Yosemite Thrives Thanks to Conservation-Conscious Locals

A school group crosses a meadow in front of Yosemite Falls in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, Calif., on April 28, 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images

Yosemite National Park in California welcomes millions of visitors every year, and despite heavy traffic and crowded campgrounds, the forest has remained protected and preserved, thanks to local conservation efforts.

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine into trees,” wrote John Muir in his 1894 book, “The Mountains of California.”

Mr. Muir was a lifelong conservationist, naturalist, and author who advocated for preserving American wilderness. He helped establish the Sierra Club and petitioned for the National Park Bill in 1890 that established Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks in California.

Today, Yosemite in Mariposa County in the Sierra Nevada mountains is a testament to the conservation work of wilderness advocates like Mr. Muir.

The National Parks Service has recorded a steady increase in annual visitors since the early 1900s, rising from just over 5,000 annually in 1906 to nearly 4 million in 2023. Over the past 118 years, Yosemite has welcomed more than 216 million people from around the world.

“We want people to visit, but we want people to visit respectfully,” said Tony McDaniel, communications director for the Yosemite and Mariposa County Tourism Bureau.

Mariposa is the gateway to Yosemite, boasting restaurants, hotels, and a rich history dating back to the California Gold Rush. Mr. McDaniel called the locale an “overlooked gem” in California and encouraged tourists to stop by their visitor centers—one in Mariposa County and another in nearby Coulterville. Local volunteer staff provide tips for travelers planning their trip to the park.

Preserving the beauty of Yosemite—whether it’s the stunning forest floor of Yosemite Valley or the high country of Tioga Pass near Glacier Point—requires stewardship.

“That stewardship has to come from everyone—not just the people that live here,” Mr. McDaniel told The Epoch Times.

Mariposa County residents have an interest in protecting the wilderness in their own backyard. Not only is Yosemite the lifeblood of their local tourism-driven economy, but it’s also one of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet.

“The solution is not to scold or shun, rather to welcome and educate,” the bureau said in its “Nature Rules” platform on its website, which provides common-sense wilderness etiquette suggestions for visitors.

Tourists are advised to keep their distance from wildlife, take their trash with them, and be conscious of fire safety.

Visitors will marvel at the jagged granite features of El Capitan and the sheer cliff face of Half Dome. First-time guests will catch their breath when they see the stunning vista from Tunnel View overlooking the granite domes and the scenic spray of Bridalveil Fall.

Water flows forcefully down Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite Valley, with rainbows visible in the mist, as warming temperatures have increased snowpack runoff, in Yosemite National Park, Calif., on April 27, 2023. Mario Tama/Getty Images

More than 40 kinds of mammal species and 262 bird species call Yosemite home, according to the National Park Service. Visitors may spot colorful wildflowers along trails and meadows during springtime, distinguished by bright shades of scarlet monkeyflowers or the distinctly reddish-pink hue of the parasitic snow plant.

Every February, if visitors are lucky, they may even glimpse a remarkable event at Horsetail Fall when the rich colors of the sunset hit the waterfall just right, creating the illusion of molten-orange fire.

“Prepare for a long day because you’re going to have to walk a couple of miles to get to the viewing area,” Mr. McDaniel said of the spectacular event.

Keeping the park clean is an important part of local conservation efforts. Every year, the Yosemite Climbing Association—a corporation aimed at preserving the climbing history of the park—organizes an event called the Yosemite Facelift.

Visitors walk to the Tunnel View lookout in Yosemite Valley at Yosemite National Park, Calif., on July 8, 2020. Apu Gomes/AFP via Getty Images

Volunteers come together annually to carry out a parkwide cleanup and assist with trail maintenance. Last year’s facelift event was its 20th anniversary. It was supported by the National Park Service, the Yosemite Conservancy Association, and outdoor performance company The North Face, according to its website.

“I started the Yosemite Facelift because the park was so filthy,” said Ken Yager, the president of the Yosemite Climbing Association and founder of the cleanup project.

He was inspired to organize the event after getting tired of seeing trash and toilet paper on the trails he worked every day as a climbing guide.

Mr. Yager—who also currently owns a museum showcasing climbing artifacts in Mariposa County—moved to Yosemite in 1976 and worked an assortment of jobs in the park, including 12 years as a climbing guide. Over the years, he has guided climbers up El Capitan more than 50 times.

Mr. Yager told The Epoch Times that since launching the Yosemite Facelift event two decades ago, volunteers have cleaned up more than a million pounds of trash in the park.

Visitors look at the Grizzly Giant tree in the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, Calif., on May 21, 2018. David McNew/AFP via Getty Images

Whether it’s the quiet, high-elevation beauty of Tuolumne Meadow or the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in the southern region of the park that is home to more than 500 mature sequoia trees, the beauty of Yosemite is something locals will continue to protect.

The next Yosemite Facelift event is scheduled for Sept. 25–29.

“If you can’t make it to the facelift ... consider doing something close to home in the place you love and enjoy,” Mr. Yager said.