Yosemite Nature Notes

Yosemite National Park: From foothill elevations to high mountain peaks, hundreds of flower species are found throughout Yosemite National Park. Rangers and scientists discuss the rich botanical history and some of the rare plants found here.

Yosemite National Park: Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in North America, and is a powerful presence in Yosemite Valley. From winter ice to spring flood to autumn dryness, this magnificent waterfall is a dynamic force of nature.

Yosemite National Park: Have you ever experienced, “The Wild?” What exactly is wilderness and what benefit do wild environments have for mankind? This video offers interesting perspectives on how spending time outdoors, particularly at Yosemite, positively affects people.

Yosemite National Park: The granite monolith of Half Dome is recognized throughout the world as an icon of Yosemite National Park. Thousands of visitors hike to the summit each year, rewarded with spectacular views and an experience that is not easily forgotten.

Yosemite National Park: Snow plays an important role in Yosemite's ecology while providing water for cities and farms. Winter visitors to the park experience a landscape transformed by snow.

Yosemite National Park: From a land grant created during the Civil War, to modern computer mapping, maps display the topography of Yosemite and also tell the story of the park’s protection.

Yosemite National Park: Explore the Tuolumne River from its glacial headwaters at 13,000 feet down through Tuolumne Meadows and into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. Scientists and rangers describe the power this river has on the landscape and on the people who visit it.

Yosemite National Park: Throughout the winter, the elevation where rain turns to snow changes with each new storm. Join a meteorologist and park scientists as they chase the snow line in Yosemite.

Yosemite National Park: Summer visitors to Yosemite National Park miss many of the unique events of winter and early spring. Frazil ice flows are dramatic natural events that occur in the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley during March and April.

Yosemite National Park: Since the glaciers retreated around 15,000 years ago, rock fall has been the major force of change in Yosemite Valley. Geologists work to understand this force of nature in order to protect the millions of visitors who come here each year.