Yosemite National Park

Located in California's Sierra Nevada, Yosemite protects 1,169 square miles of dramatic granite landscapes including El Capitan (3,000 ft vertical face), Half Dome, and some of the world's tallest waterfalls. Ansel Adams' photographs taken here between the 1930s and 1960s are widely credited with building public support for national park preservation. Yosemite's 2,425-foot Yosemite Falls is 65% taller than the Grand Canyon's Havasu Falls at 100 feet.