Books published by publisher Yosemite Conservancy

In this coming-of-age novel, a headstrong girl persists against expectations, following her dream in nineteenth century Yosemite.Florence "Floy" Hutchings is the daughter of a famous father, and while the extra attention that brings is not unwelcome, all she really wants is to be herself. However, in 1876 being clever, confident, and bold are not expected of girls on the cusp of turning twelve. Stuck in a stuffy classroom in crowded San Francisco, Floy longs to return to the majestic mountain valley where she was born and where she has always felt free: Yosemite!Upon returning to her beloved valley, Floy finds that it is changing in confusing ways: the intimate paradise she once knew is opening to more visitors and to troubling attitudes about her indigenous friends and about what girls should and should not do. Yet, against this backdrop of change, Floy pursues her dream of climbing the indomitable Half Dome.Steeped in the rich atmosphere of old Yosemite and based on real people and true events,Call Me Floy is about a girl who follows her dream up the steepest path imaginable.

This is a reprint of the intriguing story of four short-line railroads that operated in the Merced River Canyon to serve Yosemite National Park. Originally published in 1963, this volume assembles more than two hundred black-and-white photographs of railroads and trains, relating the importance of the rail lines in the visitors’ experiences of Yosemite. The rich history of Yosemite is brought to life through the photographs that tell a special relationship between individuals and machines.

In this coming-of-age novel, a headstrong girl persists against expectations, following her dream in nineteenth century Yosemite.Florence "Floy" Hutchings is the daughter of a famous father, and while the extra attention that brings is not unwelcome, all she really wants is to be herself. However, in 1876 being clever, confident, and bold is not expected of girls on the cusp of turning twelve. Stuck in a stuffy classroom in crowded San Francisco, Floy longs to return to the majestic mountain valley where she was born and where she has always felt free: Yosemite!Upon returning to her beloved valley, Floy finds that it is changing in confusing ways: the intimate paradise she once knew is opening to more visitors and to troubling attitudes about her indigenous friends and about what girls should and should not do. Yet, against this backdrop of change, Floy pursues her dream of climbing the indomitable Half Dome.Steeped in the rich atmosphere of old Yosemite and based on real people and true events,Call Me Floy is about a girl who follows her dream up the steepest path imaginable.

American dippers are small gray birds that live their whole lives near (and in!) fast-moving mountain streams. Charming and unique in their habits, dippers were John Muir’s favorite bird (he called them 'water ouzels'). This nonfiction book — brimming with full-color illustrations, detailed sketches, lively verse, and light humor — takes readers to a rendezvous with a winged creature they might easily see on a stream-side ramble throughout western North America. Readers will discover what these curious little birds eat, how they find their food, where they nest, what their chicks are like, where they go in winter, and much more. A section at the end provides a wealth of additional information making this book a fantastic resource for junior naturalists, educators, bird enthusiasts, visitors to national parks, and anyone interested in how field biologists perform their work.

Here is an entertaining collection of John Muir’s most exciting adventures, representing some of his finest writing. From the famous avalanche ride off the rim of Yosemite Valley to his night spent weathering a windstorm at the top of a tree to death-defying falls on Alaskan glaciers, the renowned outdoorsman’s exploits are related in passages that are by turns exhilarating, unnerving, dizzying, and outrageous.

Take a magical trip through Yosemite; set up your ideal campsite, search for ladybugs, climb El Capitan, pack up your mule for a back-country trip, then put the animals to bed. Full of lively games, puzzles, and mazes, this cleverly illustrated activity book represents the best of its kind. Stickers are included so that you can add your own touch — get silly and make it yours!

This is a perfect backseat or restaurant companion for families with young children traveling in California’s gold country and Yosemite National Park. Crisp images invite crayons and markers while child-friendly text sheds light on things kids may be wondering about along the way. What's the Mother Lode? How does gold come out of the ground? Which animals live in a giant sequoia grove? Where can one see a moonbow? Art, sightseeing, beginning science, and California history blend seamlessly in The Sierra Adventure Coloring Book.

This lovely picture book opens on a mother bear and her newborn cubs in their cozy den as a blanket of snow settles over Yosemite National Park. Her newborn cubs grow quickly and soon three furry, hungry black bears set out to experience their world.Spring turns to summer, and the bears roam Tuolumne Meadows, munching tall grasses and keeping a safe distance from park visitors. But not all of the bears’ time is spent searching for food: Mama bear must remain on alert for danger and rush her cubs to safety when a forest fire rages close by or another bear threatens them. In the fall, they will fatten up on acorns before returning to their den for the winter.Ginger Wadsworth and Daniel San Souci give readers the bear’s eye view and a tour of the seasons in Yosemite’s high country with these fascinating and mighty creatures.

Take a magical trip through Yosemite; set up your ideal campsite, search for ladybugs, climb El Capitan, pack up your mule for a back-country trip, then put the animals to bed. Full of lively games, puzzles, and mazes, this cleverly illustrated activity book represents the best of its kind. Stickers are included so that you can add your own touch — get silly and make it yours!

An exuberant graphic bio of the life of John Muir. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland to his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, a global explorer, and the first modern environmentalist—and even became friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature. His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth— and they still do.

Coyote is separated from her mate by a rockfall and searches the park to find him. Sometimes silent, occasionally observed, always watchful, Coyote makes her way from one memorable site to another, singing a lonely song of yips and yowls. Gorgeous watercolor paintings of Yosemite illuminate this ultimately satisfying story, while the text closely observes one of the park's most familiar kind of wild resident. Young readers will discover much about coyotes, and will also delight in spotting the places they too have visited—Half Dome, Sentinel Bridge, Stoneman Meadow, the Ahwahnee, and more.