the Vernal and Nevada Falls in Yosemite National Park, California

The four-mile John Muir Trail offers beautiful views of the cascading Vernal and Nevada Falls.

Photograph by Bernd Jonkmanns, laif/Redux

Yosemite: Rock Walls and Rushing Falls

Go on a visual tour of Yosemite National Park’s stunning natural wonders.

September 12, 2016
6 min read
Yosemite National Park, California

The Yosemite Valley boasts towering cliffs, alpine meadows, and scenic hikes.

Photograph by Bernd Jonkmanns, laif/Redux
climbing gear in Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park is a climber's paradise, offering a seemingly endless supply of athletic adventures.

Photograph by Robert Popkin, Vault Archives/Redux
climbers on El Capitan, California

In 2015 Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell became the first climbers to scale the sheer face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without aids. It took them two weeks to reach the summit of the 3,000-foot rock.

Photograph by ED/CE/Adidas Outdoors, Camera Press/Redux
a climber on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California

A climber ascends the towering El Capitan rock formation as the valley below shrinks in the distance.

Photograph by Jimmy Chin, National Geographic
giant redwoods in Mariposa Grove, California

Approximately 500 mature sequoias thrive in Mariposa Grove, the largest grove in Yosemite. These trees can live more than 3,000 years and reach about 300 feet.

Photograph by Archivio Bonatti, contrasto/Redux
the Merced River, California

The sun illuminates the Merced River, a popular location for rafting and swimming.

Photograph by Malte Jaeger, laif/Redux
camping at Glacier Point and Clouds Rest in Yosemite National Park, California

Campers retire for the evening in an illuminated tent between Glacier Point and Clouds Rest, a popular hiking area in Yosemite National Park.

Photograph by Austin Trigg, Tandem Stock
campers off Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, California

Hikers cook up some grub along the four-mile trail to Glacier Point, which offers sweeping views of Yosemite Valley.

Photograph by Austin Trigg, Tandem Stock Photo
an aerial view of trees in Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite National Park features a range of vegetation zones due to differences in climate, topography, moisture, and soils across varying elevations.

Photograph by Michael Todd, Vault Archives/Redux
Yosemite Valley, California

Sunshine peeks through the trees in Yosemite Valley, bathing the landscape in a golden glow.

Photograph by Malte Jaeger, laif/Redux
Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, California

Sunset in Tuolumne Meadows casts the sky in pinks and blues.

Photograph by Tomas Kaspar, Alamy Stock Photo
moonrise over Yosemite National Park, California

The moon rises over Yosemite's snow-powdered mountains and misty valley.

Photograph by Jamie Pham, Alamy Stock Photo
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