Yosemite National Park and the granite walls of Yosemite Valley

Yosemite National Park in California centres on Yosemite Valley, a deep glacial canyon cut into granitic rock on the western flank of the Sierra Nevada. Established as a national park on 1 October 1890, it protects dramatic cliffs, waterfalls, forests and meadows in a landscape shaped by tectonic uplift, rivers and ice over millions of years.Yosemite National Park

Granite, glaciers and the making of Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley lies within the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range in central California with an asymmetric profile and a broad western slope incised by deep river canyons.Sierra Nevada Mountains The bedrock of the valley is largely granitic, part of the Sierra Nevada Batholith, a composite body of plutonic rocks emplaced during the Cretaceous period.Cretaceous granitic rocks

In Yosemite Valley these granitic rocks include El Capitan Granite, Sentinel Granodiorite and Half Dome Granodiorite, each forming different cliffs and domes along the canyon.Yosemite Valley granites Over time, uplift of the Sierra Nevada exposed this rock to erosion, and west?flowing streams carved a canyon that was later widened and deepened by mountain glaciers, leaving the U?shaped glacial trough, hanging valleys and polished rock surfaces visible today.U?shaped glacial trough

Cliffs, domes and waterfalls along the Merced River

Yosemite Valley follows the course of the Merced River through a corridor of cliffs and domes carved in granodiorite and granite. The river occupies the valley floor, flanked by meadows that contrast with rising walls of pale rock, some more than 900 m (2,950 ft) above the floor, giving the valley its enclosed character.granite bedrock

The valley’s side valleys end in hanging positions above the main trough, and from these hang high waterfalls that descend over the cliff edges. These waterfalls, together with domes and blind arches in the granite, express the control exerted by joint patterns and dikes on the shape of many landforms within Yosemite Valley.granite landforms and waterfalls

From geologic history to protected landscape

The granitic rocks of Yosemite were emplaced as plutons miles beneath the surface in a subduction zone, intruding older sedimentary and volcanic rocks and later undergoing uplift and erosion to form the present mountainous landscape.emplacement of granitic rocks By the late nineteenth century, the dramatic scenery of Yosemite Valley had become nationally recognised, and on 1 October 1890 an act of Congress created Yosemite National Park, with President Benjamin Harrison signing the legislation.act of Congress in 1890

Yosemite National Park covers about 3,070 km² (1,187 mi²), extending across several counties in California and encompassing high country, canyons and forests beyond Yosemite Valley itself.park area in California Within this wider protected area, Yosemite Valley forms one of the most studied examples of glacial geomorphology, with ongoing rockfalls, rockslides and river erosion continuing to modify its cliffs and floor.geomorphologically active valley

Visiting Yosemite National Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Yosemite National Park lies in California’s Sierra Nevada; Yosemite Valley is reached by road from communities along the Merced River corridor and from the west through foothill towns.
• The valley floor combines paved areas with natural terrain; reaching viewpoints involves walking on uneven ground and ascending steep paths in places.
• Snow and ice occur at higher elevations in the park during colder months, and conditions on trails and roads vary with the season and altitude.
• The official language is English and the currency is the United States dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Yosemite National Park

Where is Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Valley located?

Yosemite National Park is in California, United States, within the Sierra Nevada, and Yosemite Valley lies on the park’s western slope along the Merced River.

What can visitors expect when they reach Yosemite Valley?

Visitors encounter a glacial canyon with granite and granodiorite cliffs, waterfalls descending from hanging valleys, forested slopes and meadows along the river on the valley floor.

What makes Yosemite Valley distinctive within Yosemite National Park?

Yosemite Valley is distinctive for its combination of Cretaceous granitic bedrock, U?shaped glacial trough form, dramatic relief and active geomorphic processes that continue to shape its cliffs and floor.