The park, which is managed by the National Park Service, covers an area of 1,168.681 sq mi and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain. Over 3.7 million people visit Yosemite each year.
Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness.