Tioga Pass is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California ( U.S.A. ) , at an altitude of 3031 meters. is the highest highway pass in California and the Sierra Nevada. Mount Dana is located east of the Tioga Pass.
The pass road has a gentle rise from the west as it heads steeply downhill to Lee Vining on Mono Lake, east of the pass. The descent to U.S. Highway 395 is over 900 meters in altitude. The Tioga Road west of the pass within the park and the continuing Big Oak Flat Road down into the Yosemite Valley are designated as National Scenic Byway because of the attractiveness of the traversed landscape.
The name Tioga Pass gave him the same name New York mine company Tioga Mines. The term Tioga came from the Iroquois and Mohawk Indians and roughly means: where it bifurcates.The passage was already used by the natives for centuries and was built as a wagon route for the transport of food and supplies in the silver mines in the 1880s. The road was modernized and paved in the 1960s and with the Years has become a place of pilgrimage for travelers and adventurers. This pass is 3,031 meters high and is one of the highest mountain roads in the state of California.
Access : Coordinates: 37.911111, -119.258056 / Location : Mono – Tuolumne counties, California, United States / State Route 120 crosses it, serving as an eastern entry point to Yosemite National Park.The route has some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in all of California.
/ You’ll also find various gas, food, and lodging options 12 miles (19 km) east of the Tioga Pass entrance at Lee Vining, where the Tioga Pass Road meets Highway 395.
Highlights :
- With a length of 63 km, the road starts at Crane Flat, passes through Olmsted Point, Lake Tenaya and Tuolumne Meadows and reaches the Tioga Pass.The average slope is 4.7%. The pass is the eastern limit of Yosemite National Park and provides instant access to the spectacular Sierra Nevada with classic climbs that can be easily done in one day.
- There are a number of hiking trails in the hinterland of Yosemite National Park starting from here,There are several trails in the Yosemite backcountry that begin at Tioga Pass, including the trail to the Gaylor lakes and the route to the top of Mount Dana.
- The Tioga Pass Entrance Station, a ranger station registered in the National Register of Historic Places since December 14, 1978.In the surroundings of the Tioga Pass you have more than 40 accommodations of all kinds.
- Olmsted Point : A vantage point not to be missed also because it does not take long to visit it. You park nearby and then you can admire a breathtaking.There are two areas for picnick, we strongly recommend a relaxing stop in what is probably the most beautiful lake in Tioga.
- Tenaya Lake : after Olmsted Point you will find this lake , It is located within the Yosemite National Park, between the Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows. It was created by an arm of the Tuolumne Glacier, when it passed through the Tenaya Canyon.
- toulumne meadows : Toulumne Meadows where you can take part in many activities and start various trails. The Tuolumne Meadows are a rolling, sub-alpine made with various granite domes, located along the Tuolumne River in the east of Yosemite National Park. You can go to the Visitor Center to define which routes to take .
Note : The road, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, opens to traffic at the end of spring and remains open until mid-autumn. The opening and closing dates may vary depending on the weather.
Activities : Scenic Driving , Auto – moto Touring / sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking
Go next : the Yosemite Valley – Yosemite National Park / the Mono Lake / the ghost town of Bodie ,about 50km north of Lee Vining / Lake Tahoe, a well-known ski destination / visit the giant sequoia in Mariposa Grove / Mammoth Lakes: Yosemite area further south, towards Death Valley
