The Tioga Pass Road

Tioga Road may be off Broadway, but it's remoteness, not quality, that's the cause. Most visitors enter Yosemite through one of the three western gates, and far more people spend their time cavorting in Yosemite Valley than make the winding drive up to see the brightest lights of the Tioga region, which are at the eastern end of the park.

It's worth the trip, though. Tenaya Lake and Tuolumne Meadows would be stars in any lineup, and the Tioga Road area is packed with overlooked gems like the Gaylor Lakes trail. The Tuolumne Grove, though not as large as the more famous Mariposa Grove, still contains dozens of thousand-odd-year-old Giant Sequoias. The numbers are in your favor, too: there are more hikes along the Tioga Road than in any other part of Yosemite.

Lodging

There are both wood-frame and tent cabins at White Wolf, which lies about 15 miles (24 km) from the Tioga Road's western intersection at Crane Flat. The Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, just east of Tuolumne Meadows, is not a lodge at all, but a series of tent cabins. Like the Tioga Road itself, these accomodations are summer only. They're usually reserved months in advance, but you can check for availablity here. You can also try the Tioga Pass Resort, just outside the park's eastern entrance at 9,600 feet (2,925 meters) elevation. It has both cabins and traditional motel rooms and is open year round.

Food

You can buy snacks at Crane Flat and at the Tuolumne Meadows store. If you're the sort who likes to photograph the sunset on your hikes and doesn't get back to the trailhead until dusk is falling, you'll likely find these both closed by the time you reach them. There's a cafe at the Tioga Pass Resort, just east of the park.

Gas

You can buy gas at Crane Flat, the western terminus of the Tioga Road, and at the store near the east end of Tuolumne Meadows. Make sure your credit card is well below its limit.

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.

Tioga Road Hikes

Trail	Distance miles (km)	Elevation Gain feet (meters)
Cathedral Lakes	7.0 (11.2)*	800 (240)*
Dog Lake	2.8 (4.5)*	750 (225)*
Elizabeth Lake	4.6 (7.4)	900 (270)
Gaylor Lakes	3 (4.8)*	600 (180)*
Glen Aulin (Tuolumne Falls/White Cascade)	13 (21)	600 (180)
Lembert Dome	2.8 (4.5)*	900 (275)*
Lukens Lake	1.6 (2.5)*	200 (60)*
Lyell Canyon	1.4 (2.2)*	< 100 (30)*
May Lake & Mt. Hoffman	2.5 (4)*	500 (150)*
Mono Pass	7.4 (12)*	900 (275)
North Dome	8.8 (14.2)	-560 (-170)
Olmsted Point	0.25 (0.4)	< 100
Pothole Dome & Tuolumne River	2.5 (4)	250 (75)
Sunrise Lakes	8.8 (14)*	1,300 (395)
Tenaya Lake	2.5 (4)	0
Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias	2.5 (4)	-400 (-120)
Tuolumne Meadows	2 (3.2)*	0

* For hikes that have more than one possible route, this table lists distance and elevation for the shortest route. Or the longest one. Whatever strikes our fancy at the moment.