In May 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt camped with John Muir near Glacier Point for three days. On that trip, Muir convinced Roosevelt to take control of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove away from California and return it to the federal government. In 1906, Roosevelt signed a bill that did precisely that to create Yosemite National Park.
Here are my six notables:
- Park has five waterfalls of 1,000 feet or more
- For dark nights, starry skies
- Lyell Glacier is the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park and is one of the few remaining in the Sierra Nevada today.
- Three groves of ancient giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) trees; the Mariposa Grove (200 trees), the Tuolumne Grove (25 trees), and the Merced Grove (20 trees).
- Sierra Nevada mountain peaks, a couple of which rise above a breathtaking 13,000 feet!
- Spectacular cliffs and waterfalls in a 10-minute loop of Yosemite Valley
And of course, John Muir’s presence, having lived and worked in the valley.
This is condensed awesomeness! Besides The Unruly Mystic: John Muir, of course!
What would you add?
