Yosemite National Park is one of the most iconic national parks in the United States, known for its breathtaking scenery including immense granite cliffs, waterfalls, and giant sequoia groves. The park spans nearly 1,200 square miles in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California and draws over 4 million visitors per year.
With its rich natural and cultural history, Yosemite offers many mysteries and stories just waiting to be uncovered. Riddles can be a fun way to engage both kids and adults to think more deeply about the park. Below are 77 riddles of varying difficulty related to Yosemite’s landmarks, wildlife, history and more. Test your knowledge of this amazing place by trying to solve them all!
Geography Riddles
1. What natural wonder rises over 3,000 feet from the valley floor?
Answer:
El Capitan
2. I’m a massive rock formation that is one of Yosemite’s most iconic sites. What am I?
Answer:
Half Dome
3. We’re a set of 3 giant granite cliffs on Yosemite’s southeast side. Who are we?
Answer:
The Three Brothers
4. I’m Yosemite’s highest waterfall, dropping 2,425 feet near Yosemite Village. What fall am I?
Answer:
Yosemite Falls
5. I’m a winding trail to the top of Half Dome. What’s my name?
Answer:
The cables
6. I’m a towering sequoia tree and one of the largest in the world. Where can I be found?
Answer:
Mariposa Grove
7. We’re 4 Giant Sequoia groves in Yosemite. One is Mariposa, name the other 3.
Answer:
Tuolumne Grove, Merced Grove, Nelder Grove
8. I’m a tranquil meadow surrounded by granite peaks and cliffs. What’s my name?
Answer:
Tuolumne Meadows
9. I’m the winding glacial valley and deepest canyon in Yosemite. What am I called?
Answer:
Yosemite Valley
10. I’m the tallest mountain in Yosemite, rising 13,114 feet. Name me.
Answer:
Mount Lyell
Wildlife Riddles
11. I’m Yosemite’s most famous resident, climbing its massive walls with ease. Who am I?
Answer:
The black bear
12. We’re the largest creatures found in Yosemite. Mammoth and Grizzly are two of us. What are we?
Answer:
Bears
13. I’m a rodent known for my bushy tail and for building log homes. What’s my name?
Answer:
Beaver
14. I’m the state mammal of California and live in Yosemite’s high country meadows. Name me.
Answer:
Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep
15. I’m a black and white bird that “yodels” in Yosemite Valley. What am I?
Answer:
Common Raven
16. I’m a web-footed bird commonly seen floating in Yosemite’s lakes and rivers. What am I?
Answer:
Mallard duck
17. I’m a small rodent with a bushy tail found across Yosemite’s forests. Who am I?
Answer:
Chipmunk
18. I’m Yosemite’s only native venomous snake. Watch out for me! What am I?
Answer:
Western rattlesnake
19. I’m the official state animal of California, known for my beautiful spots. Name me.
Answer:
California Valley Quail
20. I’m a large omnivorous mammal, recognizable by my humped back. What am I?
Answer:
Bison
Plant Life Riddles
21. I’m a conifer tree with soft needles found all over Yosemite. What kind of tree am I?
Answer:
Ponderosa pine
22. I’m Yosemite’s tallest tree species, growing over 250 feet tall. Name me.
Answer:
Giant sequoia
23. My bright orange trunks make me easy to spot in Yosemite Valley. What tree am I?
Answer:
Black oak
24. I’m a small but tough evergreen shrub covering parts of Yosemite’s high country. What am I?
Answer:
Mountain whitethorn
25. I’m a deciduous tree with vibrant fall colors ranging from yellow to deep red. What’s my name?
Answer:
Black cottonwood
26. My five-petaled white flowers bloom all over Yosemite in spring. What am I?
Answer:
Dogwood
27. I’m a low growing shrub with white, pink or red bell-shaped flowers. Who am I?
Answer:
Sierra mountain heather
People and History Riddles
28. We’re a Native American tribe who have lived in Yosemite Valley for centuries. Name us.
Answer:
Ahwahneechee
29. I’m an African American man who helped establish Yosemite National Park. Who am I?
Answer:
Buffalo Soldier Cavalry member Charles Young
30. I’m the Scottish immigrant who first brought tourism to Yosemite Valley in the 1850s. Name me.
Answer:
James Hutchings
31. I’m the famous naturalist who petitioned Congress to preserve Yosemite as a national park. Who am I?
Answer:
John Muir
32. I’m the photographer whose stunning images helped establish Yosemite’s reputation. What’s my name?
Answer:
Ansel Adams
33. I’m the famous climber who first scaled Half Dome in 1875 using horseshoes as handholds. Who am I?
Answer:
George Anderson
34. I’m Yosemite’s most famous hotel, built in 1927. What’s my name?
Answer:
The Ahwahnee Hotel
35. We’re a married couple who lived in Yosemite and helped preserve it. Name us.
Answer:
David and Jennie Curry
36. I was the first woman naturalist to work in Yosemite National Park. Who am I?
Answer:
Dorothy Worden
37. I’m the Native American woman who created beautiful baskets sold in Yosemite Valley. Name me.
Answer:
Lucy Telles
Activities Riddles
38. I’m a granite dome you can scale using installed cables. What am I called?
Answer:
Half Dome
39. Walking this long distance trail is a classic way to see Yosemite’s highlights. What’s it called?
Answer:
Yosemite Valley Loop trail
40. We’re a must-see nighttime show at Yosemite Valley in summer. What are we?
Answer:
Firefall
41. I’m a scenic drive that takes you to Yosemite’s high country. What am I?
Answer:
Tioga Road
42. This activity lets you see Yosemite Valley’s waterfalls up close from below. What is it?
Answer:
Rafting
43. I’m a historic hotel with nightly summer performances on my lawn. What’s my name?
Answer:
The Ahwahnee Hotel
44. To try this winter activity, head to Badger Pass Ski Area. What is it?
Answer:
Skiing/snowboarding
45. With a permit, you can sleep under the stars doing this activity. What is it called?
Answer:
Backpacking/camping
46. Spotting wildlife like bears is a common part of this Yellowstone activity. What is it?
Answer:
Hiking
47. This activity lets you admire Yosemite’s soaring cliffs up close. What is it?
Answer:
Rock climbing
Yosemite Facts Riddles
48. Over 95% of Yosemite National Park is designated as this type of protected land. What is it?
Answer:
Wilderness
49. Yosemite Valley makes up just ____ of the entire park’s area.
Answer:
1%
50. This President signed the Yosemite Grant Act in 1864. Who was he?
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln
51. Yosemite Falls is one of the world’s tallest waterfalls at ____ feet high.
Answer:
2,425
52. Mariposa Grove contains about ____ surviving mature Giant Sequoia trees.
Answer:
500
53. The Ahwahnee Hotel was designed in this architectural style. What is it?
Answer:
Art deco
54. Yosemite was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in _____.
Answer:
1984
55. Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove were first protected by legislation signed by this US President. Who was it?
Answer:
Abraham Lincoln
56. This early entrepreneur helped bring tourism to Yosemite Valley in the 1850s. Name them.
Answer:
James Hutchings
57. Yosemite National Park welcomes over ____ visitors every year.
Answer:
4 million
Tricky Riddles
58. What has eyes but can’t see?
Answer:
A potato
59. What gets wetter as it dries?
Answer:
A towel
60. What has a face but no body?
Answer:
A clock
61. What goes up but never comes down?
Answer:
Your age
62. The more you take away, the more I become. What am I?
Answer:
A hole
63. What belongs to you but others use it more than you?
Answer:
Your name
64. What has a head and a tail but no body?
Answer:
A coin
65. What has hands but can’t clap?
Answer:
A clock
66. What has a neck but no head?
Answer:
A bottle
67. What gets wetter the more it dries?
Answer:
A towel
Nature Riddles
68. What smells bad when living but good when dead?
Answer:
Bacon
69. What is black when you buy it, red when you use it, and gray when you throw it away?
Answer:
Charcoal
70. What belongs to you but others use it more than you do?
Answer:
Your name
71. I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains, but no trees. I have water, but no fish. What am I?
Answer:
A map
72. What can fill a room but takes up no space?
Answer:
Light
73. What starts with “e” and ends with “e” but only contains one letter?
Answer:
An envelope
74. The more you take away, the larger I become. What am I?
Answer:
A hole
General Knowledge Riddles
75. What has 13 hearts but no organs?
Answer:
A deck of cards
76. What has hands but can’t clap?
Answer:
A clock
77. What has a head and a tail but no body?
Answer:
A coin
Conclusion
There you have it – 77 riddles spanning geography, wildlife, history and more to challenge your knowledge of incredible Yosemite National Park. How many were you able to get right? Riddles engage our minds in creative ways and these shed fascinating light on various aspects of this beloved natural treasure. Next time you visit Yosemite, keep these riddles in mind and see how many answers you can find in the stunning views and experiences the park has to offer.
