Teacher Resources: Visiting the Park

Yosemite is a natural classroom, and has many particularly good teaching locations. Some areas are only open during specific seasons, as described below.

Visiting the Park
Not Visiting the Park

Before You Arrive | When You Arrive | Helpful Resources | Maps | Teaching Recommendations

When You Arrive: Teaching Sites
Year-Round Sites

Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is world famous for its spectacular waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, and unusual rock formations. The valley is the ideal place to teach geology, ecology, and cultural history.

Pioneer Yosemite History Center

This collection of historic buildings is in Wawona and is associated with people and events that shaped the national park idea. Interpretive signs and a brochure provide a self-guided tour of the center year-round. The Pioneer Yosemite History Center is a good place to teach history of the park. Wawona is one hour from Yosemite Valley (see Bus Parking and the Wawona area map).

Spring/Summer/Fall Sites

Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

A 1.6-mile round-trip self-guided trail winds through the lower grove to the Grizzly Giant tree, which may be the oldest living giant sequoia. It’s another 2.3 miles to the upper grove and the Mariposa Grove museum. There is a tram to the upper grove from the parking lot, and special school tours can be arranged. The museum and tram are open seasonally. The Mariposa Grove is a good place to teach giant sequoia ecology and forest ecology, particularly the interrelationships among all living things with their environments. The grove is a 1¼-hour drive from Yosemite Valley and is 2 miles beyond the South Entrance Station (see Bus Parking and the Mariposa Grove map).

Glacier Point

Glacier Point offers a commanding bird’s eye view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, the crest of the Sierra Nevada, and some of Yosemite’s famous waterfalls. Glacier Point is one hour from Yosemite Valley and one hour from Wawona. The road is closed in winter. It usually opens the last weekend of May and closes after the first snowfall after November first. It is an excellent place to teach geology (see the Glacier Point Road map).

Taft Point/Sentinel Dome

The Taft Point trail and Sentinel Dome trail both begin at this parking lot, which is on the Glacier Point Road. Both trails are one mile long and are excellent places to teach geology and forest ecology. The Taft Point/Sentinel Dome parking lot is about a 55-minute drive from Yosemite Valley near the end of Glacier Point Road (see Bus Parking and the Glacier Point Road map).

Late Spring/Summer/Early Fall Sites

Tuolumne Meadows Area
Tuolumne Meadows

This is the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada and is graced by the Tuolumne River and surrounded by majestic peaks and domes. Tuolumne Meadows has excellent glacial evidence, such as glacial polish, glacial erratics, and a U-shaped valley. The meadows are an excellent place to teach geology, meadow ecology, subalpine communities, and the effects of climate, topography, and elevation on habitat (see Bus Parking and the Tuolumne map).

Lembert Dome

The top of this dome offers a wide panoramic view of the Sierra Nevada and the Tuolumne Meadows area below. Glacial evidence, such as glacial polish and the U-shape of the area, can be seen from the dome. This is a good place to teach geology. Discover Indian pounding rocks at the base of the dome. Allow three hours round-trip for the hike. Unload passengers at the Lembert Dome parking area (see Bus Parking and the Tuolumne map).

Parsons Lodge and Soda Springs

The Parsons Memorial Lodge, built in 1915 by the Sierra Club, was a meeting place, reading room, and mountain headquarters. It has exhibits on the human history of Tuolumne Meadows. The Soda Springs, a source of naturally carbonated water, was where John Muir and Robert Underwood Johnson conceived the idea of establishing Yosemite National Park. From the Lembert Dome parking area, walk down the gravel road along the ¼-mile self-guided trail to the lodge and Soda Springs (see Bus Parking and the Tuolumne Map).

Olmsted Point

Interpretive signs describe the beautiful scenic and geologic features. From the parking lot, a ¼-mile nature trail leads to a nearby dome where Tenaya Canyon can be seen. There is also a view of Half Dome and views up the canyon to Tenaya Lake. Glacial polish and glacial erratics can be seen along the nature trail. An excellent view of glacially sculpted and polished Cloud’s Rest can be seen across Tenaya Canyon from this site. Marmots are often seen in this area, but please don’t feed them. Olmsted Point is on Tioga Road about 25 minutes from Tuolumne Meadows (see Bus Parking and the Tuolumne Map).

Tenaya Lake

This lake was gouged out by the Tenaya branch of the Tuolumne Glacier that passed through Tenaya Canyon. The Yosemite Miwok called the lake Pywiack, “Lake of the Shining Rocks.” Tenaya Lake is a good place to discuss how glaciers can leave behind lakes after they melt. The lake is a 5-minute drive beyond Olmsted Point on Tioga Road, a 20-minute drive from Tuolumne Meadows (see Bus Parking and the Tuolumne Map).

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Useful links to help plan your visit:

Resource Education Fee Waivers | Permit Application | Educational Visits