop hiking trail of new sights, many

people attempt the Benson Circuit.

Benson Circuit travels through the north-western most region of Yosemite Valley. Like

Tuolumne Meadows, the gas from underneath the valley caused tabular fractured clusters to form

here as well. However instead of the cracks facing perpendicular to the glacier, these cracks lay

parallel to the moving glacier. The resulting landforms are then formed from the glacier chipping

away at loose rock, leaving only solid rock formations behind.19

Due to the large amount of distance that this trail covers, many people plan for several

overnight stays. Each day is dedicated to reaching the next checkpoint, such as from Peelers

Lake to Benson Lake, from Benson Lake to Rodgers Lake, and so on. Usually, this takes about 5

days to complete. Because of the many lakes that you will encounter, it is best to bring a

swimsuit, for those moments when you can’t resist taking a dip in the cool, refreshing water.

Figure 15: Overview of the Benson Circuit credit: pantilat.wordpress.com

19

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Part Two: Wapama Falls to Merced Grove

Wapama Falls

Coordinates: 37.969387, -119.765570

Figure 16: Wapama Falls credit: travelyosemite.com

Wapama Falls is located near the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The reservoir is formed from

the creation of the O’Shaughnessy Dam in 1911. 20

At a height of 1,500 feet, this waterfall has

three principle drops. The water flows from Falls Creek through Wapama Falls and then into the

reservoir.21

Because it flows all year-round, there is never a bad time to visit this area. However,

due to the recent drought, there are times during the year where there is no water to view.22

20

world-of-waterfalls.com 21

yosemite.ca.us 22

travelyosemite.com

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Tuolumne Grove

Coordinates: 37.7691083,-119.8186535

Figure 17: Tuolumne Grove credit: redwoodhikes.com

Tuolumne Grove is just one of the groves that holds the very massive sequoia trees. It is

one of the least visited groves because it requires 2-3 miles of hiking to reach the heart of the

grove and there are no paved roads leading into the grove. 23

In 1881, a tunnel was dug through one of these giant sequoia trees that was large enough

for cars to pass through the tunnel. However, due to heavy snowfall in 1969, it caved in. The

towering trees receive their water from rainfall rather than snowmelt. Giant sequoias can reach a

height of 250 feet, with a width of 30 feet. The oldest recorded sequoia is 3,500 years old.24

23

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Merced Grove

Coordinates: 37.7493867,-119.8458766

Figure 18: Merced Grove credit: redwoodhikes.com

Another grove that features these large sequoia trees is the Merced Grove. The Merced

region was a result of a sub-aerial erosion and its diverse ecosystem suggests that there was a

time when the Merced Sea reached all the way to present-day Petaluma Valley. Franciscan rocks

lie underneath the Merced region. Over time, these rocks began to shift and began to form

irregular basement cuts into the rocks.25

While it is similar to the other sequoia groves in Yosemite Valley, it is the least crowded

and tourists can find Western Azalea flowers in this grove. The Western Azalea flowers are

considered to the one of Yosemite’s beautiful must-see flowers. In order to reach this grove, it

takes 2 - 4 hours and like the Tuolumne Grove, tourists need to go off-the-trail to reach the heart

of Merced Grove.26

25

books.google.com/books?id=DDs9AQAAIAAJ 26

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Part Three: Tunnel View to Half Dome

Tunnel View

Coordinates: 37.7156952,-119.6794723

Figure 19: Tunnel View credit: jharrisonphoto.com

When exiting the Wawona Road, one of the most scenic views that Yosemite has to offer

is the Tunnel View. This man-made tunnel was first constructed in 1933 to prevent car accidents

or pedestrian accidents. In addition, before the creation of this tunnel view, most of the rain

water overflowed from the parking lot and flowed down onto Wawona Road which made the

trail a dangerous walking-hazard.

There is an active Scenic Vista Management group that identifies what vegetation needs

to be removed during what times of the year in order to preserve this magnificent view. Trees

and brushes were either removed by fire, trimming, or by mechanical means. This magnificent

view overlooks many of Yosemite’s other attractions, such as Yosemite Valley, El Capitan,

Bridalveil Falls, and Half Dome in a panoramic view.27

27

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Bridalveil Falls

Coordinates: 37.718482, -119.646556

Figure 20: Bridalveil Falls credit: yosemitebestwestern.com

There is conveniently a trail that leads tourists to the Bridalveil Falls. This magnificent

falls is best viewed during the spring or early summer, when the waterfall is at its peak. However

due to the intensity of the water, it may be too dangerous to reach the end of the trail. For the

remainder of the year, it becomes a gentle waterfall. 28

The water from Bridalveil Falls first travels through the Bridalveil Canyon, before

flowing over the 626 feet-high cliff. Bridalveil Falls flows from a hanging smaller valley onto

another valley below.29

Due to the drought, this waterfall dries up and becomes nonexistent

during mid-August.30

28

nps.gov 29

nature.nps.gov 30

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Yosemite Falls

Coordinates: 37.756816, -119.596907

Figure 21: Yosemite Falls credit: yosemitehikes.com

Due to the massive size of the Yosemite Falls, tourists can view this waterfall from many

locations around the Yosemite Valley. At 1,430 feet, Yosemite Falls is one of the world’s largest

waterfall. Though it looks like one complete waterfall, Yosemite Falls is actually made up of

three separate falls: Upper Yosemite, Middle Yosemite, and Lower Yosemite Falls. This is

possible because of the multiple hanging valleys that feed into Yosemite Falls. Therefore, each

section of the Yosemite Falls are created from hanging valleys. Hanging valleys are created from

the glaciers that form at the top of the mountains and then flow downwards and combine into

larger glaciers at the bottom.31

31

nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/waterfalls

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Glacier Point

Coordinates: 37.731272, -119.573564

Figure 22:Glacier Point credit: nps.gov

Glacier Point is a great place to take a panoramic view of the Yosemite, as well as

viewing Half Dome from a distance. There are many ways to reach Glacier Point, for example

there are free shuttles that will ferry you from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. On the other hand,

driving up by car is an option as well, however, parking might be difficult to find and roads are

only open to cards from May to October.32

This area rises from the floor of Yosemite Valley at a height of 3,214 feet. From Glacier

Point, it becomes clear how the glaciers dug their way through the earth to form the landforms

that we see today. Many people also visit this site to view all of what Yosemite has to offer from

a distance, such as Yosemite Falls, the Sierra Mountains, and Mt. Clark.33

32

nps.gov 33

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El Capitan

Coordinates: 37.7339471,-119.6464281

Figure 23: El Capitan credit: 4yosemite.com

Nearly 3,600 feet high, El Capitan is a wall of granite that over the years has resisted

most weathering, thus making it a very tough granite formation. The vertical incline makes it a

very popular rock climbing area and the base of the mountain is home to California’s black wood

oaks. 34

El Capitan has been intruded by different types of rocks over the years. For example, the

Taft Granite broken through El Capitan and currently forms the upper region of the landform.

Another rock that intruded through El Capitan is a dark diorite. The names derives from the

Mariposa Battalion in 1851. 35

34

shannontech.com 35

http://climbing.about.com/

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Half Dome

Coordinates: 37.7459353,-119.541954

Figure 24: Half Dome credit: tripadvisor.com

Like the previously mentioned Fairview Dome, Half Dome is a granite dome that rises

5,000 feet above Yosemite Valley. Half Dome is first created through intrusion, in which magma

solidifies underground to form gigantic granite landforms. This magma burst is caused from the

Pacific tectonic plate and the North American plate, as the North American Plater overtakes the

Pacific plate. The weathering process, exfoliation, created the irregularities of Half Dome’s

upper region. In addition, as glaciers moved through Yosemite, they cut into Half Dome, creating

the flat surface of the granite rock formation, thus making the rock look like it was cut in half.36

A round trip hike to Half Dome is takes up to 14-16 miles. Due to the difficulty of this

hike, it isn’t recommended for tourists, but people can always appreciate the view from Glacier

Point. The unique look of the Dome attracts many photographers and rock climbers.

36

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Part Four: Mammoth Rock to Merced Lake

Mammoth Rock

Coordinates: 37.859266, -119.263910

Figure 25: Mammoth Rock in the distance credit: ejphotos.com

Mammoth Rock is at an elevation of 9,110 feet, which attracts many mountaineers to the

Yosemite. Mammoth Rock is formed by a combination of limestone and marble. The

surrounding area is covered in volcanic rock, and years of erosion and weathering has made

Mammoth Rock difficult to climb as well as making the rock very steep. Due to the unique rock

structure of Mammoth Rock, it sometimes appears as a purple or brown. There are two paths that

tourists can use to reach Mammoth Rock: Lake Mary Road or Old Mammoth Road. 37

37

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Figure 27: Cathedral Peak Granodiorite

credit: nps.gov

Cathedral Range

Coordinates: 37.742619, -119.271986

Figure 26: Cathedral Range credit: flickr.com

The mountains in Cathedral Range are comprised of metamorphic rocks. Metamorphic

rocks are sedimentary rocks or igneous rocks that have been subjected to high temperature or

pressure, which causes them to change their rock structure.

For example, the granodiorite from Cathedral peak

contains sediments of potassium feldspar as well as other

types of rocks. 38

The range rises to elevations up to

10,911 feet. Because there are multiple peaks, many

tourists love to go rock climbing here.39

38

nps.gov 39

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Mt. Florence

Coordinates: 36.408192, -118.551183

Figure 28: Mt. Florence credit: tedmuller.us

In the past, the first white child to be born in the valley was James Mason Hutchings’

daughter, Florence. However, an unfortunate accident occurred and Florence lost her life after a

fall. As a result, the mountain near her birthplace, Mt. Florence, was named after her. 40

Mt. Florence soars up to 12,561 feet. Parsons Peak, Simmons Peak, Vogelsang Peak and

Fletcher Peak are also included in this mountain. Up on the mountain, tourists can view Mount

Lyell and Mount Maclure, as well as the east side of Half Dome.41

40

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Mirror Lake

Coordinates: 37.747963, -119.549439

Figure 29: Merced Lake credit: summintpost.org

Merced Lake is located near the San Andreas Fault, specifically on the northeastern side.

Folding and sliding of the crusts is evident in the formation of the bedrock that lies underneath

Merced Lake. Rocks found in Merced Lake come from the Merced and Colma formations. These

formations are found above the Franciscan Complex. In addition to receiving various rock

deposits from the Franciscan Complex, Merced Lake lies on top of the San Burrno terrain, which

contains greywacke sandstone and K-feldspar.42

42

online.sfsu.edu

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Figure 31: Ostrander Lake with tourist

credit: everytrail.com

Part Five: Ostrander Lake to Mariposa Grove

Ostrander Lake

Coordinates: 37.624349, -119.550643

Figure 30: Ostrander Lake credit: travelpod.com

The water that flows into Ostrander Lake first starts off high in the mountains of Mount

Lyell and Clark Range. Then from the mountains, the water flows into Merced River. The main

river flows around Yosemite Valley, around Half

Dome, and finally one of its many tributaries

makes its way to Ostrander Lake.43

The best time

to visit this lake is from June to July so that the

wildflowers are in bloom. The hike overall is a 12

mile-long round trip, taking up to 5-8 hours.

The easiest route to take to reach the lake is the

Glacier Point Road.44

43

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yosemitehikes.com

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Buena Vista Lake

Coordinates: 37.600254, -119.517638

Figure 32: Buena Vista Lake credit: theoutbound.com

Buena Vista Lake, on the other hand, receives there water from high in the Sierra

mountains. First, water runoff from the Sierra Nevada flows into the Kern River into the alluvial

fan of the Kern River. From there, the water is spread out to the outer reaches of the alluvial fan

and then diverts the surface flow to Buena Vista Lake.45

The formation of Buena Vista Lake started with the formation of the San Joaquin Valley

through glaciation. As time passed, the San Joaquin Valley was filled with sediment, and

eventually the depocenters of Buttonwillow and Maricopa became freshwater lakes, like Buena

Vista Lake.46

45

sjvgeology.org 46

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Figure 34: Wawona Dome Climbing Routs

credit: wawona.yosemitebigwall.com

Wawona Dome

Coordinates: 37.554404, -119.617415

Figure 33: Wawona Dome credit: thebraunds.com

Wawona Dome is another granite dome, much like Half Dome and Fairview Dome.

Located an hour away from Yosemite Valley, many rock climbers are attracted to this dome due

to the irregularities in the face of the rock, caused by

weathering and erosion. Wawona Dome rises to a

height of about 6,000 feet.47

The name Wawona

was derived from Native American folklore about

the surrounding area. They believed that the great

horned owl was the deity that protected these

lands, and therefore derives the name Wawona

from the sounds and hoots that the owl makes.48

47

http://wawona.yosemitebigwall.com/ 48

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Mariposa Grove

Coordinates: 37.509921, -119.605608

Figure 35: Mariposa Grove credit: gogobot.com

Mariposa Grove is the most visited sequoia grove. These magnificent, 30-foot tall trees

are preserved today, thanks to the help of John C. Fremont, his wife, and Galen Clark, who

brought up the issue of preserving this forest to the Senator of California. At the peak of the civil

War, Congress granted that Mariposa Grove would become a national park, thus making it a part

of Yosemite National Park.49

Unfortunately, years of visitation from tourists has made the soil so compact that

measures had to be taken to preserve and maintain the health of the sequoia trees. In order to

maintain the ecosystem, roads have been closed until 2017. By this year, most of the roads will

become hiking trails and overall, make the grove more accessible to the public.50

49

visitmariposa.net 50

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