High Sierra

The High Sierra covers the central and eastern reaches of California’s Sierra Nevada, the high mountain country running from Yosemite south through the rest of the central spine. Elevations range from 2,000 feet at the foothill towns to over 14,000 in the high peaks; the terrain is granite, alpine lakes, and old-growth conifer forest. Most of the region sits within national park or national forest boundaries. Mariposa, Madera, Tuolumne, Mono, and Alpine counties cover the region. Yosemite National Park anchors the western slope; Devils Postpile National Monument and the Eastern Sierra communities of Mammoth Lakes, June Lake, Bridgeport, and Lee Vining sit in Mono County. Mariposa, Groveland, Sonora, and Oakhurst handle the western gateways; Inyo National Forest covers most of the eastern public land. Most trips divide by slope. The western side runs through Yosemite Valley out to Tuolumne Meadows in summer; the eastern side carries Mammoth ski traffic in winter, fishing on the June Lake Loop in summer, and Mono Lake’s tufa formations year-round. Tioga Pass, the high crossing of the range, is closed by snow most of November through May.