Roosevelt's Expedition Strengthened Yosemite Protection

In May 1903, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt set aside official business for four days to explore Yosemite with Scottish-born American naturalist John Muir. Roosevelt left his entourage and security behind, allowing the two men to camp and discuss wilderness preservation largely on their own. Muir urged Roosevelt to bring Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove under federal protection, which Roosevelt approved by signing legislation in 1906. The trip strengthened Roosevelt's conservation efforts and helped lay the groundwork for the National Park Service, which Congress created in 1916.

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