OAKHURST – Hundreds of happy people took to Oakhurst Community Park on Saturday, June 28 for the first-ever Yosemite Festival in Oakhurst. One sign things went well for the inaugural event? Plans are already underway for next year. The community was greeted by members of the Festival committee, who guided them to different fun areas spread throughout the park. Area ...

YOSEMITE – Gazing up into the towering stand of Giant Sequoias touching deep blue skies, it’s hard to imagine anything has changed in 150 years. Birds sang and chirped as wind rustled through the trees tops, just as it did in 1864, when President Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, enacting the legislation that preserved Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove.

WAWONA – Drought conditions across the state are also affecting Yosemite National Park and those who live and work there. Park Superintendent Don Neubacher is asking Wawona residents to start conserving immediately to ensure sufficient water supply throughout the rest of the season. A letter sent to residents by Neubacher outlines steps they will need to take for maximum conservation:

YOSEMITE – It is always a treat to take a walk or hike in Yosemite National Park (YNP). As the seasons change so does the scenery, with such rapid grace sometimes that nearly every moment on the trail reveals a fresh secret as you move through a landscape filled with treasures of long ago that remain today. Have you ever ...

OAKHURST – By day they may be high school students, lumber store employees or teachers, but at night they transform into characters like villain, victim, victor, hero, heroine, and even, President. That’s the beauty of the Golden Chain Theater (GCT), now presenting a very special performance of “Bonnie Belle’s Best Bloomers,” written by the late Daniel A. Ross. The traditional ...

YOSEMITE – A 14-year-old visitor was seriously injured in Yosemite National Park on Thursday, June 19, when he sustained severe head trauma from a fall. According to Public Affairs Officer Kari Cobb, the boy, who is from Fontana, Calif., was on a day trip to Yosemite Valley and was scrambling at the base of Lower Yosemite Fall with family members ...

Growing up in Yosemite Valley, I was surrounded every day by incredible natural wonders like Yosemite Falls and El Capitan. These prominent and overpowering features of Yosemite simply cannot be missed, even by the casual visitor who is just passing through. Every rock formation that we see today exists because of its unique granite structure. As glaciers ground their way ...

YOSEMITE – The Fireplace Fire was declared 100% contained on Sunday, June 15, at 3.6 acres, a revision of the initial estimate of 5 acres. The fire was reported by Signal Peak Lookout at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 14. It is located in the area of Fireplace Bluffs on the north rim of the Valley, and west of El ...

YOSEMITE – A fire that is being called the Fireplace Fire was reported at 6:30 a.m. this morning by Signal Peak Lookout. The fire is burning in Yosemite National Park in the area of Fireplace Bluffs, on the north rim of the Valley, and west of El Capitan. It is between two trails – the Old Coulterville Road, and the ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced yesterday that Julia Parker, Indian Cultural Demonstrator, and Stephen “Stevie” Lynds, Trails Supervisor, are the recipients of the 2013 Barry Hance Memorial Award. Although the award is typically presented to one Yosemite employee annually, the Awards Committee felt that two nominees were deserving of the award, which was given during an ...