If you want to go on a scenic drive, and you have a few hours to kill--check out Tioga road--drive through the pass at just shy of 10k feet, and head down to Mono Lake (which is amazing in its own right). If you want to explore some of Yosemite's best beauty that is far less crowded than Yosemite Valley (but far superior in my opinion), plan to spend some time up in the majestic nature that can only be found along Tioga Road. In my opinion, this is the best road in all of Yosemite National Park, and is the best way for us in the valley to get from Fresno to Highway 395 when opened. Be warned: This road (aka Hwy 120) is usually closed from mid Autumn (late October through some time in November) until late spring/early summer (May or June most years), as the road traverses some extremely dangerous avalanch zones and is unsafe to plow until the spring thaw hits the snow in the high country. Also-be warned: There is a lot of wildlife in the high country. Tioga Pass (and Tioga Road) is not a road to speed across. Take your time and savor the beauty of the landscape--high alpine forests, lakes, meadows, granite domes, wetlands--all home to bears, pine martins, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, yellow bellied marmots, deer, red foxes, and so many other amazing creatures. Driving fast means you are more likely to have a tragic encounter between your car and an animal that may be trying to cross the road. That and the road meanders some steep curves along some sheer drop-offs. If you aren't careful along the curves, you may find out the hard way that your car doesn't fly. This is definitely a sipping tea type of road, and not one to be mindlessly chugged. As for provisions, make sure to bring provisions, and also top off your gas tank on either end of the road (either Crane Flat on the western side before you hit Tuolumne Grove, or the Mobile Gas Station/Whoa Nelly Deli on the east side outside of the park boundary--but after you leave hwy 395). There are very limited services between the two ends (usually only in Tuolumne Meadows, but not all services open every year). Restrooms are also limited. There are some opened seasonally at Crane Flat (indoor plumbing, but closed if the gas station store is closed), Tuolumne grove nearby, Tenaya Lake (pit toilets--pretty gross at the end of the season), Tuolumne Meadows, and a few other spots along the road. If you plan to do some hiking--especially when the weather is nice, expect to encounter some soggy or wet areas, as some parts of the high country never fully dry out even in the summer months. And mosquitos can be quite wretched. Make sure you bring protection, whether it is bug spray, face nets, long legged and sleeved clothing, or all of the above. Be bear aware as well, and don't store food in your car overnight or in sight during the day. Also, you should always prepare for weather to change rapidly at these elevations. I've had 70 degree sunny days turn to 40 degrees with hail in as little as an hour. As a resident of California's central valley and a lover of the high country, I don't consider my year complete until I've gone over Tioga Pass a few times. This truly is a beautiful road. It requires respect, and a little planning....and what it gives in return is usually more than you'd expect. read more

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This is a gorgeous road. It stretches from Lee Vining to the west on a pass which goes all the way to Yosemite. There are lakes and creeks and the best time to take photos is during fall or first snow. The road is very windy and steep so take it slow. During this time of year (not sure if this is all times) you will be required to stop and pay I believe $35 per car at the 12 mile mark. The drive however for those 12 miles is worth it. You can turn around and not pay. I highly recommend taking this pass if you are up at the Mammoth Lakes area or Mono Lake. We didn't have much time, so we only took a few photos, but there are so many cool places to check out. Totally cool drive! read more

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Sadly, Tioga Pass might get missed by the majority of visitors to Yosemite National Park because they're not entering or leaving the park on the east side. That's a shame. The road offers spectacular views as it winds and rises and falls. Tioga Pass sits at an elevation of 9,943 feet, 1,943 feet higher than where the effects of altitude sickness can be felt. It's caused by lower air pressure and lower oxygen levels found at high altitude and is most noticeable while climbing to higher altitudes. There are many pullouts along Tioga Road to enjoy the views. Take it easy driving as there are many twists and turns and few guardrails to save you if you wander off the road. Be safe and pull over to gaze at the scenery. read more

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September snow surprises us... so beautiful! Sept. 21, 2017, is the first snowfall in Tioga Pass of the 2017/18 season. read more

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Tioga Pass is named after Tioga Mine, whose name originated in New York: "Tioga" is named for an Iroquois and Mohawk term meaning "where it forks". It is the highest highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada. The pass is subject to winter closure, due to high snowfall, normally from around the end of October until the end of May the following year, though these dates are subject to considerable variation. Driving East on Highway 120 down the Tioga Pass is gorgeous and scary. It was white knuckle time most of the way down and I would have loved to go back up and do it again! But then there's Mono Lake to the Left and June Lake/Mammoth to the Right, and a whole new set of stunning scenery to explore. read more

If you want to drive across Tioga Pass (Hwy 120) just to get to the other side of the Sierra mountains, good luck! You 'll need reservations to enter Yosemite which is nearly impossible to get. Your tax dollars hard at work preventing you from doing this. You will have to take an alternate route such as Hwy 4, 108, 88, 50 or 80 to the north or go south on Hwy 58 to 14 and then 395. Either way it will take added hours to your drive. read more

Tioga Pass is as treacherous as it is beautiful. To be fair, I should mention that only the portion between Ellery Lake and the junction with US-395 is actually dangerous to drive, but it's so dangerous that you'll kind of forget about the beautiful surroundings, at least if you're the one driving--or even if you're in the passenger's seat while you're headed eastbound, as you're that much closer to the cliff that might, in fact, kill you. The dangerous part of the pass isn't nearly as long as I remember it, and they do a pretty good job of repaving the road, but there's a noticeable lack of guardrails--not that they would prevent a full-speed car from going over the edge--and that's just scary. You also have to watch out for rocks falling down the mountainsides on the north side of the highway. They can be huge, but whatever you do, don't swerve too hard to avoid them. Better to total your car by running into a rock than to go over the cliff. I was going to tell that story about the time we were driving the pass in a car whose brakes weren't working too well, and there were five of us (including three children) in the car, but I don't really want to think about that right now. read more

Tioga Pass is the 90 mile stretch of Route 120 that runs through Yosemite National Park. It's 9,943ft peak elevation makes it not only the highest pass in the High Sierra Nevadas but the highest road in California. Its windy roads and constant elevation changes often run along the cliffside with lots of blind corners and no guard rails so extreme caution must be taken. The views on this road are absolutely breathtaking and it's also a great way to see much of what Yosemite has to offer. There are small places to pull off the road at many of the best vista points. Due to the dangers of the road, it's not open year around due to snow. The closing and the opening of the road is different every year depending on weather conditions. Opening Tioga pass has been as early as May 2nd or as late as July 1st but the norm is mid May to mid June. Closing Tioga has been as early as October 7th or as late as December 11th but mid November is more typical. If you're coming to Yosemite and don't have any plans on the eastern side of the park I'd say it would still definitely be worth your while to drive the majority of Tioga pass if you have the time. read more