EL CAPITAN AND HALF DOME - stock photo

Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Northern California. The valley is about 8 miles (13 km) long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines. The valley is drained by the Merced River and a multitude of streams and waterfalls including Tenaya, Illilouette, Yosemite and Bridalveil Creeks. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America, and is a big attraction especially in the spring when the water flow is at its peak. The valley is renowned for its natural beauty, and is widely regarded as the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park, attracting visitors from around the world. The Valley is the main attraction in the park for the majority of visitors, and a bustling hub of activity during "tourist season" in the summer months. On July 2, 2011 there was a record 20,851 visitors to the valley. Most visitors enter the valley from roads to the west and pass through the famous Tunnel View entrance. Visitor facilities are located in the center of the valley. As you leave Yosemite Valley, perhaps for a day trip down to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias near Wawona or a scenic drive up to Glacier Point or Tioga Pass, be sure to stop off at this roadside lookout. Here you’ll see a beautiful portrait of the Merced River flanked by massive El Capitan on the left and the skyscraping twin Cathedral Rocks and Spires.