Virginia Peak (Yosemite) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Virginia Peak |
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 Virginia Peak
Location in California
Virginia Peak
Location in the United States
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,002 ft (3,658 m) NAVD 88 |
| Prominence | 482 ft (147 m) |
| Geography | |
| Location | Yosemite National Park, Tuolumne County, California, U.S. |
| Parent range | Sierra Nevada |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | class 2 to class 3 |
Virginia Peak is a tall mountain located in the northern part of Yosemite National Park. It sits just north of a beautiful area called Tuolumne Meadows. This peak is quite high, ranking as the 25th tallest mountain within Yosemite National Park.
Where is Virginia Peak?
Virginia Peak is found in the northeastern part of Yosemite National Park. It is part of a ridge that runs north to south. This ridge branches off from the main Sierra Nevada mountain range near a spot called Twin Peaks.
Other interesting places are close by. These include Virginia Pass and Sawtooth Ridge. You can also find other mountains like Whorl Mountain, Excelsior Mountain, and Matterhorn Peak in the area.
What is Virginia Peak Made Of?
When you look at Virginia Peak from the east, especially near Virginia Pass, it might seem dark and a bit scary. This is because it's not made of the usual light-colored granite rock that you see in many parts of Yosemite.
Instead, Virginia Peak is made of reddish metamorphic rock. This type of rock is also found on mountains like Mount Dana and Dunderberg Peak. Metamorphic rock forms when other rocks are changed by heat and pressure deep inside the Earth.
Virginia Peak is special because it sits along an ancient boundary. This boundary marks where the Sierra Nevada's granite pushed into older rocks. These older rocks then changed into the metamorphic rocks we see today.
