Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley (/joʊˈsɛməti/ yoh-SEM-ə-tee; from the Southern Sierra Miwok Yohhe'meti, "those who kill") is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long and 3,000 to 3,500 ft (910 to 1,070 m) deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines. The valley is drained by the Merced River, and a multitude of streams and waterfalls flow into it, including Tenaya, Illilouette, Yosemite and Bridalveil Creeks. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America and is most prominent in spring, when meltwater is at its peak.

The valley's landscape was shaped by glacial activity over millions of years. Its granitic rock was emplaced as plutons during the late Cretaceous, and successive ice ages carved the valley to its present depth. The valley floor, at approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above sea level, supports coniferous forests, meadows, and riparian habitats, with over 142 bird species and 90 mammal species.