California's Majestic Yosemite Celebrates 108 Years of the National Park Service

The experience of visiting Yosemite has evolved dramatically since those early days.Photo byJessica TuttleonUnsplash

Yosemite National Park marks the 108th anniversary of the National Park Service (NPS), founded on this day in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson with the signing of the National Park Service Organic Act. This act established the NPS as the federal bureau responsible for managing the nation's historically, culturally, and ecologically significant parks, monuments, and sites.

The experience of visiting Yosemite has evolved dramatically since those early days. Unlike the park’s first visitors, who endured long, dusty stagecoach journeys without the comforts of modern amenities, today’s visitors enjoy air-conditioning, GPS navigation, and a wide array of other conveniences. However, despite these changes, the timeless beauty and grandeur of Yosemite continue to captivate and inspire.

As the NPS looks to the future, its mission remains the same: to preserve the natural and cultural resources of Yosemite and other national parks for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.