Awesome is a word that’s been overworked in recent years, but somehow no other word works as well with Yosemite. Stunning, spectacular, incredible could also be used, but none of those capture the overwhelming impact of such natural and diverse beauty concentrated in one national park.

Yosemite has it all: towering stone cliffs, waterfalls that tumble thousands of feet, rivers that wander through beautiful forests that invite picnicking, and hiking trails that take you as far as you want to go into the parks hidden treasures. The park itself is huge, large enough that, even when filled with tourists during one of the busiest months of the year, it still has enough space that you never feel crowded. Indeed, the large number of pulloffs taking in all the vistas are invitations to pause and enjoy.

Visiting the park was special to me because the last time I was here was with my family as an almost-teenager. In the distant reaches of my memory, I can hear my father’s voice saying the names of what we were seeing with that crisp, enthusiastic tone that told me this was some special. Tioga Pass, El Capitan, Bridal Veil Falls–these were all sights I can recall the immense pleasure he took in sharing with us. Seeing them again a good 50 years later brought back a lot of those memories, and they’re still as special today.

Below is a slideshow with just a few of today’s special moments.

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