Editing Yosemite Valley (section)

==Tourism==
[[File:Bridalveil Falls from Valley View Yosemite CA 2023-07-13 18-05-30 1.webm|thumb|Bridalveil Falls from Valley View, El Capitan on the left, Merced River in the foreground]]
[[Yosemite National Park]] had a record number of 5&nbsp;million visitors in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Annual%20Park%20Recreation%20Visitation%20(1904%20-%20Last%20Calendar%20Year)?Park=YOSE|title=Stats Report Viewer}}</ref> In 2020 visitation dropped to 2,268,313 visitors.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stats Report Viewer |url=https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/SSRSReports/Park%20Specific%20Reports/Annual%20Park%20Recreation%20Visitation%20(1904%20-%20Last%20Calendar%20Year)?Park=YOSE |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=irma.nps.gov}}</ref>  A reservation system was implemented in 2020, which required a reservation in order to enter the park.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Us |first=Phone: 209/372-0200 Contact |title=Historical Seasonal Opening and Closing Dates - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/seasonal.htm |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref> The reservation system has been periodically lifted and reimplemented since 2021.

On July 24, 2018, several areas of the park, including the Valley, were closed due to wildfires in the area.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article215400735.html|title=Yosemite Valley will close due to fire. 'Get yourself out of here,' official says|work=fresnobee|access-date=2018-07-24|language=en}}</ref>

=== Hiking ===
[[File:Mist trail 1983.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Mist Trail]], as seen from the top of Vernal Falls]]
Several trails lead out of the Valley, including
* The [[John Muir Trail]] – running {{convert|211|mi|km}} to [[Mount Whitney]]<ref name=pcta>{{cite web|url=https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/john-muir-trail/|title=John Muir Trail|publisher=Pacific Crest Trail Association}}</ref>
* The [[Mist Trail]] – with views of [[Vernal Falls|Vernal Fall]] and [[Nevada Fall]]
* The [[Four Mile Trail]] – leading to Glacier Point.
* The [[Yosemite Falls Trail]] – to the top of Yosemite Falls

===Climbing===
Yosemite is now a world [[rock climbing]] attraction. The massive 'big walls' of granite have been climbed countless times since the 1950s and have pushed climbers' abilities to new heights. While climbers traditionally take several days to climb the [[monolith]]s, [[Bivouac shelter|bivvying]] on the rock faces, modern climbing techniques help climbers ascend the cliffs in mere hours. Many climbers stay at [[Camp 4 (Yosemite)|Camp 4]] before beginning big wall climbs, which became notable after [[World War II]] as "a birthplace of rock climbing’s modern age" and was introduced into the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Bailey |first=Eric |date=2003-02-28 |title=Yosemite's Camp 4 Placed on Historic Registry |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-28-me-camp28-story.html |access-date=2022-07-07 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Half Dome figures prominently on the reverse side of the [[California]] state quarter. Hiking to the top of Half Dome is one of the most popular hikes from the valley, and very crowded. The park now requires permits to use the trail, and in 2011 the permits sold out very quickly after becoming available.<ref>{{cite web|title = Half Dome: Everything you need to know about Yosemite's most demanding day hike|url = http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/half-dome/half-dome.htm|website = www.yosemitehikes.com|access-date = 2014-09-17}}</ref> The park now{{When|date=July 2022}} uses a lottery system for hikers to apply for permits.