Toward the end of earth s last ice age huge glaciers moved down from the sierra nevada high country carrying debris that scoured and polished yosemite s granite rocks to a smooth surface.
Yosemite granite domes.
The bedrock geology of yosemite national park consists almost entirely of granitic rocks.
The dashed horizontal lines show the lowest contours that do not encircle higher peaks.
Of all of the stunning natural features that compose yosemite s landscape the park s granite domes are among the most unique.
Granite granite dominates the geology of yosemite national park.
Vertical arrows show the clean prominence of three peaks on an island.
As granitic plutons cool kilometers below the earth s surface minerals in the rock crystallize under uniform confining.
Granite domes are domical hills composed of granite with bare rock exposed over most of the surface.
Massive granite dominates the yosemite area and much of the sierra nevada as well.
The best hikes in yosemite wind through valleys climb up granite faces to waterfall views and traverse alpine meadows through some of the most spectacular scenery in the lower 48.
The park boundary perfectly frames a landscape that is composed almost entirely of granite and it s no surprise that this landscape contains some of the most iconic rock formations on earth.
Many granite domes are in yosemite national park.