Mountain men Joseph R Walker was probably the first nonIndian to see Yosemite in 1833 but not until the California militia entered the valley rounding up the Ahwahneechee Indians was the region discovered In June 1864 President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant making it a California State Park It became famous through the writings of Horace Greeley and the efforts of John Muir Cinematographer Dennis Burkhart captures in this video the magnificence of Yosemite Valley El Capitan Bridalveil Fall Half Dome the High Sierra John Muir Trail Tuolumne Meadows Tioga Pass and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias The camera catches the wildlife that roams the 11170 square miles of Yosemite ie the mule deer mountain lion black bear coyotes bighorn sheep and the rare peregrine falcon This video reveals why 38 million visitors come each year and stand before aweinspiring panoramas they will never forget
