 As revealed by archeological finds , the Yosemite Valley has been inhabited for nearly 3 @,@ 000 years , though humans may have first visited the area as long as 8 @,@ 000 to 10 @,@ 000 years ago . The indigenous natives called themselves the Ahwahneechee , meaning " dwellers in Ahwahnee . " They are related to the Northern Paiute and Mono tribes . Many tribes visited the area to trade , including nearby Central Sierra Miwoks , who lived along the drainage area of the Tuolumne and Stanislaus Rivers . A major trading route went over Mono Pass and through Bloody Canyon to Mono Lake , just to the east of the Yosemite area . Vegetation and game in the region was similar to that present today ; acorns were a staple to their diet , as well as other seeds and plants , salmon and deer . 
