Yosemite is one of the jewels of the United States' parks system

One of the earliest and most famous of the great national parks in the US is Yosemite in central California. This enormous area，which was the first park ever to have its land set aside for protection in the US in 1864, covers almost 1,200 square miles. It is famous for its alluring scenery, unique animals and plants, and the range of activities available. No wonder millions of visitors are drawn to Yosemite every year.

The park is mountainous and its geologicala history means that the area has breathtaking views of cliffs, waterfalls, and deep valleys. This stunning terrain also boasts more than 400 species of animals, including bears so intelligent that you need to take special canisters to protect your food. Most impressively, Yosemite is home to three groves of giant sequoias. These enormous trees live for thousands of years, and the oldest one in Yosemite is estimated to be 2,000 years old.

When tourists come to enjoy this sublime place all year round ,most of them head for Yosemite Valley, the park's activity center. This is the place where visitors can get a taste of the park's appeal. There are several spectacular waterfalls within walking distance, and there are also opportunities to canoe18 or raft" down one of the park's many rivers. However, more adventurous tourists can venture deeper into the park. There are 800 miles of hiking trails" in Yosemite, from gentle' walks to difficult backpacking hikes up steep' mountains.In the winter, the park is blanketed in snow, which means skiing`season. With its outstanding beauty and various25 activities, it is easy to see why Yosemite National Park is such a popular destination. As John Muir, one of the park's founders, wrote, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

位于加利福尼亞州中部的約塞米蒂國家公園是美國歷史最悠久、最有名的主要國家公園之一。這片廣闊的土地占地約，1200平方英里,是美國第一座為了保護該區(qū)環(huán)境，而在1864年特別成立的公園。該公園以自然美景、獨特的動植物，以及園區(qū)內(nèi)各項可從事的活動而聞名，難怪每年都吸引數(shù)百萬游客慕名前來。

這個公園地勢多山，長期以來的地質(zhì)活動造就了該地區(qū)擁有懸崖、瀑布和雄偉的山谷，到處充滿著令人嘆為觀止的自然景觀。這一絕美的地帶也蘊含有400多種動物，其中有一種非常聰明的熊，使你需自備特制的金屬罐來裝食物.以免被偷吃掉。約塞米蒂國家公園最讓人印象深刻的是園區(qū)內(nèi)有三片巨大的美國紅杉林。這些巨大的樹木已有數(shù)千年的樹齡.其中最大的估計有2000年。

一年四季都有游客前來觀賞約塞米蒂壯麗的風(fēng)景;其中大部分的人都會前往“約塞米蒂山谷”，這里是園區(qū)內(nèi)各項活動的所在地。游客在這里可以飽覽園區(qū)內(nèi)引人入勝的風(fēng)景，其中還有幾座只需步行就可抵達的瀑布，游客也可以在公園的眾多河流中.搭乘獨木舟或竹筏順流而下。然而,熱愛冒險的游客則可以進人公園深處探險。那里有綿延800英里的登山步道，其中有可以讓游客輕松步行的路段，也有可以讓背包客徒步攀登陡峭山峰的艱難路段。冬天的時候，這座公園會被白雪覆蓋，這意味著滑雪季開始了。

因為這些美不勝收的景色和各種各樣的活動項目，我們不難理解為什么約塞米蒂國家公園會成為備受歡迎的旅游景點。就如該公園的一位立者約翰·繆爾曾寫的:“漫步于大自然中，人們所獲得的遠超過他們所探索的。”