Who was John Muir?
John Muir (1838-1914) was America’s most famous and influential naturalist and conservationist. He is one of California’s most important historical personalities. He has been called “The Father of our National Parks,” “Wilderness Prophet,” and “Citizen of the Universe.” He once described himself more humorously, and perhaps most accurately, as, a “poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc. !!!!” Legendary librarian and author Lawrence Clark Powell (1906-2001), (anticipating an event that was not to occur until 2006), said of him: “If I were to choose a single Californian to occupy the Hall of Fame, it would be this tenacious Scot who became a Californian during the final forty-six years of his life.” As a wilderness explorer, he is renowned for his exciting adventures in California’s Sierra Nevada, among Alaska’s glaciers, and world wide travels in search of nature’s beauty. As a writer, he taught the people of his time and ours the importance of experienc
John Muir (1838-1914) was America’s most famous and influential naturalist and conservationist. He has been called “The Father of our National Parks,” “Wilderness Prophet,” and “Citizen of the Universe.” He once described himself more humorously, and perhaps most accurately, as, a “poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc. !!!!” As a wilderness explorer, he is renowned for his exciting adventures in California’s Sierra Nevada, among Alaska’s glaciers, and world wide travels in search of nature’s beauty. As a writer, he taught the people of his time and ours the importance of experiencing and protecting our natural heritage. His writings contributed greatly to the creation of Yosemite, Sequoia, Mount Rainier, Petrified Forest, and Grand Canyon National Parks. His words and deeds helped inspire President Theodore Roosevelt’s innovative conservation programs, including establishing the first National Monuments by Presidential Proclamation, and Yosemite Natio
He was a famous preservationist — perhaps this country’s most famous and influential naturalist. If it weren’t for John Muir we probably would not have Yosemite National Park. He was also personally involved in the creation of Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, and Mt. Rainier National Parks. Therefore, he is often called “The Father of Our National Park System”. John Muir also co-founded the Sierra Club with William Colby in 1892 and was its first president until his death in 1914. In addition, John Muir was a writer, a lecturer, a geologist, a botanist, a glaciologist, an explorer, a school teacher, an inventor, a fruit rancher, a husband and father. Wanda Muir Hanna, elder daughter of John Muir, explained her father to one of his biographers (Linnie Marsh Wolfe), “If you had known him, you would have seen only one side of him, and he had many sides. No two people — even his closest friends ever had quite the same idea of him.” (Son of the Wilderness, Preface, pg.
John Muir (1838-1914) was America’s most famous and influential naturalist and conservationist. He is one of California’s most important historical personalities. He has been called “The Father of our National Parks,” “Wilderness Prophet,” and “Citizen of the Universe.” He once described himself more humorously, and perhaps most accurately, as, a “poetico-trampo-geologist-botanist and ornithologist-naturalist etc. etc. !!!!” Legendary librarian and author Lawrence Clark Powell (1906-2001) said of him: “If I were to choose a single Californian to occupy the Hall of Fame, it would be this tenacious Scot who became a Californian during the final forty-six years of his life.” To find the site of the sawmill and cabin, ride the Yosemite Valley free shuttle bus and get off at the Yosemite Falls stop. There, and at the restrooms to your left, you will find a map of the loop trail, or actually more a path/walkway, at the base of lower Yosemite Fall. The river is in blue, loop trail is in brown
