Yosemite National Park is a national park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of 761,266 acres (308,073 ha) and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain.  Yosemite is visited by over 3.5 million people each year, many of whom only spend time in the seven square miles (18 km2) of Yosemite Valley.  Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and biological diversity.  Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.  Although not the first designated national park, Yosemite was central to the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of people like Galen Clark and John Muir.

Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada, and the park supports a diversity of plants and animals. The park has an elevation range from 2,000 to 13,114 feet (610 to 4,000 m) and contains five major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine, and alpine. Of California's 7,000 plant species, about 50% occur in the Sierra Nevada and more than 20% within Yosemite. There is suitable habitat or documentation for more than 160 rare plants in the park, with rare local geologic formations and unique soils characterizing the restricted ranges many of these plants occupy.

The geology of the Yosemite area is characterized by granitic rocks and remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and then tilted to form its relatively gentle western slopes and the more dramatic eastern slopes. The uplift increased the steepness of stream and river beds, resulting in formation of deep, narrow canyons. About 1 million years ago, snow and ice accumulated, forming glaciers at the higher alpine meadows that moved down the river valleys. Ice thickness in Yosemite Valley may have reached 4,000 feet (1,200 m) during the early glacial episode. The downslope movement of the ice masses cut and sculpted the U-shaped valley that attracts so many visitors to its scenic vistas today.

A small community located in central California near Yosemite National Park, Oakhurst is located at the junction of Highways 41 & 49, at the southern end of California's gold country.

If you have been delaying your travel to Yosemite National Park, you're missing the most magnanimous endowment by Mother Nature. For an entirely unique encounter with nature you must plan tours to Yosemite by exploring some popular Los Angeles sightseeing tours. Don't take our word for it; the following reasons will make you want to book that tardy tour today! Ranked as one of UNESCO's Top World Heritage Sites, it is the place about which you feel, "Been there, done that!" Explore a one-of-a-kind rendezvous with environment on your Los Angeles to San Francisco tour.

Striking Vistas
Uncannily attractive U shaped valley, pine forests, pristine waterfalls, vast edifice of stone, lofty mountains bedecked with luxurious coniferous trees, the park represents ecological diversity in its truest form. Yosemite boasts America's most glorious landscape images like El Capitan, Cathedral Spire, and The Lost Arrow pillar. The 1,189-square-mile park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, a high concentration of waterfalls including the famous 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls, 800 miles of hiking trails, and 350 miles of roads. Its beauty invariably results in some jaw-dropping moments and awe-inspiring experiences.

Year-round Adventure
Outdoor junkies can indulge in all sorts of adventure activities that include biking, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, whitewater rafting, bird watching, experiencing wildlife, and skiing. There is an inimitable high in enjoying your favorite outdoor activity amidst the extraordinary serenity radiated by the natural beauty of this park. It has some

Diversity in Touring through the Park
There are diverse ways to absorb the arresting allure of this park by journeying through it using your own mode of transport, Yosemite tour buses, bikes (there is a bike rental facility in the park) and of course on foot.