Yosemite National Park is the home
of spectacular natural scenic beauty.

There are very few places in the world that can offer a greater assortment of natural scenic beauty than Yosemite National Park. For the photographer, this means literally dozens of opportunities to capture stunning landscape pictures. The Park is located in the northern half of California and is roughly the size of Rhode Island. It is visited by more than 3.5 million people each year.

Beautiful Yosemite Valley is pictured with Yosemite Falls in the distance.

One of the many landscape features which draw visitors and photographers alike to Yosemite National Park are the large and impressive granite cliffs and mountain peaks which are found here. The unique topography within the Park ranges in elevation from about 2,000 feet all the way up to 13,114 feet. Most visitors spend the majority of their time here in Yosemite Valley (an area of about 7 square miles in size). However, there are more than 800 miles of trails to explore once you travel beyond the valley area.

These rugged mountain peaks are located just outside the entrance gate to Yosemite National Park.

Yosemite Falls drops 2,425 feet in two stages. It is easily viewed from Yosemite Valley.

One of many beautiful lakes found within Yosemite National Park.

Two of the more famous Yosemite landmarks are the granite monoliths of El Capitan and Half Dome. Many rock climbers come to Yosemite National Park just to climb these two rock fortresses. Surrounding these massive granite formations are beautiful forests of Giant Sequoia, Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir (among other species of trees).

View of El Capitan - a favorite spot for rock and mountain climbers.

Closer look at the massive granite face of El Capitan.

More than 100 images from this site are now on disc.

Climbing the face of Half Dome is only for the very experienced (and crazy!) rock climber.

Some of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world are located here in Yosemite including the tallest waterfall in North America - Yosemite Falls. It plunges 2,425 feet over a granite ledge in two stages and is the most photographed waterfall in the Park. Another beautiful waterfall which can be seen from Yosemite Valley is Bridalveil Falls. And there are many more places throughout this large Park where you can take great pictures of waterfalls.

Dramatic Yosemite Falls can be easily seen from Yosemite Valley and is a great waterfall to photograph.

Another beautiful waterfall which can be photographed from the valley is Bridalveil Falls.

Yosemite National Park is easily the most famous of all the California National parks. Even the cartoon character Yosemite Sam (one of my all-time favorites) was named after this spectacular and special place. My wife and I visited the Park in 1992 but were unable to stay long. I would like to go back again and explore the many back roads of this beautiful wilderness area. It is one of the most beloved National treasures in the United States.

This colorful butterfly was meandering slowly across a meadow in Yosemite Valley so I decided to photograph it.

Another secluded and beautiful lake in Yosemite National Park.

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