Yosemite is a place of record-setting statistics: the highest waterfall in North America and three of the world’s 10 tallest waterfalls (Upper Yosemite Fall, Ribbon Fall, and Sentinel Falls); the tallest and largest single granite monolith in the world (El Capitan); the most recognizable mountain (Half Dome); one of the world’s largest trees (the Grizzly Giant in the Mariposa Grove); and thousands of rare plant and animal species. But trying to explain its majesty is impossible; you simply must experience it firsthand. What sets the valley apart is its geology.

The Sierra Nevada formed between 10 million and 80 million years ago, when a tremendous geological uplift pushed layers of granite beneath the ocean up into a mountain range. Cracks and rifts in the rock gave erosion a start at carving canyons and valleys. During the last ice age, at least three glaciers flowed through the valley, shearing vertical faces of stone and hauling away the rubble. The last glacier retreated 10,000 to 15,000 years ago, but it left its legacy in the incredible number and size of the waterfalls pouring into the valley from hanging side canyons. From the 4,000-foot-high valley floor, the 8,000-foot tops of El Capitan, Half Dome, and Glacier Point look like the top of the world, but they’re small compared to the park’s highest mountains, which exceed 13,000 feet. The 7-square-mile valley acts like a huge drain for runoff from hundreds of square miles of snow-covered peaks (which explains why the valley flooded during the great storm of 1997).

It’s easy to let the beauty of the valley monopolize your attention, but remember that 95% of Yosemite is wilderness. Of the four million visitors who come to the park each year, few venture more than a mile from their cars. That leaves most of Yosemite’s 750,000 acres open for anyone adventurous enough to hike a few miles. Even though the valley is the hands-down winner for drama, the high country offers a more subtle kind of beauty: glacial lakes, rivers, and miles of granite spires and domes.

In the park’s southwest corner, the Mariposa Grove is a forest of rare sequoias, the world’s largest trees, as well as several meadows and the south fork of the Merced River. Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows are two of the most popular high-country destinations, as well as the starting points for many trails to the backcountry. Since this area is under snow November through June, summer is more like spring. From snowmelt to the first snowfall, the high country explodes with wildflowers and wildlife trying to make the most of the short season.

Popularity isn’t always the greatest thing for wild places. Over the last 20 years, Yosemite Valley has set records for the worst crowding, noise, crime, and traffic in any California national park. Actually, winter is my favorite time to visit the valley. It isn’t crowded, as it is in summer, and a dusting of snow provides a stark contrast to all that granite. The high country, however, is typically under about 20 feet of snow November through May, so unless you’re snow camping, summer is pretty much the only season to pitch a tent Fall can be cool, but it’s beautiful and much less crowded than summer.