This tour tells the geologic story of Yosemite National Park, from its fiery volcanic beginnings millions of years ago to the powerful glacial ice that carved the landscape thousands of years ago. This audio tour is presented by students and faculty from the Department of Geological Sciences at California State University – Fullerton.
The story sites along this route have been chosen to showcase the rich geologic history and iconic rock formations of the park. The tour features both famous and lesser-known rock outcrops, along with waterfalls and recommended hikes.
In addition to explaining the igneous origins of the beautiful landscape you see here today and the glacial forces that later shaped it, the tour will discuss the effects of human impacts and recent climate change on the features within the park.
The tour route takes you along Highway 120 in a giant “S” shape, entering Yosemite from the south on Wawona Road and looping through Yosemite Valley, then traveling Tioga Pass east toward Mono Lake. The tour can be taken in either direction of travel to accommodate people traveling from San Francisco, Fresno, or Nevada.
Tour Sponsors This tour was created by two undergraduate California State University Fullerton students for their senior theses: Joseph Gutierrez and Isabel Guinto, under the supervision of Dr. Natalie Bursztyn and Dr. Vali Memeti, and in collaboration with PhD student Katie Ardill from the University of Southern California.
The tour was made possible due to Caroline Scott-Fleming’s generous donation of studio time at Merit/Andrew for the audio recording.
Research for the "fire" story was funded with Nation Scinece Fountaion (NSF) awards EAR-1624854 and EAR 1550935 to Dr. Memeti.
Find More Tours Near You If you are interested in more audio tours in the region, check out
Taste Calaveras Wines. To find more tours throughout California or wherever your travels may take you, visit
TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story.
Location: California
Travel Type: Driving
Trip Time: 3 minutes
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