Olmsted Point facts for kids

Olmsted Point is a special place in Yosemite National Park where you can see amazing views! It's a viewing area located along Tioga Pass Road. From here, you can look south into a huge valley called Tenaya Canyon. You'll get a fantastic view of the northern side of famous landmarks like Half Dome and Clouds Rest. You can also see Tenaya Lake sparkling to the east.

The rocky hills right around the parking lot at Olmsted Point are covered with many interesting rocks called glacial erratics. These are giant boulders left behind by ancient glaciers! There's also a short trail, about 0.2 kilometers (or 0.125 miles) long, that leads through some trees to the top of a small granite hill. From this spot, the views of Clouds Rest and Half Dome are even clearer and more breathtaking.

Who is Olmsted Point Named After?

Olmsted Point is named after two important people: Frederick Law Olmsted and his son, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.. They were both famous landscape architects. This means they were experts at designing parks and outdoor spaces to be beautiful and useful. They helped shape many of America's most famous parks, including parts of Yosemite.

Amazing Views from Olmsted Point

Olmsted Point is famous for its incredible sights. When you stand here, you can see some of Yosemite's most iconic features.

Half Dome and Clouds Rest

Looking out from Olmsted Point, you'll see the northern side of Half Dome. This giant granite rock looks like it was cut in half! To its left, you'll spot Clouds Rest, another massive rock formation that seems to touch the sky. These two giants stand tall over Tenaya Canyon, which stretches out between them.

Tenaya Lake and the Canyon

To the east, you can see the beautiful blue waters of Tenaya Lake. It's a stunning sight, especially on a sunny day. The deep Tenaya Canyon itself is a reminder of the powerful glaciers that carved out these landscapes thousands of years ago.

Giant Boulders: Glacial Erratics

One of the coolest things to see at Olmsted Point, besides the views, are the glacial erratics. These are huge rocks that don't seem to belong where they are.

How Glacial Erratics Formed

Imagine giant sheets of ice, called glaciers, moving slowly across the land a very long time ago. As they moved, they picked up rocks of all sizes. When the glaciers melted, they dropped these rocks in new places. That's how these "erratic" boulders ended up scattered across the granite slopes around Olmsted Point. They are like clues from the Ice Age!

Images for kids

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  Clouds Rest is on the left, Half Dome is on the right (in the distance). Tenaya Canyon is partially visible between them.

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  Overlooking the north side of Half Dome from Olmsted Point.

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  Glacial erratics dot the granite slopes immediately south of the vista point.

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  A popularly photographed tree.

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  Bronze relief map of Tenaya Canyon.