It's impossible to think of images of nature or wildlife without one of the many postcard-perfect views of this wonderful American national park coming to mind. Located in the state of California, about 320 kilometers from San Francisco, Yosemite overwhelms visitors with its imposing natural beauty. Its 3,081 km² of surface area stretch out east of the Sierra Nevada, and it's visited every year by more than four million people from all over the world.
Given its size, it takes several days to explore it in depth, and to avoid extreme temperatures, it's best to visit in fall or spring. Many visitors choose to stay at hotels near one of its entrances, while others choose to camp within the park itself.
Walking along endless trails, sitting down to admire the immense granite formations, climbing its highest points to take in the beauty of the valley — these are just a few of the many options available to visitors. In my case, I tried to emulate, with my photographs, Ansel Adams, that legendary American photographer who in the 1940s immortalized every one of this park's beautiful corners.
Everything is perfectly organized to welcome visitors, and the park's free shuttle bus system, which stops at each of the main points of interest, is remarkably efficient. During peak season, this turns out to be the best option: leave your vehicle parked in the lots near each trailhead and get around the park by bus.
While most visitors choose to explore Yosemite Valley within the park, it represents just 1% of the park's total area. El Capitan, a prominent granite cliff that looms over the valley, is perhaps one of the most popular destinations in the world among rock climbers, thanks to its varying degrees of difficulty and numerous established ascent routes, as well as being accessible year-round.
Among its many attractions, the park has three groves of ancient giant sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum): the Mariposa Grove (200 trees), the Tuolumne Grove (25 trees), and the Merced Grove (20 trees). Giant sequoias are among the tallest and longest-living trees in the world.
Much of the park closes during winter due to heavy snowfall, however, Yosemite Valley remains open year-round.
