Yosemite National Park is one of the most well-liked tourist attractions in the USA. This is partly because of its propinquity to the population centres of Los Angeles and San Francisco but is mostly due to the implausible natural beauty of Yosemite Valley. The glacially eroded alpine valley is just 8 miles long and less than one mile wide with utter granite walls rising vertically over 3000 feet (1000 meters) on either side. Nine glorious waterfalls cascade into the valley. Five of them are over 1000 feet (300 meters) high counting the 2425 feet (800 meters) Yosemite Falls. Yosemite Park actually encompasses about 1200 square miles (3000 sq. km) and includes many other natural attractions, but most tourist’s stopover only Yosemite Valley or the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees near Wawona at the southern doorway.