Yosemite

Yosemite National Park is located in California. This park covers an area of approximately 1,189 miles. It covers parts of Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties, and reaches to the western part of a Nevada mountain range.

This park is home of quite a diverse variety of geological formations. For example, granite cliffs, Giant Sequoia groves, streams, and waterfalls are all showcased in this park. Almost 90% of this park is considered wilderness.

The types of trees that are found in Yosemite National Park include species of sequoias, redwoods, and pines. This particular park also contains within it thousands of different types of plants and animals, mountains, valleys, and bodies of waters (especially ponds and lakes).

The Yosemite climate is Mediterranean in nature, which means this area experiences mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers.

The Original Yosemite People

The first people to live in the Yosemite area before the Europeans had settled were the Paiute and the Sierra Miwok. Tribes of Ahwahneechee people also lived in this vicinity (in the Yosemite Valley) as well.

Then, in the middle of the 19th Century more of the white population settled in the Yosemite and surrounding area. This was during the time of the California Gold Rush, and this was also a time of frequent battling and conflict which lead to numerous quantities of bloodshed.

Most of the original inhabitants of the Yosemite area were captured, and their villages were destroyed, primarily by burning. The people such as the Ahwahneechee and others were “moved” to locations such as the reservation which is near Fresno, California.

In later years, the National Park Service was formed. It was after that when attempts were made to preserve history of the Yosemite and surrounding areas, before the times that before Caucasian groups came and settled.

Effort is also being made to preserve the natural habitats of this area that have been affected for at least a couple of hundred years by human activity. Camping and automobiles are still allowed in this area, though. Those who camp in this area are required to abide by a series of regulations in order for this area to continue to be preserved.

It is possible to find cheap lodging opportunities in Yosemite, besides just campgrounds. Quite a few people will rent cabins or hotels in this area by the week These accommodations are very close to major attractions.

People who are intending on staying in or near Yosemite may want to check area weather reports before they leave home. This will save some time and frustration.