Loading map...

1897 Map of Yosemite

Name: 1897 Topographic Map of Yosemite
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1897
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1897

About this map

Hetch Hetchy Valley stands at the heart of this late-nineteenth-century study, showing the Tuolumne River drainage before the valley was submerged by a reservoir. The map records the early infrastructure of the region, including the Yosemite National Park Boundary Line and several pioneer stopping points like Hodgdon Ranch, Harden Ranch, and the Stage Station.

Tracing the path of the Merced River reveals the high-altitude meadows and camps that served early travelers, such as Tamarack Flat and Crane Flat. Settlement is concentrated in small outposts like Sequoia, Chinquapin, and Wawona in the south. The mapping of Big Tree Grant and Merced Grove Big Trees reflects the early efforts to document the region's famous groves alongside the complex network of creeks like Cherry Creek and Rancheria Creek.