Yosemite National Park – Virtual Field Trip

Yosemite National Park is located in central California and was established in 1890, making it the third oldest national park in America.

The park was given national park status to protect its ecologically diverse environment, spectacular landforms, and breathtaking waterfalls.

There are about 7,000 different plant species in California, with about half of them found in Yosemite National Park.

The park is home to more than 400 different vertebrates and thousands of invertebrates.

Yosemite National Park covers an area of 3,074 square kilometers (1,187 square miles).

Yosemite Valley is central to the park and has been carved out by the movement of glaciers over thousands of years.

The park's plant diversity is largely due to the large changes in elevation.

At the lowest parts of the park, you'll find scattered trees, shrubs, and grasses, with wildflowers blooming in spring.

Giant sequoias, the tallest plants in the world, can be found at the floor of Yosemite Valley.

Hyperion, the tallest known tree, was discovered in 2006 with a height of 115.7 meters (379.7 feet).

Montane forests above the Yosemite Valley floor are home to a variety of evergreens like pines and firs.

At the highest peaks of the national park, alpine tundras with dwarf shrubs and grasses replace tree growth.

Yosemite is known worldwide for its waterfalls, streams, crystal clear lakes, and fascinating landforms.

Half Dome and El Capitan are two of the most well-known landforms in the park, standing at 1,500 meters and 1,100 meters respectively.

The park supports 90 different species of mammals, including black bears, bighorn sheep, red foxes, and mountain lions.

More than 260 species of birds, 22 reptiles, and various amphibians and insects can be found in Yosemite.

Trout are common in Yosemite's freshwater sources.

The narrator expresses awe at the park's beauty and considers calling it home.