Spirit of the Puffing Wind

When you think about Yosemite National Park in California, what’s the first thing you think of? Waterfalls, right? While not the tallest, Bridalveil Fall is among the most prominent on display, usually the first you’ll see on arrival, and draws its fair share of crowds. Ansel Adams famously photographed it, and unlike some falls it flows year-round thanks to an unending supply of water from Ostrander Lake. The history of Yosemite is a large part of why it’s so well preserved today. U.S. President Abraham Lincoln made the land a public trust in 1864.
© Jeff Foott/Minden Pictures