Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
This panorama at Tunnel View inspired John Muir to call Yosemite “The brightest and best of all the Lord has built.”
12.
Yosemite Falls
Whether by car or shuttle bus, be sure to stop at Yosemite Village (located on Northside
Drive,thewestward-runningpartoftheone-wayroadthatloopsthroughthevalley),where
a visitor center offers information and exhibits. From the visitor center one can hike (about
3/4 mile) or drive to Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in North America. At 2,425 feet,
this regal ribbon of white water (actually three waterfalls in one, with upper, middle, and
lower tiers) is more than a dozen times higher than Niagara Falls and twice the height of
the Empire State Building. A footbridge at the base of the falls, often showered with a fine
spray, leads to a seldom-traveled path through the forest that skirts the site of John Muir's
cabin.
13.
El Capitan
Among the best known and most revered of Yosemite's wonders, this sheer granite mono-
lith rises to a height of 3,593 feet above El Capitan Meadow. As you gaze up at its sleek,
striated surface, look for the intriguing patterns of light and shadow caused by passing
clouds. Look also—perhaps with the aid of binoculars—for tiny insectlike dots moving
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