From Bishop, we rolled on up the Owens Valley to the little town of Lee Vining where we are camped for exploring Yosemite National Park. Most people enter Yosemite from the west as the populations centers are to the west and also the most famous part of Yosemite NP, Yosemite Valley is on the western side of the park. But we wanted to travel up the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains so here we are in Lee Vining.
The trip from Lee Vining to Yosemite Valley is a bit of a challenging one, especially when making multiple visits to the Park. Lee Vining is at an elevation of about 6,800 feet. In the first 12 miles, you climb to Tioga Pass at about 10,000 feet, the highest mountain pass in California and the east entrance is to Yosemite. Then you drive another 60 miles or so during which time you lose 6,000 feet in elevation finally to arrive in Yosemite Valley. But it is a drive full of mountains, meadows, lakes, streams, waterfalls, and trees in addition to the grades, curves, drop offs, and vehicles over the center line.
And at the end of this beautiful drive you arrive at the area of the valley. The pictures largely speak for themselves.
Wow. I can't think of any other words.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is one of the grand daddies of national parks.
DeleteI've often wondered what the road from the east was like - thanks for showing me. We need to get back out that way at some point.
ReplyDeleteTioga Road is a spectacular drive, but it's tough to do it every day. Most of the motor homes that we saw doing it were the rental Class C's who are probably the least capable of all. Only saw one pusher doing it.
DeleteGreat scenery!
ReplyDeleteTruly is!
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