Summer is playtime in Yosemite. The pure mountain air is filled with the fragrance of pine and cedar, distilled by a warm sun in cloudless skies. Hiking, riding, fishing, swimming, golf, tennis . . . all have an added zest in this ideal climate and grand setting of natural beauty.

Far up in the higher mountains over the rim of the Valley, the last trace of snow has disappeared from the trails, and groups of hikers and riders exchange a cheery “hello” as they pass, bound for their favorite camping or fishing spots, beside a sky-blue lake or a cool, white-crested stream.

[click to enlarge]
A “horseback” picnic is an exciting adventure for the youngsters.

[click to enlarge]
At Happy Isles the Merced River in a noisy, playful mood, rushes in white-crested foam past rocky islands.

No words can describe the awe-inspiring panorama seen from Glacier Point. On one side are the distant peaks which form the backbone of the Sierra Nevada. Far below, Yosemite Valley appears as a miniature garden of toy houses peopled by tiny midgets. From this point, 3,214 feet straight above the Valley floor, the story of the creation of Yosemite Valley can easily be read.

Three waterfalls are visible from this famous point. Directly across the Valley, Yosemite Falls drop like a long shining ribbon of white and, to the east, Vernal and Nevada Falls glisten in majestic rhythmic beauty. It is an axiom among world travelers that no one can truthfully say that he has seen Yosemite without viewing it from Glacier Point.

[click to enlarge]

The huge bulk of El Capitan stands guard at the entrance to the gates of the Valley. This tremendous monolith of granite rises 3,604 feet above the Valley floor, and is one of the famous landmarks of Yosemite.

[click to enlarge]

[click to enlarge]
The pleasant summer nights are ideal for campfires and barbecues.

[click to enlarge]
The sharp, jagged rocks of the Cathedral Spires rise 2,154 feet.

Mirror Lake reflects the surrounding domes in its still, limpid waters.

[click to enlarge]

Near its southern boundary, Yosemite is guarded by six hundred living giants older than the pyramids of Egypt. Graceful and beautiful, these great Sequoia trees of the Mariposa Grove are a constant source of wonder. In this grove stands the Wawona Tunnel Tree, probably the best-known tree in the world, and also the Grizzly Giant, one of the three largest in existence. The Mariposa Grove of Big Trees is one of the major attractions of Yosemite.

[click to enlarge]

Wawona Hotel and golf course by Ansel Adams

[click to enlarge]
The Wawona Hotel, situated at a healthful elevation of 4,000 feet in the beautiful Wawona Valley, was included in the Yosemite National Park area in 1932. The golf course, which is adjacent to the hotel, ranks as one of the outstanding mountain courses in the country.

Nevada Fall from Glacier Point by Ansel Adams

[click to enlarge]
The late afternoon casts deep shadows as the remaining light sharply outlines Nevada Fall and the high peaks of the Yosemite High Sierra.

[click to enlarge]

[click to enlarge]
A strenuous game of tennis on the Ahwahnee courts or just to rest in the charming surroundings of one of the Ahwahnee cottages makes a perfect day.

[click to enlarge]
The ageless granite walls of the Valley inspired the Ahwahnee’s rugged design.

[click to enlarge]
Camp Curry lies in a beautiful grove of pine and cedar trees, in the cool shadow of Glacier Point.

Map of Yosemite National Park by Della Taylor Hoss

Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View by Ansel Adams

[click to enlarge] [Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View]

Far up in the crags of Yosemite’s High Sierra, blue lakes sparkle like jewels set in rings of white granite . . . here is an almost mystical grandeur . . . soundless but for the lap of the water against the rocky shores and the splash of leaping trout.

[click to enlarge]

[click to enlarge] A circle of five High Sierra camps provide plain food and comfortable mountain accommodations so that one may traverse this high mountain wonderland, carrying only personal necessities.

Fishermen who whip the hundreds of lakes and white-crested streams of Yosemite’s high country, are seldom disappointed either in their catch of fish or in their measure of pure contentment.

[click to enlarge]

[click to enlarge]
The real fisherman will tell you there is only one way to enjoy trout. They must be taken from a cold mountain stream and immediately cooked in the usual battered frying pan which forms a part of every old-timer’s equipment.

For those who love the far places there is nothing quite equal to a trip over some of the 700 odd miles of trails. These have been built through the remote mountainous regions of Yosemite, and are maintained by the National Park Service.

[click to enlarge]
The White Cascade in the Tuolumne Canyon is typical of hundreds of such waterfalls and cascades found throughout the higher mountains.