Greetings from Yosemite National Park

I took my sister to Yosemite in May. She had never been there and was stunned by its beauty. It is so lush in the spring with full waterfalls sending refreshing mist across the valley. My sister is a naturalist for small adventure cruises and has a developed eye for spotting wildlife which helped us see a black bear and her cub, Western Tanagers and a juvenile bobcat. All were near roads, bike paths or easy trails. And yes, the wild life was wild, wary, neither looking to harass or be harassed by humans. This is a sign of good stewardship in the park and a relentless effort to train humans to behave themselves. The bobcat was close yet many hikers walked past unaware though one did stop and call, “Here, kitty kitty.” The picture shows the cat’s response.

Sincerely,
Sharon Ryals Tamm

Yosemite National Park

With its sculpted granite rock formations, towering ancient sequoia trees and spectacular waterfalls, it's no wonder Yosemite is one of the most celebrated national parks in the world.

State(s): California

Established: 1890

“Our national parks preserve the best of our nation's natural and historical places. They have been and continue to be managed using our most comprehensive understanding of how to best care for those resources as well as how to best share them with us, the owners, the American people and our guests. The parks that have most nourished me in my 60 years are Yosemite, the Redwoods and Olympics, all full of wild magic that restores as nothing else can. We need more parks and steward, not less.”

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