Yosemite: A Natural Wonder

Covering almost 1,200 square miles in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite is a four- to five-hour drive from San Francisco, making it a popular day trip for visitors staying in the Bay Area for a few days, and that's exactly how we explored Yosemite.

There are many companies offering day-long tours and most will have one thing in common - a very early start and a very late finish to your visit. We were picked up before 6:30 a.m. and didn't get back to our hotel until after 7:30 pm. But in that time, we were treated to some of the most famous sights in the park.

It's believed that Yosemite has been home to Native Americans for something like 8,000 years, but the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada foothills in 1849 brought thousands of miners to the area to seek their fortune. Once they discovered the area's wonders, Yosemite's fame quickly spread. Known as the "Incomparable Valley," before long, hotels were being built and livestock brought in to graze in the meadows. Fortunately, before too much damage could be done, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill protecting Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Now, around four million people enjoy the beauty of Yosemite every year.

One part of the park that nearly all those four million visitors head for is Yosemite Valley, and it's no small wonder. Not only can you reach it all year round by car, it's also the best place to see beautiful meadows and get some superb views of the park's most famous rock formations and waterfalls.