Yosemite National Park is one of those places that you have to see for yourself to really experience the magnitude of its beauty. I captured this iconic scene of tunnel view during my very first visit to the park. My friend Preston and I made a two week road trip around California during early December. We lucked out that the weather warmed up enough during that time of year for us to have access to certain locations within the park. Yosemite was definitely the highlight of our adventure and I can’t wait to go back!

Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California. The valley is about 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long and 3,000–3,500 ft (910–1,070 m) deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines. The valley is drained by the Merced River, and a multitude of streams and waterfalls flow into it, including Tenaya, Illilouette, Yosemite and Bridalveil Creeks. Yosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America and is a big attraction especially in the spring, when the water flow is at its peak. The valley is renowned for its natural environment and is regarded as the centerpiece of Yosemite National Park.