N A T I O N A L . F O R E S T ..... Learn about life on a turn-of-the-century ....
National Geographic and the residents of California and Nevada are proud.
OREGON
E
N C r.
i
I A
O U NTRY BYW AY BACK C
T RINGS
N
I G RANT TRAILS SCENIC BYWA Y
BA RREL S P
U
EM
O
M
rk Pi t
Pin
Fo N.
t
R E
R
ek
W
l
MOUNT ROSE WILDERNESS
Reservoir
80
7088 ft Truckee E Truckee River Legacy Trail E 2160 m E Martis Creek Lake Donner Pass
Soda Springs Norden
267
Donner Memorial State Park
9006 ft Granite 2745 m K
Chief
E Tahoe
Forest City
28
Flat
E
So
Kyburz E
rk A merican u th Fo
RAD O COUNTY ROUTE 50–EL DO
88
Plymouth r. Sutter C
E Drytown EAmador
City
Pine E Grove
89
S t e am boat C r.
Mesa Vista E EE Woodfords Alpine Village
HUMBOLDT-
88 s Cr. Carson Pass ple Ca Caples Lake
8573 ft 2613 m
Kirkwood
Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center
395
TOIYABE
Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park Learn about life on a turn-of-the-century 48,000-acre cattle and sheep ranch by touring the farm buildings and 15-room residence in which four generations of the prominent Dangberg family once resided. Advance reservations required.
Tallac Historic Site On this secluded and forested lakeside property stand three elaborate mansions built between 1873 and 1921. Tour the Pope Estate, meander through the Tallac Museum in the Baldwin House, or watch a live performance at the Valhalla Grand Hall or Boathouse Theater.
NATIONAL
SUSIE LAKE, DESOLATION WILDERNESS GARY CRABBE / ENLIGHTENED IMAGES / ALAMY
FOREST
88
O CA R S
N
AY (ROU TE 88) GHW S HI PAS
120° Salt Springs Reservoir
e mn okel u N. Fk. M NAT
Omo Ranch
Traditional “family-style” Basque cuisine made from produce and meat from the Eowners’ Carson Valley ranch. EGardnerville
n es um Mid d le F k . C o s
E
49
On the self-guided walking tour you’ll find antique shops, museums, and even an old-fashioned soda fountain behind original, mining-era facades. Linger over a cocktail at the Imperial Hotel bar and curl up in a room where Victorian elite once slept.
7735 ft 2358 m
39°
SC AL ON
I
C BY NI
Y WA
SS
ENashville
Luther Pass
E
7621 ft K
JT Basque Bar & Dining Room
Lake
Echo Summit
South Fork American River
Leek Spring Hill 2323 m
Melsons Corner
7377 ft 2249 m
rs
Nevada State Museum Among the museum’s offerings you can view the country’s largest exhibited Columbian mammoth, tour the former Carson City Mint building, or attend a live, interactive cultural event.
E
88
50
F O R E S T
E
E
LAKE TAHOE WATER TRAIL Paddle through crystalline, turquoise water on the Lake Tahoe Water Trail and explore secluded coves and white-sand beaches along 72 miles of shoreline. Tour the grand 1930s Tudor Revival-style mansion at Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site, and visit Sand Harbor at Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park.
Emigrant trading post from the 1850s with museum, stockade, wagon shed, park, and Snowshoe Thompson statue.
An 1859 tollbooth, 1930s cabin, and artifacts from the region’s earliest inhabitants, the Washoe.
Popular whitewater rafting river.
Jenkinson Lake
Highway 50 Association EBryants Wagon Train Deer View Diamond Springs E With a USGS topographical map in hand, hike to Camp Cr. E Slate Mountain for panoramic views; Deer View, for a El Dorado E look at the remains of Hotel Bret Harte; and Stumpy Shingle Meadow, withEits reservoir and excellent fishing. N. Springs Fk. Cos u Somerset Grizzly Flat E m nes
E Amador City
Twin Bridges
Silver City
Hill
E
Mormon Station State Historic Park
Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum
EEcho
N A T I O N A L Pollock Pines E Camino E
Lincoln EPark Lakeridge E E Skyland hoe EZephyr Cove
WILDERNESS Lake Aloha
Ice House Res.
395
LAKE TAHOE– EASTSHORE DRIVE
Fallen Leaf Lake DESOLATION
Union Valley Res.
Stewart
E
50
E Glenbrook
L
Chili Bar
Vikingsholm
Opulent 1929 summer home on the shore of Emerald Bay, accessed by boat or a steep one-mile trail.
on
Lake Tahoe-Nevada Carson City State Park
Genoa Tahoe Village E Explore Tahoe EStateline Minden Visitor Center South Lake Tahoe E
LUTHER PASS HIGHWAYS & LAKE TAHOE ROAD
EGold
B
Lake Tahoe Water Trail
Ta
Washoe Lake
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Sand Harbor
The Great Ski Race
KAYAKERS AT SECRET HARBOR, LAKE TAHOE B. KINGMAN
Virginia CityE
An awe-inspiring panoramic view of Lake Tahoe from 7,562 feet.
E Lake
Pioneer and maritime history, and more than 800 handwoven baskets from the Washoe and other Native American tribes. GRANITE
L
E
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor Center Learn about the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, why this body of water is sacred to these native inhabitants, and how to enjoy the lake in a manner respectful to the tribe.
80
Virginia City International Camel Races
Mt. Rose Highway Scenic Overlook
Kings Beach
89
Gatekeeper’s Museum
Coloma Kelsey
E
Nixon E
395
O
California Watchable Wildlife viewing site with adjacent recreation area.
Tahoe Vista
T
R NT MOU
Year-round recreation and a museum Incline depicting the history of the ill-fated Village E Donner Party pioneer wagon train. E E
Popular hiking and snowshoeing trail.
Y WA
FOREST
89
Ca
Castle Peak Area Trails
NATIONAL
on
Hobart Mills
S E HIGH
TR
L
S
ru
Unique recreational asset; pristine home of the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. E Boca
E
SC
V a l l ey C r .
on g
l a
V a r
r
an E
. We ber Cr Placerville E
50
Independence Lake
Mt. Judah Loop
E
c ke e
yo
Cr . e
i e
ea t
k.
i M
Yu
C r.
on cu t
Nort hH
me n to
E
his work constructing a new sawmill and noticed EMount Aukum glittering flakes of metal in the American River, E EEnterprise River Pines setting off a massive westward migration known as es Amador Flower Farm the California gold rush. Visit the replica of Sutter’s n Mill, pan for gold, or stand on the very spot where C o s um Marshall made his discovery. Fiddletown E
Wilton
S
k.
on r
Feat he C E NIC BYWAY RS
VE
r Fea th e ra
Lotus
99 E
Ro
B
.
Butte Cr
ny
Ca
r
ve
Ri
Fe
at
CAN AL KEE ERO CH
Sa c
Quintette
American E
E
El Dorado E Hills
Stampede Reservoir
A
MACK LAKE, NEAR MAMMOTH LAKES RICHARD BROADWELL / ALAMY
Ru bi
WA Y
Virginia City Samuel Clemens created his pen name Mark Twain while working at the offices of the Territorial Enterprise newspaper, now the Mark Twain Museum. He sought respite at the Tahoe House Hotel, now beautifully restored, Sparks E here in what was once called the “richest city E in the world.”
TOIYABE
Prosser Creek Res.
E
Elk Grove
C
Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park
4
E
See more events and volunteer opportunities on www.SierraNevadaGeotourism.org.
E
E L D O R A D O
Buckeye E Georgetown E
16
5
Independence Lake
O NAL
D
A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATION
at he r
Cr ry
Li t
r
Bu tte
B ig
k
he
C
Ch
r ee
k
i c o Cr.
r. C
N
GEOTOURISM
geotourism (n): Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.
Highway 50 Association Wagon Train Placerville, CA (June). For more than 60 years, caravans of men, women, and children have taken the six-day, 90-mile organized ride from Lake Tahoe to Placerville (Old Hangtown) to experience life during the California gold rush. Groveland Quilt Stroll Groveland, CA (June, on odd-numbered years). Quilters from all over the Mother Lode bring their quilts to display and sell, and to exchange stories and techniques. Artisan demos, food, and fun for the kids. Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree North Fork, CA (first weekend in July). For more than 50 years this once busy logging town has hosted professional and amateur competitions such as double-hand bucking, ax throwing, log rolling, and hot power sawing. June Lake Triathlon June Lake, CA (weekend after July 4th). A fundraiser for Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, this event features Olympic, sprint, and kid’s mini-triathlon distances in addition to courses for challenged athletes. Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Lake Tahoe, NV (July-August). Shakespeare performed on the beach surrounded by crystalline blue water, majestic peaks, and alpenglow sunsets. Amenities include beach chairs, sand areas for blanket seating, and on-site dining with pre-show cocktails. Indian Fair Days & Pow Wow North Fork, CA (first weekend in August). Longest running festival of traditional arts in the western Sierra Nevada. Native American food, games, dance demonstrations, arts and crafts, pageant, and raffle. Downieville Classic Downieville, CA (August). Features a 29-mile cross-country bike race that follows a rugged gold-rush-era route and a challenging 17-mile downhill mountain bike race. Festival entertainment includes river jumping and pixie-cross championships, music, street fair, and bike expo. Inter-Mountain Fair McArthur, CA (Labor Day weekend). Since 1918, an “old-fashioned country fair” with arts and crafts, tractor pull, carnival, parade, roping and bull riding, livestock championships and auction, horse show, and exhibits. Virginia City International Camel Races Virginia City, NV (September). Fun-filled event featuring untrained camels mounted by novice riders, interspersed with ostrich races and the occasional zebra race. Specialty acts, food, and a camel parade. Rails to Trails Festival Susanville, CA (October). Family event celebrating the Rails to Trails conversion of the Bizz Johnson Trail. Music, chili cook-offs, handcar races and rides, caboose tours, and children’s activities. Mountain Mandarin Festival Auburn, CA (weekend before Thanksgiving). Mandarin orange recipe cooking contest, professional chef demonstrations, arts and crafts, music and dance, local vendors, and free children’s activities.
Bea r
Ba t k.
r ee k
C
A
Florin E
ck C
g
e
Pi t C EN IC BY B YW WA AY Y
AN I AS S
ow
ld
A
E
Sacramento
160
ic
TI
A
E
Lake Natoma
AY
Loon Lake
Victorian-era house museum, two-story stone winery, and barn.
C
The Great Ski Race Tahoe City, CA (early March). Celebrating Tahoe’s Nordic cultural heritage since 1977, this 30-kilometer (18.43-mile) race from Tahoe City to Truckee is also the main fund-raising event for the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team. Three Rivers Lions Team Roping Three Rivers, CA (April). Team roping competitions for all ages, calf branding competition, Sunday cowboy church service, steer championship, pig scramble, adult and kids barrel races, hearty breakfasts, and deep-pit BBQ. Chico Thursday Night Market Chico, CA (April to September). Street festival and certified farmers’ market featuring farm-fresh organic produce, local artwork, handmade crafts, special children’s activities, and music. Bishop Mule Days Celebration Bishop, CA (week before Memorial Day). More than 180 events featuring over 700 mules plus exhibitors, a concert, and parade. Determined to prove “anything a horse can do a mule can do better”— events include English jumping, team roping and penning, chariot racing, and the Packer’s Scramble. John Muir Route Celebration Mariposa County, CA (first Saturday in June). Celebrating the anniversary of the dedication of the 14-mile John Muir Historic Route, the family-friendly events include nature hikes along the footsteps of John Muir, eco-friendly activities, readings, bike tours, horseback rides, and arts and crafts. Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua Mono Lake, CA (June). Three-day birding festival with a wide variety of field trips, workshops, and presentations led by professional photographers, naturalists, and scientists.
r Am e
B
Contribute and Volunteer
SIERRA NEVADA
Pi
SC EN
MOD C VOLCAN O IC
r. C n
D
O
Festivals and Events
Events • Outdoor Adventures • Local Culture
Foresthill
Nielsburg
Nimbus Dam
West Sacramento
E
Carmichael E EMalby Crossing Rancho Cordova E Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park Arden Town E On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall went about an
E
E
S KE
A
C
Sierra Nevada
Michigan Bluff
BY
E
Reno
Lake
EColfax
I
V
FI
80
R
Stead
651
Tahoe Maritime Museum Tahoe CHIEF View more than 30 vessels, from an 1890s Rim Trail French Meadows steam launch to full-size, mahogany motor- Reservoir WILDERNESS 89 boats. Peruse the diverse collection of Homewood E vintage inboard and outboard engines. Hell Hole Reservoir E Tahoma Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park Tour the 1903 Hellman-Ehrman mansion, E Meeks Bay kayak the shoreline, or cross-country ski along trails used during the 1960 Winter Olympics. ROUTE 89–MONITOR PASS &
Cape Horn
Citrus Heights E Orangevale E E Folsom
E
O
395
Verdi E
D
E
CI
North Highlands
5
Baxter E
E
Pilot Hill
N
Rainbow Lodge
F
Peavine E
CE N
O
N
PA
Sacramento B CALIFORNIA
e
B
AM
5
ar
80
E Higgins Weimar Corner Lake Combie EApplegate Meadow E Vista
American River Inn The well-kept, romantic Victorian exterior—complete with two levels of wraparound porches—parallels the attention to detail inside, including English antiques, luxurious feather beds, and complimentary late afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres. Folsom Folsom Dam Lake Antelope E
NEVADA
Emigrant Gap E
NEVADA
Cold
Springs E
ON N
Jackson Meadows Reservoir
Cisco Grove E
Bernhard Museum Complex
Loomis
Lake Tahoe
O
CE NIC
Cr. len ul
AREA ENLARGED
I
DL A
M
1 inch = 8.6 miles 1 centimeter = 5.4 kilometers
T
PY R
N
25 Kilometers
A
I
20
S
15
25 Miles
A
10
20
B
5
15
R A E R S I
0
10
re
A
5
E
20
193 E Auburn E Cool E Greenwood
E Lincoln
O
Sutcliffe
Hallelujah Junction
Loyalton
Cr.
H
. y Cr le
Kentucky Mine Historic Park & Museum Copperfield E Sun Hear the thunderous drop of the 1,000-pound E ft Sattley E Valley E stamp mill and imagine the deafening clamor Yuba 6708 2045 m Black Springs Pass several mills working simultaneously during Sierraville E of the gold rush heyday. Tour the operation and 50 yards of the mining tunnel. Open from HUMBOLDT– D Memorial Day to Labor Day.
L
0
Home of the only remaining major manufacturer of ornamental handsculptured terra cotta in the country.
Hay p
TAHOE RIM TRAIL Should you choose to backpack your way around Lake Tahoe on this 164.8-mile-long trail, you’ll journey along ridgetops and pass through two states (California and Nevada), one state park, three national forests, and three wilderness areas. Day hikers might choose shorter jaunts from among eight trailheads, and mountain bikers should plan ahead—biking is only permitted on certain segments of the trail.
Nesting ground for American white pelicans, Caspian terns, great blue herons, and many more species. E
E
c
Lincoln Historic Downtown District
OREGON
T
O
Vinton E E Chilcoot
E
V
G
Scale 1:543,000
Reservoir E
Colfax Visit two renovated train depots, one which now houses the Colfax Heritage Museum, at this former transportation hub. Colfax served as a base for Chinese rail workers who built a precipitous track around Cape Horn, leading to the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. Mountain Mandarin Festival 65
Sierra City
Dutch E Run and Dutch Flat Ridge Flat Gold Well-preserved late 1800s towns at 174 Gold Run E the center of the region’s aggressive E hydraulic mining operations. Rollins Westville
E
49
39°
A
70
E
99
E
Alta E
E Chicago Alta Park Sierra
Empire Mine State Historic Park Descend deep into the entrance of California’s oldest and largest gold mine, view original mining equipment aboveground, and tour the owner’s impressive Tudor-style cottage and lush gardens. Beyond the grounds lie 845 backcountry acres with 12 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.
E
E
Creek
Late 1800s bed-and-breakfast-style lodge with granite walls, timber ceilings, artesian spring water, and a forested riverside setting.
Scotts Flat Reservoir
ECedar
E
Olivehurst
R
Linda
. N
er Cr. . De Fk
Bike Rides of Nevada County
Northstar Mine Powerhouse & Pelton Wheel Museum
Gold-mining artifacts, a working stamp mill, and a 30-foot-diameter Pelton wheel.
Marysville
E
E
e
y
Reno Junction E
40°N
Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge
Sierra Valley Abundant wildlife shares this pine-edged subalpine meadow with cattle ranches and farms that originally supported mid-1800s mining operations. Climb the steep Badenaugh Trail traveled by James P. Beckwourth, a pioneer emigrant, trailblazer, and fur trader; or follow the interpretive Cottonwood Creek Botanical Trail. Canoe the Feather River headwaters or visit certified-organic Sierra Valley Farms, with its on-site summertime Farmers Market.
E
YW
Yuba City
Smartville
ba
Yu
Haskell E
L. Spaulding Yuba Pass E
BYWAY
C ENI
ER NN
Nevada ECity Grass ValleyE Boston Ravine E
8587 ft 2617 m
A
N
E
D ry V a
49
L
20
20
O YUBA–D
Washington
Peak
Red Rock
E
Spenceville Wildlife Area Wander about the lush grasses, oak tree groves, and rolling hills of this California Watchable Wildlife site. You might spot a bald eagle or willow flycatcher, both California endangered species, or any of the other 175-plus bird species and 42 mammal species documented here. E
Sou th Yuba
49
Clio
Donner Summit 20-Mile Museum You won’t find any walls at this “museum.” Instead, drive along Old Highway 40 and stop at dozens of interpretive signs that reveal wagon train routes, Native American sites, the first transcontinental railroad, and other relics of history. Fordyce Lake E
E
B IC
Nevada City By day the photographic neighborhoods and historic district, once frequented by Mark Twain and President Herbert Hoover, invite you into charming shops, art galleries, and inns. Come evening you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife at a wine tasting room or with live music over dinner.
l
E
R
Indian Reservation National Forest National Park or Monument Wilderness National Scenic Byway Other Scenic Byway National Wild and Scenic River Trail Festival or Event Historic Site Museum Natural or Scenic Area Other Point of Interest Outdoor Recreation Scheduled Air Service Visitor Center
Oak
E
E
Adams 8197 ft K 2498 m
PACIFIC C
North Bloomfield
E
Omira
S ER
ELive
Oregon House
North San Juan
70
Blairsden E
Sierra Buttes K
Sierra Shangri-La Resort
T
Lake
Scotts
E
89
49
Goodyears Bar
Mid d l e
Dobbins E
EDoyle
L
AIL
Gridley
E
Pyramid
T
NI
99
BIKE RIDES OF NEVADA COUNTY Whether you prefer wooded, single-track trails or long stretches of smooth asphalt you’ll find routes that suit your preference. Mountain bikers can traverse through lush forests or pump through remote river canyons. Road riders can follow the route of the annual Nevada City Bicycle Classic, previously raced by Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong.
Plumas Eureka Graeagle
E
E
New Bullards Bar Reservoir ba
Bangor E
395
Beckwourth E
Calpine
North Yuba Trail Hike or bike year-round on this well-maintained, forested canyon trail that follows the north fork of the Yuba River.
Rackerby E
S
N
Map Key
70
N.
E
Portola
Bassetts E
ba Yu
R
eek
Downieville
Clipper Mills Oak Valley E
i n s
R E S E R VA T I O N
E
AY E
Downieville Classic
E
O
E
E
Strawberry Valley
a
SC
Palermo E
Challenge E Brownsville E
Cr
n
F
Cromberg
E
Visit www.sierranevadageotourism.org to connect with the residents and more than 1,500 of their favorite art and cultural events, historic sites, timeless towns, local shops, and outdoor explorations.
e F
t
Frenchman Lake
NA ST RE
Thermalito Afterbay
E
Sloat
T
C
E
n
Calneva E
Herlong E
Herlong Junction E
Constantia
A
Hurleton
North Star
u
ss
Copyright © 2012 National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
. Fk
Forbestown E
EOroville
Thermalito E
162
S.
AEFEA LE
H
Lake Oroville
E
at Sl
o
B YU
162
122°
Text by Laura Read, author; Tom Miller, editor. Map notes by Angela Burnford.
Feather Falls
Corner
Thermalito Diversion Pool Thermalito Forebay
Sm o k
EWicks
N
ft K7715 2352 m
E
Little Grass Valley E La Porte
l
Milford E
M
Lake Davis
Garden
Little Grass Valley
Downieville Examine historical artifacts, portraits, and documents at the Downieville Museum; stand before the Sierra County Sheriff’s Gallows, used only once, in 1885; or catch a production at the Yuba Theatre, the smallest venue of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.
E
O
Reservoir E
l Fa
d
The Island
L
149
D
F dd l e
Stacy
n
E
A
tle
I
Gibsonville
8372 ft 2552 m
Spring E
PYRAMID LAKE
E
R
45
Lead project partners include Sierra Business Council, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and National Geographic Maps. We gratefully acknowledge funding and support for this map from Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Federal Highways Administration, United States Forest Service, Morgan Family Foundation, Northern Sierra Partnership, and the Sierra Nevada Geocouncils, numerous community organizations, and counties throughout the Sierra Nevada.
RR HE AT FE
.
F
Mt. Ingalls K
R
Durham E
Berry Creek
r he
o
.
MOUNTAIN BIKER, EMPIRE MINE STATE HISTORIC PARK JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Butte Valley E
I
S
W
70
191
Mountain House E
T
A
T
National Geographic and the residents of California and Nevada are proud to share this Geotourism MapGuide with you to experience our timeless local culture steeped in tradition, sustained by the land.
E
m
CALIFORNIA Massack
Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin Recreation Area Exposed, craggy peaks and forested mountainsides flank glacial lakes, streams, and hills in one of the region’s most scenic backcountry recreation areas. In summer months you can fish and swim, or bike and hike hundreds of miles of trails. Winter months are perfect for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even sledding.
E
Buckeye
A
M
Junction
70 89
E
U
BY
32
The Sierra Nevada foothills and mountain range offer world-class opportunities for recreation, exploration of gold rush and Native American history, indulgence in local cuisine and culture, and self-discovery inspired by striking scenic beauty.
Paradise E
Chico Thursday Night Market EChico
Four Trees E Pulga
E
N
Lake
Letter Box E Palmetto
a
Honey Lake
Western Pacific Railroad Museum At this 36-acre working historic railroad facility you can climb aboard the world’s largest diesel locomotive and sit in the engineer’s seat, wander through vintage passenger cars, ride in a caboose, or even take the throttle and commandeer a real ed locomotive yourself. Cl ov er Cr.
NI C CE RS
Magalia
32
Feather River Scenic Byway
Bucks E
E
i
IV E
Richardson Springs
Bucks Lake
EQuincy
Quincy
E
L
R
E
P
Spanish Cr.
Meadow Valley
Eagle Mt.
D
RR HE
e re
nch Feather W . Bra
C R o ck
Five Corners E E Rag Dump Cresta E
E
LAKE
E
EBuntingville KThompson Peak
Taylorsville E
BUCKS
7183 ft K WILDERNESS 2189 m Bald
E
E
E
DeSabla
Crescent Mills Moccasin E Indian Falls E Paxton E Twain E E Keddie E Virgilia
O
Forest Ranch
E
Belden
70
Storrie Rock Creek E Merlin E
E Lovelock
Rich Bar
E
Tobin Stirling
E
E
M
Pi n
French Bar E
E
ECity
r he E eat F
.F N
Philbrook Res.
E
Greenville
Caribou
E
Inskip Cohasset
99
Butte Meadows
E
E
ng e r Si
ek re eC
NI SCE C TRAIL
D ee r
Butt Valley Reservoir
L ON A TI
5
Canyondam
A
7795 ft 2376 m
Plumas County Museum At the Plumas County Museum you can view mining and logging artifacts, tour a fully restored 1878 pioneer home, and admire handwoven Native American Mountain Maidu baskets. Learn about local Chinese families and African American explorer James P. Beckwourth, who discovered a pass over the crest of the Sierra Nevada in 1851.
E
N
40°N
Transfer Jonesville E
E
Soda Springs E
k ee But t Cr
FIC
HIKING ALONG THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL SCPHOTOS / ALAMY
Honey Lake Wildlife Area
Cr
CI
Standish
7680 ft
2341 m K Hot Springs Peak Wendel E Skedaddle Mts.
E
Janesville E
147
Almanor
Su sa n
E
395
Litchfield E
Wetlands habitat for migrating cranes, geese, and swans.
E
Almanor E E Prattville
ST CRE
Campbellville
PA
32
Fredonyer Pass
E Clear Creek E Clear Westwood Mountain Junction Creek E Meadows Res. Hamilton Branch Lake
89
Rustic and tranquil bed-and-breakfast with a restaurant and tavern.
ek Ishi Wilderness Mill Cr e Harsh and remote river canyons, unusual volcanic formations, and abundant wildlife ISHI characterize these dramatic environs in which camping is primitive, hiking strenuous, and solitude plentiful. This wild and unusual ek landscape was named for Ishi, the last of the Cre Native American Yahi people, who mysteriously Dry WILDERNESS g walked out of the woods in 1911. Bi
36
E
Round Deer Creek E Valley ESt. Bernard Lodge
ek re C
Lomo
FEATHER RIVER SCENIC BYWAY Since 1906, railroads have carried freight and passengers through the Feather River Canyon, over the crest of the Sierra Nevada, into the expansive Sierra Valley, and further east. Follow the scenic byway as it parallels the train tracks, crossing trestles and weaving through tunnels. Pause for local flavor in the historic hamlets of Belden, Twain, Quincy, and Portola.
Chester
Leavitt Lake
n
pe
E Mountain
5771 ft 1759 m
EJohnstonville
I
Red Bluff E
lo
Fire
89
Rails to Trails Festival
a di In
A nte
Mill Creek
6893 ft House Turner Mt. K 2101 m
ee
36
36
PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL Whether you thru-hike this Mexico-to-Canada trail or backpack a shorter segment, you’ll encounter the diverse, ever shifting ecosystems of the Sierra Nevada crest. On foot you have ample time to take in the Joshua trees, 14,000-foot summits, giant sequoias, and alpine lakes. In lower elevations, bobcats and deer wander wetlands and meadows. Thousands of feet higher, the arid and wintry climate limits vegetation mostly to scrub and grasses but provides habitat for marmots and endangered bighorn sheep.
Viewland
S
E
Smoke Creek Reservoir
E
Susanville E
Junction Lasco
L
E EShake
Westwood E
Lake Almanor With summer surface temperatures around 75 degrees, Lake Almanor is a popular destination Robbers for kayaking, fishing, sailing, and other water ECreek sports. Dock and camp on the shores and hike the Lake Almanor Recreation Trail through the conifer forests around the lake.
Mineral E
k ee Cr s Pa y n e
Lake LEagle Summit
6340 ft 1932 m
ek
Susanville Railroad Depot Built by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1927, the Susanville depot houses a railroad museum that displays photoD graphs and artifacts from passenger and logging trails p that once came through here. The depot also serves as Cr . the trailhead for the Bizz Johnson Trail, a well-maintained rail trail for cyclists, hikers, and equestrians that passes over trestle bridges and through tunnels as it follows along the scenic Susan River.
McCoy Flat Res.
Cr.
Paynes Creek
CE NIC BY YW WA AY Y
C re
E
r
89
W il l
E
YS
CB
F O R E S T
(closed in winter)
Dales E
5
Drakesbad
O
e
reek ttle C Ba
Popular ten-mile backpacking trail, with a shorter day hike to Echo Lake. WILDERNESS WILDERNESS NATIONAL PARK E
rn
Taste award-winning wines harvested from nutrient-rich volcanic soil.
NI
CARIBOU LASSEN VOLCANIC Cluster Lakes Loop Trail
K
Wa
Manton
Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center
LASSEN VOLCANIC
Eagle Lake Resort
. Cr et
Lassen Peak
Digger Creek Ringtail Vineyards
N. F E
FEATHER RIVER MICHAEL HALBERSTADT / ALAMY
3187 m
e
cr
EAnderson
r.
7964 ft 2427 m
Se
Shingletown
eC tl
Lake
es C r . Pet
. Bear C r E
Butte Lake
Summertown E E Manzanita E Lake Viola 10457 ft
Eagle
ELodgepole
N A T I O N A L
L
Tract
U
44
7420 ft
2262 m Crater Mt. K
44
HIKING THE PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL SCPHOTOS / ALAMY
Observation Peak K
A
C
S.
C
AY RY BY W UNT
Ravendale
r. C ow
LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK While this lesser known national park can boast of abundant recreation, jaw-dropping vistas, and more than 40 feet of snow per year, Lassen is best known for volcanic activity. Be sure to see Bumpass Hell, a 16-acre, steaming, odorous basin; 125-degree Boiling Springs Lake; and the Devil’s Kitchen fumaroles.
44 89
L VO
R
BUCKHORN BACK C O
E
O
wC Co . Cr
Hat Creek Rim Overlook
Bird’s-eye view of the volcanic Hat Creek Valley floor and Lassen Peak, Mt. Shasta, Crater Peak, Burney Mountain, and Magee Peak.
YS AC EG C ENI CL SC N E
r.
Cl
T
.
Cr
ft Slate Mt. K7136 2175 m
AC EG E IC L SC AN LC ASSEN L VO
ERedding
er ov
E
a d 395 e l Termo E i n e P l a i n s
E Hat Creek Valley Eagle Lake Around 20,000 years ago the earth’s crust Basaltic lava flows, sagebrush hills, and pine and fir fractured, discharging molten lava that spread forests characterize the high semiarid plateau that across the valley floor and eventually hardened. surrounds the second largest natural freshwater lake Rivers of lava continued to flow underground until in California. Native Eagle Lake trout, once believed they themselves drained away, leaving tube-like Stones extinct, now thrive in the highly alkaline water, creating caves. Follow the nature trail across the rocky top E Landing a feast for osprey, western and eared grebes, American crust aboveground or explore nearby Subway Cave, white pelicans, great blue herons, and bald eagles. a nearly half-mile-long lava tube. K ft ee Fredonyer Peak 7943 Cr k 2421 m e Horse Lake Spalding E
Halls Flat E
Old StationE
Thousand Lakes Wilderness Crater Peak 8677 ft 2645 m Among the seven major lakes and numerous ponds throughout the wilderness, you can hike more than 20 miles of trails, fish at Eiler Lake, or camp under the canopy of old-growth pines.
Moran
M
139
L A S S E N K
u
Bald Mountain
G
A
ee k Cr
E
McDonald Peak K 7931 ft 2417 m
K
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail
. Cr
w Co C r .
Ha t
7863 ft
K Burney 2397 m Mountain Hat Creek
EIngot
kR Oa
EBrockman
Jellico E
Mountain
41° Dodge Reservoir
. Cr
Creek B urne y
e Litt l
Corner
Duck Lake
Spooner Reservoir
L
e
Little Valley E Willow Springs E
Boot Lake
E EMadeline
Silva Flat Res.
6067 ft 1849 m
Moon Lake
Pinnio
Fort Crook Museum Try your hand at crafting metal using a forge, anvil, and other blacksmithing tools at the big round barn in the historic town of Fall River Mills.
E Dixie
or s
Hen
P
Fly-fish to your heart’s content in the spring-fed rivers and creeks near this B historic hotel.
H
Burney
Hillcrest E
Cr k ee
Fall River Hotel
C r. ver ea
Pit
E Doyles
E
ow
Tu l
V
ns
Inter-Mountain Fair
Sage E
Lava Rock Ranch View local artist Kay Minto’s unique and nationally acclaimed sculptures of welded aluminum, bronze, and native lava rock.
E
ed
ai
Pit River
E
E
E Cassel
E Wengler
Pit
nt
Primitive camping near a stunning 129-foot waterfall.
Pittville E
Parsnip Springs
. dar C r Ce
ou
McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park
Nubieber E
2740 m
reek
a
M
Fall River Mills E Four Corners
7376 ft 2248 m
Wi ll
Lower Lake
Eas Emerson Peak K t Cr. 8989 ft
West Valley Reservoir
Likely Mountain K
EBieber
Eagleville E
9892 ft 3015 m
re M ill C
Adin E
k
9710 ft 2960 m
Eagle Peak K
ee
Cr
h As
Warren Peak K
A
y e
Lookout
299
Glenburn E E McArthur
E Bayley
l
E
Lake
FOREST
Likely E
l
e
Big Lake Horr Pond
ek
E McArthur
E
Widow Mt. K
89
1949 m
A hiker reclines on a stony ridge separating Lake Tahoe from the Great Basin terrain of Nevada. To the east lies a sagebrush desert, its soil so dry in places that occasional wind gusts whip the dust a half-mile high into the air. To the west the snowcapped Sierra crest shimmers, folded and scoured by heat and ice. Below is Lake Tahoe, its cobalt blue hue reflecting the sky. Monstrous peaks, cascading rivers, glacier-carved cirques— the Sierra Nevada’s endless landforms are playgrounds for adventure. The mountain range hosts the oldest living plant on Earth, the bristlecone pine, and grows the largest living organism on earth, the giant sequoia tree. It has some of the world’s clearest alpine lakes and one of the nation’s saltiest lakes. It contains an astonishingly large geologic form called a batholith, a seam of continuous granite 6 miles deep and 25,000 square miles at the surface, featuring one of the nation’s tallest peaks, Mt. Whitney. It also hides one of the Earth’s most important metals, gold. Challenged by such extremes, adventurers find ways to test their grit in the Sierra by kayaking thunderous rivers or hiking along the 1,072-mile Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Some explore the Sierra High Route at 10,000 feet, while others land wild trout or ski backcountry bowls. Some become heroes: “Snowshoe Thompson” delivered mail to mountain hamlets on handmade wooden skis; Norman Clyde and Clarence King scaled 14,000-foot peaks and inspired a new breed of mountaineers. The Sierra landscape fires the imaginations of explorers both young and old, galvanizing ambitions and igniting dreams.
Alkali
y
Lookout Junction
6321 ft 1927 m
Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway
n e Cre
e
Egg Lake
y
ar Be C
Dorris Reservoir
l
ll
EPondosa
NIC BY E WAY
r.
Obie
Va
Middle
MODOC N.W.R.
l
Horse
JnR Hotel
a
A
SC E
SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL E FOREST L. Britton Big Bend
ERound
Willow Creek Ranch Visit one of the world’s largest producers of ranch-raised, organic caviar. Tour the naturally spring-fed ponds used to raise white sturgeon, an ancient freshwater fish, for the production of caviar on a homestead dating back to 1871.
C
AN
CY
5536 ft 1687 m
5
T
E
Whitehorse Flat Reservoir
Bi Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park Accessible only by boat, this serene wilderness g of natural springs and lava flows is ideal for fishing, bird-watching, and nature photography.
C VOL I C LE EG
Curtis
EMontgomery
S
E
V
White E
Cedarville
N AT I O N A L
Happy Trails Studio Artist Zelma Allan uses color and detail to capture authentic, human moments and broad landscapes of the Old West. View paintings, mosaics, jewelry, and more. S. Fork Pit
Demuth
E
Outdoor Adventures
299
e
California Pines
R
Lake City
8270 ft 2521 m
E
O
E
Bald Mt. K
395
Pi
E
F
Hambone
Bald Mt. K
BUMPASS HELL, LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK NPS PHOTO
299
O
Bartle
Daphnedale Park Alturas E E Juniper
EAmbrose
E
Fox Mt. K 6394 ft
E
122°
L
Canby
Scarface
FOREST
41°
139
A
E
N AET I O N A L
VOLCANIC LEGACY SCENIC BYWAY From the steaming vents of California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park to Oregon’s Crater Lake, evidence of violent subterranean forces—lava tubes, black volcanic rock, and magnificent Mt. Shasta—reveal themselves along 500 miles of roadway. Glacierand spring-fed rivers plunge over basalt cliffs as at Burney Falls, considered by many to be the most beautiful waterfall in California.
N
Carter Reservoir Wild Horse Herd
Bring your own horse for a guided, high-desert ride through wild mustang territory.
s
4839 ft 1475 m
Slagger E
O
Mud Lake
SHASTA-TRINITY
On cold spring nights, halos of translucent ice freeze around midstream boulders. As the sun rises, the circles of ice start to melt, but not before a cross-country skier crouches streamside to admire the clear fragile shards. In an hour the ice halos will be gone. For all of the Sierra Nevada’s grandeur—the granite formations, the broad meadows, the glittering lakes—there are many small and fleeting pleasures. Being in solitude, being quiet, being at ease in nature—in all of these situations a person can find renewal. When President Theodore Roosevelt visited Yosemite National Park in 1903, he celebrated the joys of nature, exclaiming, “This has been the grandest day of my life.” Roosevelt’s friend, the naturalist-conservationist John Muir, explained his own relationship with wilderness this way: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” In the Sierra, the excitement of beauty is everywhere: a hiker in a sheltered streambed notices flowers that seem to float in shadows like crimson stars; a motorist pausing at a Kings Canyon National Park viewpoint is moved to tears by a panorama of granite cliffs; and a kayaker paddling next to a white tufa tower touches the stone’s chalky surface with her thumb and licks the strange, bitter salt from her skin. Impressions of magnificence endure.
I
D
Natural Beauty
A T
EHollenbeck
Deep Crater K
Raker and Thomas Reservoirs
of the region’s first pioneers.
E
120°
i
BURNEY FALLS GABBRO / ALAMY
N
C
O
Hackamore Medicine Lake Highlands Explore dozens of lava tube caves along a broad shield volcano, used as an underground ice skating business in the early 20th century.
O
Big Sage Modoc National Wildlife Refuge Reservoir Chimney Rock Bring your binoculars for a look at migratory Historical Monument waterfowl that nest and feed amid these Remains of the residence of one wetlands and meadows.
Medicine L.
Y BYWA IC
D
MODOC
N
E Meares
ft Timber Mt. 5086 1550 m
7622 ft 2323 m Mountain K
O
E
Upper Lake
r
Tionesta K
M
E
M
N AT I O N A L
Perez
E
Davis Creek E
p
Ainshea Butte
K L A M AT H
Surprise Valley Hot Springs Located upon one of the valley’s many geothermal springs, this resort-style getaway channels hot artesian water into private mineral baths found in each suite or villa. Lounge in a therapeutic tub while stargazing at a dark sky unencumbered by big city lights.
Bidwell
u
Visitor Center
Fort E
r
Captain Jack’s Stronghold Follow the interpretive trails through an ancient lava flow where Modoc leader Captain Jack and a small band of tribe members used a maze of natural trenches up to 26 feet deep as a final holdout against U.S. forces in 1873.
E
Lava flows, canyons, farmland, and vestiges of routes trod by early settlers and gold miners.
Cow Head Lake
S
1701 m Double Head Mt. K
r.
Mammoth
5582 ft
Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway
1753 m
r. C
LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT O
E
8290 ft 2527 m
nC s se
FOREST
a
K
Blue Mt. 5750 ft l es Bo
Cornell
LAVA BEDS WILDERNESS
Lake L
Kandra
Mt. Bidwell K
r. ll C dwe Bi
.
E
NATIONAL
Fk
S SCENIC BYWAY RANT TRAIL IG
MODOC
CLEAR LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
EM
Goose
Obsidian Mines Visit any of four obsidian mines—Pink Lady, Lassen Creek Rainbow, Obsidian Needles, and Middle Fork Davis Creek—and take in the startling colors and shapes of this dense, glass-like lava rock. With the proper permit you can even excavate some yourself.
W il l o
Clear Lake Reservoir
E Copic
ELiskey
N.
1671 m
ENewell
NATIONAL WILDLIFE
st
Lake TULE LAKE REFUGE
Lo
K
Carr Butte 5482 ft
w
Tulelake E
E EDalton Tuber E Tule Homestead EStronghold
Glass
42°
Renner Lake
139
WWII VALOR IN THE PACIFIC N.M.
FOREST
NATIONAL FOREST
T
Hatfield
FREMONT-WINEMA
L
42° Kalina
E
121° of Greenwich
S
Longitude West
CLIMBING THE NORTHEAST RIDGE OF BEAR CREEK SPIRE JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
SIERRA BUTTES AND LOWER SARDINE LAKE RICH REID
121°
TS P EBBET
A
DESOLATION WILDERNESS Nearly 64,000 acres (100 square miles) of glacially carved wilderness straddle Lake Tahoe and the El Dorado National Forest, encompassing barren granite peaks, more than 130 lakes, and expansive meadows. The wetlands and landscapes of this protected area support habitat critical to many rare plant and animal species. With good reason, Desolation Wilderness attracts seekers of backcountry solitude, scientific study, and primitive recreation.
DANCER AT MIWOK TRIBE POWWOW CHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM
DINNER IN THE BARN, SIERRA VALLEY FARMS LETINA VANETTI
Mountain Life
T
INDIAN GRINDING ROCK STATE HISTORIC PARK Upon the 173-foot slab of marbleized limestone at this park the Miwok people once ground acorns and other seeds, leaving behind 1,185 mortar holes visible today. Encounter Miwok culture amidst the reconstructed village, which includes bark houses and a ceremonial roundhouse. The Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum presents artifacts such as basketry, arrow points, and tools, and the many religious ceremonies held by local Native Americans throughout the year bring this culture to life.
he Sierra Nevada has long been a place of drama and aspiration. For centuries, the rugged landscape provided sustenance for the region’s Native Americans and mountain communities. In the 19th century, however, lives were changed forever by fortune seekers arriving from around the world in search of gold. The evolution continued in the early 20th century as farmers from Japan and Europe discovered how well fruit grew in the Sierra soil, and established orchards. Later, World War II veterans founded some of the country’s first ski resorts. Ever since then, entrepreneurs, nature lovers, and explorers have made lasting impressions on the range. On Main Street or in the backcountry, it is easy to meet the people of the Sierra, whether they play piano at a historic hotel or lead tours through limestone caverns. Some sell vintage bottles in the town of Murphys or hold traditional powwows on the Modoc Plateau; others build hiking and mountain
biking trails around Lake Tahoe, enjoy regional cuisine in a Sierra Valley barn, or strum the standup bass in Three Rivers. A community’s livelihood is often born of the land. In the western foothills, a farming family grows persimmons on a parcel their immigrant grandfather scrimped to buy a century ago. Every autumn the family hand-massages and dries the orange-colored fruit in order to make the traditional Japanese delicacy called hoshigaki. In the central and southern foothills, vintners grow wine grapes on old cattle ranch lands. In the town of Springville, ranchers protect historical sites, host green weddings, and promote outdoor education exercises that expand the mind. Caretakers, curators, and sometimes curiosities themselves—Sierra Nevada residents welcome visitors to share in the future of the remarkable “Range of Light.” —Laura Read, author, Tahoe City, CA
Six photography students are up before dawn, their tripods planted firmly in the Sierra dirt, their lenses trained on an array of peaks and ridges they cannot yet see. Their teacher explains that with the earliest slip of light, the sky will flush indigo blue and the still-black mountains will sharpen in relief. As every second passes, the sun’s illumination will change, and so will the students’ perceptions. The Sierra reveals much to people who actively engage with its landscape and traditions. Some activities honor craft and technology, such as basket weaving taught by a Yosemite Miwok, or gold panning demonstrated by a northern foothills miner. Others, including naturalist-guided walks and interpretive center events, reveal natural wonders, such as how a red snow plant bursts through hard soil into sunshine in spring, or how every October, kokanee salmon squirm upstream to lay eggs. From birding festivals at Kern River Valley to river restoration programs such as the annual Great Sierra River Cleanup, group gatherings reflect the diversity of the Sierra’s inhabitants. One annual event commemorates America’s first downhill ski races organized by gold miners, another challenges the indomitable skills of loggers, while other fairs celebrate animals, including mules in Bishop, jumping frogs in Calaveras, and camels in Virginia City, Nevada. Participants not only make new friends, but also discover new worlds.
BODIE STATE HISTORIC PARK JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
BODIE STATE HISTORIC PARK Tales of saloons, gunfights, and lawlessness bring to life the heyday of this former 1800s gold mining boomtown, now a deserted ghost town. Bodie draws you down its dusty, abandoned streets and into homes, the school, and other buildings where time-worn furnishings and interiors remain as they were when the last resident left.
MOSQUITO LAKE, EBBETTS PASS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY STEVE SHUEY / ALAMY
39°
Changing Landscapes
120°W
L
th C
o
a
r.
McG
K in
k.
Cr .
Hor ton
r.
eC n
is
.F k. d
TU LE R I V ER R ESER VA TIO N
Local dining favorite where the in-house butcher hand cuts every steak to order. EFairview
WILDERNESS rn
155
Alta Sierra
EOnyx
Audubon Kern River Preserve
Isabella Lake
KIAVAH SEQUOIA
Weldon Bella Vista E
E
Isabella Lake Dam
8452 ft
Walker Pass
Indian Wells
5245 ft 1599 m
A
C
E
A
N
Miracle Hot Springs
178
Armistead
SEQUOIA
Democrat Hot Springs
Havilah
BRIGHT STAR WILDERNESS
E
NATIONAL
ESageland
FOREST K
E
14
EL PASO MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS
8437 ft
Piute Peak 2572 m Audubon Kelso Creek Sanctuary One hundred fifty-six acres of riparian forest, desert scrub, and Joshua tree woodlands lie on a major migratory corridor for songbirds, raptors, and bats.
E
P iu te M
Alameda
119° O
20 20
1 inch = 8.6 miles 1 centimeter = 5.4 kilometers
25 Miles
25 Kilometers
RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARK Eroded cliffs, buttes, and rock formations rise from the desert landscape in striations of red, brown, and gray, often used as landmarks for weary pioneers and miners in the late 1800s. Camp at the foot of a magnificent sandstone ridge, hike along miles of trails, or take a guided nature hike in the spring when wildflowers are ablaze with color.
Lamont E ERowen
184
Arvin
E
Walong Marcel E
Rancho Seco
E
E
6244 ft 1903 m
E
Bear Valley Springs
Cinco
Sugarloaf Mt. K
E Keene EWoodford
223
Cantil E
E ECable
Tehachapi Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park Open by tour only, Tomo-Khani is the ancestral home of the Kawaiisu people who resided here for around 1,500 years. On the moderately strenuous three-hour hike you’ll encounter ancient cave paintings, grinding holes, and other remnants of this hunter-gatherer culture.
E
EMonolith
14 3793 ft 1156 m
58
118°
Tehachapi Pass
Chaffee
California City E
E EMojave
58
THEODORE ROOSEVELT AND JOHN MUIR ON GLACIER POINT, YOSEMITE VALLEY, 1903 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
E
Caliente
Loraine E ETwin Oaks E Millersville
IL NIC T RA SCE AL
Greenfield
nte Cree li e k Ca
ai
E
E
ION T NAT s ES n
204
G
nt
58
CR
ou
Bena E
RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARK JACK GOLDFARB / DESIGN PICS / CORBIS
Red Rock Canyon State Park
C PA C IFI
184
—John Muir
John Muir and climbers Clarence R. King and Freeman Junction E Norman Clyde dedicated their lives to exploring
WILDERNESS
y
D
Isabella EBodfish
178
NATIONAL FOREST
ELake
G E Bakersfield
15 15
Heights
K
Peak 2576 m
lle
A
O
10
“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.” E
Va
V
C
5
Canebrake Owens
E
E
Cre e k
John Muir
WILDERNESS
Canebrake Ecological Reserve
E
E
Oildale
WILDERNESS
Sunday Peak
Kernville E
Lake
CHIMNEY PEAK
OWENS PEAK
E Wofford
n
E Little
WILDERNESS
ACK COU KB N T RY BYW A
8295 ft K2528 m
4085 ft 1245 m
er K
EY PEA
F O R E S T
Pine Mountain K
Po s o
TRAIL
lls
E
FI
65
F k . Ke rn
McNally's Fairview Lodge
Flat
36°
DOMELAND
Johnsondale
Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural Center The Cultural Center’s museum, gathering place, and multiacre gardens feature native plants, artifacts, handmade crafts, and wares from Native American tribes such as the Shoshine Paiute, Tubatulabal, and Kawaiisu.
N
CI
0
395
We
EMcFarland
10
E Dunmovin
ian
155
ALABAMA HILLS Millennia of rain, snow, and windblown sand sculpted these distinctive hills of granite, out of which rise impressive arches such as Alabama Hills’ Mobius Arch. If you notice a familiar quality to the landscape it may be with good reason. The contoured formations have served as the backdrop for hundreds of Hollywood films, from Gunga Din and The Lone Ranger to Gladiator and Iron Man.
E
Ind
99
S. Haiwee Reservoir
Haiwee
SACATAR
L
R A E R S I
PA
5
SIERRA WILDERNESS
CHIM N
EPine
Kernville Examine objects depicting thousands of years of local history—including fossils and Native American artifacts—at the Kern Valley Museum. Honor the legacy of the region’s earliest settlers with a walk through the timeworn Old Kernville Historic Cemetery. Browse downtown art galleries and shops, watch kayakers and anglers on the Kern River, and get to know some locals at the Kern River Brewing Company.
Scale 1:543,000 0
N. Haiwee Reservoir
SOUTH
E
Woody
Indian Reservation National Forest National Park or Monument Wilderness National Scenic Byway Other Scenic Byway National Wild and Scenic River Trail Festival or Event Historic Site Museum Natural or Scenic Area Other Point of Interest Outdoor Recreation Scheduled Air Service Visitor Center
WILDERNESS
Ke
California Hot Springs E
COSO RANGE
EOlancha
Olancha Peak K 3695 m
Sherman Peak K
E
D E S E R T
N A T I O N A L
S.
K ERN CANAL AN TK
65
190
Cartago E
N A T I O N A L
Trail of 100 Giants
Lake Tahoe
Map Key
GOLDEN TROUT
Cannell Trail ECamp Nelson For hard-core mountain bikers, this 23.7-mile trail is considered one of Southern California’s most The Needles Kthrilling rides. The route (mostly single-track) starts 8245 ft in the thin air at 9,200 feet, climbs an additional 2513 m 1,900-or-so vertical feet, and rewards you with le jaw-dropping views and an overall 9,000-vertical-foot u T descent down to the Kern River.
Walk the 1.3-mile paved interpretive trail through Long Meadow Grove and marvel at the giant sequoias, the largest which has a 20-foot diameter and stands 220 feet tall.
NEVADA
AUDUBON KERN RIVER PRESERVE One of the country’s first ten sites to receive “Globally Important Bird Area” recognition, this natural preserve on the South Fork Kern River contains freshwater wetlands and cottonwood-willow riparian forests that provide habitat for rare and/or protected bird species— such as bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and southwestern willow flycatcher—and 200 species of nesters.
I N Y O
WILDERNESS
S
Glennville E
Sacramento B CALIFORNIA
Lake
9909 ft 3020 m
FR I
ek re
BIG PINE CAN AL
C r.
Kaw a h e
Success Dam
VIEW OF LONE PINE PEAK THROUGH MOBIUS ARCH JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
Y
BULLOCK’S ORIOLE PERCHING IN COTTONWOOD TREE, AUDUBON KERN RIVER PRESERVE WILLIAM LEAMAN / ALAMY
EDelano
ACKERSON MEADOW, NEAR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM
i n gs
8) R
n gs
36°
Earlimart
AREA ENLARGED
K
n
ui
a
R IT
ug hC r.
Ro
k.
Fr es
nter)
N. F
w
. . Fk Wil l
C r.
Be
Cho
ed
Fk.
Jo
ke Din C r.
gs
ROU TE 14
R
s
e r ced
k
N
y Cr
( closed in wi
A
TI
.
East Porterville
UNTRYBYWAY K CO BAC
E
RO A D
E
E
OREGON
190
Tul e
Porterville
Culture and Heritage
le
. Tule Fk
Keeler E
EBartlett Mt. Whitney At the south end of the John Muir Trail rises Owens Mt. Whitney, an ultimate quest for hikers and climbers. At 14,494 feet it is the highest peak in the contiguous United States.
S E Q U O I A
Lake Success
190
er C De
Mid
E
Swansea
F O R E S T
N
Working cattle ranch and nature preserve.
Dolomite E
Mt. Langley
le Tu
River Ridge Ranch
Springville
Lone Pine Peak
12123 ft
10042 ft
Maggie Mt. K 3061 m
E
Y ALLE
GEOTOURISM
A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATION
w ea h
Exeter
Tu le
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK After you climb the quarter-mile staircase to the exposed summit of Moro Rock and behold the Sierra Nevada and forested canyons, it becomes clear how this became California’s first national park. The Giant Forest Museum familiarizes you with the towering sequoias and verdant meadows before you venture out among the trees, the tallest of which are the height of the average 26-story building. Wuksachi Village and Lodge, an upscale mountain resort, invites you to rest and relax in luxury.
3789 m
136
3945 m K
K
E
Milo
12944 ft
Whitney
Mt. Kaweah
Mt. Florence 12432 ft
E
Y
Fk. K a
EV LIN
Pencil drawings and oil paintings of the southern Sierra Nevada by Jana Botkin. Studio open by appointment only.
Lone Pine Portal
E
Cabinart
E Whitney
W I L D E R N E S S Manzanar National Historic Site During World War II, more than 10,000 Japanese Americans were interred at a military-style camp here at the base of the Sierra Nevada. Help preserve their memory by touring the remnants of building foundations and the camp cemetery, and take some time to view exhibits in the interpretive center. E
Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History
14042 ft 4280 m K
Flourishing mountain community with minimal modernization, and a national Cultural Landscape District.
JOHN KREBS WILDERNESS
S.
65
Alabama Hills 14494 ft 4418 m K
M O U N TA I N S
E
L
SIERRA NEVADA
14375 ft 4382 m
Mineral King
Rivers
Owenyo
Mt. Williamson K
NATIONAL PARK
Three Rivers Lions Team Roping
395
13160 ft 4011 m
INYO
ns Owe
137
ft K13802 4207 m
Lemoncove
Dry Creek Preserve This unique nature preserve sits on 152 acres of reclaimed mining land on which local conservationists and community members restored sycamore woodlands, native grasses, and habitat for native and migratory bird species.
Tulare E
e Cr
e dd l High Sierra Trail Mi Ascend from river canyons to high alpine lakes to the summit of Mt. Whitney on this 70-mile classic trek.
BLUE RIDGE N.W.R.
Visit www.sierranevadageotourism.org to connect with the residents and more than 1,500 of their favorite art and cultural events, historic sites, timeless towns, local shops, and outdoor explorations.
SEQUOIA
Mountains
Exhibits, events, and book titles covering Sierra Nevada history from the dinosaurs through Native Americans, pioneers, and famous mountaineers. 11107 ft Mt. Inyo K 3385 m
L
E
dC ke
Farmersville
o ro
eah . Ka w Fk
G E
Inyo
Forester Pass L
I L Mt.
ANCIENT BRISTLECONE PINE FOREST Along the mountaintops of the Inyo National Forest stretches an unusual landscape of rocky, white soil, interrupted by dwarfed, gnarled, and distorted trees: ancient great basin bristlecone pine trees, many of which are more than 4,000 years old. After you’ve walked the 4.5-mile Methuselah Loop Trail you can be sure you’ve seen the world’s oldest living tree, but you’ll have to guess which one it is. Its identity is kept secret.
A
JENNIE LAKES WILDERNESS
37°
PARK
Eastern California Museum
Pines
E
ea h aw
s
198
ESeven
Cr ee k
Onion Valley and Kearsarge Pass After steering through steep switchbacks up more than 5,000 vertical feet you arrive in Onion Valley. From here you can climb the challenging Kearsarge Pass Trail on foot to several alpine lakes or over the crest of the Sierra Nevada, through breathtaking Kings Canyon backcountry and directly to the John Muir Trail.
245
Visalia E
Midvalley
When you’re traveling in the Sierra, use the Sierra Nevada Geotourism mobile phone app to find local places and fun things to do near you!
Early Native Americans and settlers left behind artifacts that immerse visitors in the detail and nostalgia of history. In a traditional roundhouse, Nisenan families hold a ceremony for an annual acorn harvest. In a windswept meadow north of Lake Tahoe, campers bake pizza in an early 20th-century Basque fieldstone oven. In the Bodie Hills near Bridgeport, children explore the abandoned buildings of a preserved ghost town. In the western foothills, a ranching family drives cattle across river bridges to winter pastures. In the barren northeast, history buffs examine rutted paths marking the routes of brave 19th-century emigrants seeking prosperity. In the south among the giant redwoods, artists capture the spirit of early settlers embodied in the historic Kaweah Post Office. Thanks to the people who preserve the Sierra’s cultural artifacts and traditions, it is possible to contemplate the region’s future while treasuring the past.
Woodlake E
Terminus Dam
198
PARK
Panoramic views from a dome-top shelter accessed by switchback staircases.
EThree
tt
63
Lake Kaweah
E
V
The people of the Sierra Nevada laid the foundation of this MapGuide by telling the stories of thousands of authentic places and experiences that they would like to share with you. Sites for the map were described and selected by locals. The project is overseen by the Sierra Nevada Geocouncil, a diverse alliance of representatives committed to engage visitors in experiences that sustain and enhance the special qualities of the Sierra Nevada.
Three Rivers Historical Museum
r.
n
ot C
nw to
dC oo
E
i
99
Kawea h
a
JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS Named for the naturalist-conservationist who explored the dramatic canyons, lakes, and pinnacles of this alpine terrain, the John Muir Wilderness encompasses more than a half million acres from elevations of 4,000 feet to mountain peaks of 14,000-plus feet.
E
Kaweah The Kaweah Post Office, built in 1910 and still in operation, is the last vestige of the Kaweah Colony, a late 1800s community based on the principles of utopian socialism.
43
Bu bbs
Visitor Center
Crystal Cave
245
t
GIANT SEQUOIAS ISTOCKPHOTO.COM / JIM LOPES
Cutler
201
E
O Cedar Grove
AY
NATIONAL
11123 ft 3390 m
EIndependence
WILDERNESS
Kern Canyon
How This MapGuide Was Created
Kingsburg
Orosi
CENIC B Y WAY ES ISTLEC O ) BR 168 (RO U T E
Be Prepared, Stay Safe
Grove
K e rn
Dinuba
Cedar E
3410 m Wuksachi E O Village Lodgepole Visitor Center
E
E
CANYON
Naturalist-guided summer tours of ancient, underground, marble rooms and formations.
H CA NAL
n
NC
BYW
SA
Baxter Pass Trail Follow the ten-mile loop trail through flowering alpine meadows, where you might see a bighorn sheep grazing on the hills. A steep hike to the summit of the pass and an equally challenging descent will lead you to the John Muir Trail.
. Fk
Mt. Silliman K 11188 ft
4116 ft Auckland EBear Mt. K 1255 m
A BR
Without the glare of city lights you will be astounded at our clear, crisp Sierra skies. Don’t miss a chance to see the stars, the planets, and the Milky Way like you’ve never seen them before.
u
EReedley
Turn Your Lights Off and Look Up at the Night Sky
Waucoba Mt. K
S
Parlier E
E ANC I
Orange Cove
General Sherman Tree Nearly 275 feet tall and as much as 36.5 feet in diameter at the base, General Sherman Tree E is the world’s largest tree by volume and is estimated to be roughly 2,000 years old.
o
EFowler
A EAS T ALT
Take only photographs and leave only footprints. Travel on existing trails and camp on hard surfaces. Keep campfires small in established fire pits. Pack out garbage if no trash receptacles are nearby. Let animals eat natural foods rather than yours.
VA L L E Y
NATIONAL
Kings Canyon
Buck Rock Lookout
KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK
DEATH
11400 ft 3475 m
TRAIL U IR JO HN M SCE NIC T R A CRES T N ATIONAL
63
Leave No Trace
Learn about local conditions and regulations before venturing out: What’s the weather forecast? How are the roads? Are open fires permitted or are camp stoves required? Remember that many mountain roads are gravel or single-lane, and always carry tire chains for snow and ice during the fall, winter, and spring. Dress in layers. It’s not uncommon to experience several seasons during the same day, especially at high elevations.
Pinehurst E Miramonte E
168
Tinemaha Reservoir
Aberdeen
Taboose Pass
PA C I F IC
W
FO
180
ESanger
M
SW
Fish E Springs
Kennedy Mt. K 11433 ft K I N G S C A N Y O N 3485 m
YON S CENIC
Deep Springs Lake
Tule Elk Wildlife Viewing Area
N
H
ITC
R LE
E Hume
Grant Grove Village E
Dunlap E
S CAN
e
EFresno
KIN G
E
AL
180 Squaw Valley E
L NA CA
KINGS
F e dl MONARCH id
N AT I O N A L F O R E S T
Ki
S.
WILD ERNES S
SEQUOIA
s en
N
Piedra
M
Ow
Crabtree
Pine Flat Dam
E
G 120°W
Kings
E CA N
gs
W
ER
Dirt Roads and Seasonal Roads
E
SEQUOIA-
in .K
FRIA
Clovis
LONG LAKE, JOHN MUIR WILDERNESS RUSS BISHOP / ALAMY
N . Fk
Pine Flat Reservoir
99
Hike, camp, or ski on the southernmost
Kings Canyon National Park The powerful Kings River surges through a glaciated valley floor flanked by skyscraping granite walls and cliffs. Canyons thousands of feet deep snake their way through the mountains. And the barren ridges and remote High Sierra environs lure hikers and backpackers to spots visited by few.
2489 m
Zurich
North Palisade K permanent glacier in North America.
F ORE ST
BRISTLECONE PINE, PATRIARCH GROVE, INYO NATIONAL FOREST INYO COUNTY
Los Angeles Aqueduct Intake In 1913 the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles completed construction on an aqueduct that originated at this intake on the Owens River and sent water thundering down more than 200 miles to the city.
E
Bi P i ne C r . Palisade Glacier
N I C RAIL T
M O U N TA I N
F O R E S T
Big Pine E
N ATI ON AL g
A
Trimmer E
GREAT SIERRA RIVER CLEANUP The Great Sierra River Cleanup is an annual volunteer event spread across 22 counties and 700 river miles. The Cleanup focuses on removing trash and restoring watershed health throughout the Sierra Nevada region. The Sierra supplies California with up to 65 percent of its water.
t
y
168
13830 ft 4215 m
SYLVANIA MOUNTAINS WILDERNESS
PIPER
O
Dam
E
i
Tollhouse
E
41
Explore the area by getting out into it—try walking, cycling, or taking public transportation for a portion of your travels. Many of the roads between towns and public recreational lands are not paved and vary in maintenance levels. Take it slow, keep the dust down, and give the wildlife a brake. Don’t drive off road, and please respect private property. Some roads, especially those that go over Sierra passes, are only open seasonally due to high snow loads and avalanche danger. Be sure to check if your route is open. Call 1-800-GAS-ROAD for Sierra road and weather conditions.
E
395
Parchers Resort
Mt. Darwin K
14242 ft 4341 m
Shaver Crossing Railroad Station Museum From 1912 through the late 1920s this station served as a hub of activity—worker residences, workshops, and the like—on the Wishon San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad. Learn Reservoir about this once-thriving community and the last standing station on a railroad that K was dismantled in 1933. 8167 ft Patterson Mountain
Pine Ridge
CE
r.
L
Friant
E Friant
RA H SIER
JO HN IFIC C RE ST
Courtright Reservoir
Creek
—K NT
Step Away from Your Car
Marshall Station
145
Keep Wildlife Wild & Safe
Help protect the Sierra’s abundant wildlife. Maintain a respectful distance (and then some), use binoculars and telephoto lenses, refrain from feeding wild animals, and protect wildlife and your food by securely storing your meals and trash, especially when camping.
Prather
E
EDinkey
h
AL
On any American Indian reservation, you are a guest where people live and work. Taking photos and video can be a sensitive issue, so ask permission first. A great time to visit is during traditional powwows.
Millerton Lake
T OU ( C E N I C BYWAY E
AGE
DINKEY LAKES WILDERNESS
E
16
PA C
INYO
D
ER
AC AN
37°
Tribal Lands
Shaver Lake
S
n
o
D MA
The Sierra Nevada region boasts trails to hike, bike, ski, and ride horses. Local volunteers can lead you on educational day hikes to watch birds, identify wildflowers, and explore public lands. Kayak and paddle along the Lake Tahoe Water Trail to view wildlife and historic lakeshore mansions. Wear layered clothing for changeable Sierra weather. Carry and drink plenty of water. Stop to catch your breath and enjoy the views.
F O R E S T
Shaver Lake
S.
Billy Creek Guard Station Museum This 1920s residence tells the story of the region’s Native American history ranging from the Monache to the Western Mono, the onset of the hydroelectric power era, and a B-24 bomber that crashed into Huntington Lake in 1943.
168
W
Take a Hike
n
11423 ft 3482 m
E
Oasis
WILDERNESS
9083 ft
Black K 2768 m Mountain
NTY
Hensley Lake
S
Piute Pass
266
of the acclaimed late Galen Rowell.
choose between four well-stocked lakes in close proximity to one another. (road closed in winter)
IR MU TR AI L S NATIO N A L
. Cr
Sierra Mono Indian Museum The North Fork Mono tribe conveys its history and cultural heritage not only through displays in the museum, but also through guided tours with stories, songs, and an interpretive nature walk. Take a language class or attend a Thursday “Craft Day” and learn the traditional arts of Auberry E basketry and beadwork. Great Sierra River Cleanup E
aq
Florence Lake
Lakeshore
13986 ft 4263 m
E
E
B
168
ui n aq Jo San k. F
Restored buildings and extensive displays convey the cultural heritage of the Chukchansi, Mono, and Miwok people, as well as early pioneer families.
A great way to get to know a place, and the people who work to protect it, is to lend a hand. Repair hiking trails, pull invasive weeds, restore streamside habitat, catalog historical artifacts, and pick up trash. Be a “voluntourist”—check out ways to “Connect and Engage” at www.sierranevadageotourism.org.
Big Creek
p ho
Mt. Humphreys K From March to November anglers can
A
Volunteer
Huntington Lake
w Will o
Coarsegold Historic Museum
WILDE RNE SS
ekWILDERNESS
C
N A T I O N A L
ELaws
Bishop Creek Basin
N A T I OE N A L Huntington Lake
Fork
Buttermilks
World-class bouldering area.
E
KAISER WILDERNESS
Pi
o nw MOUNTAINS ood
Ancient Bristlecone Mule Days Pine Forest E 395 Bishop E Bishop Deep Celebration Oteys Sierra E Springs Mountain Light Gallery Village Features the stunning landscape photography O C OU INY 5--
Raymond E
North E
13713 ft 4180 m
RO U
MAMMOTH LAKES Impressive snow totals and a stable snowpack make the Sierra Nevada world-famous for almost-year-round skiing. In the spring you can ski through the morning, go trout fishing midday, and hike in the afternoon. Take a side trip to see the Minarets, a breathtaking ridge of jagged mountain peaks, or hike to the base of 101-foot-tall Rainbow Falls.
WHITE Co
N
6
Shallow volcanic canyon with routes along walls, alcoves, and jumbled rock. 13748 ft E E Morgan K 4190 m Rovana . Alta Vista Cr
ROUT E 3 9
Indian Fair Days & Pow Wow, Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree
Hike through Little Lakes Basin and 13,000-foot peaks to Mono Pass.
Bear Creek Spire K
NT
Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site View the original 1883 depot, agent’s house, and hundred-year-old “Slim Princess,” the last steam train to operate on the narrow-gauge railroad. Wander through the 1880s-style village or take a ride on the “Death Valley Railroad Car” during summer weekends.
Rock Creek Canyon
L
Eastman Lake
PULLING TIRES OUT OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RICHARD F. SLOAN
hi wc ll a
Vermilion Valley Dam
Mono Hot Springs
Mammoth Pool Dam
Late 1800s village with homes, jail, Bass Lake blacksmith shop, and other structures. Bass Lake Popular year-round fishing spot with abundant summer Coarsegold recreation opportunities. E
s
r
Lake
a qu i
Mammoth Pool Reservoir
Mt.
Lake Thomas A. Edison
E
Happy and Sad Boulders
k ree oC
118°
264
I N Y O
O NO CO UN TY
Toms Place
TE
C ens
E Bass
95– M
C ee
M UIR
Dyer E
Lake Crowley
RRA HIG SIE H
Ow
Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park
Mariposa Reservoir
ee
Oakhurst E
8351 ft 2545 m
Convict Lake
M on
V
E Merced
Shuteye Peak K
E
J OHN
n
Owens Reservoir
E
E3
CALIFORNIA Fk .
iatovich Cr. Ch
14246 ft 4342 m
E Hot
McGee Creek Trail
S I E R R A
K13140 ft Montgomery City E Benton Boundary Peak 4005 m E
White Mountain Peak K
Whitmore Springs
M
High-altitude trail (begins at 8,000 feet and climbs another 2,000-plus) with access to the John Muir Wilderness.
Jo San
99
r
FOR EST
E
Ahwahnee
140
Yosemite Forks
C
o
Lakes
3823 m
S.
41
6
Owens River Local guides can help you access back- E Hammil country, isolated sections of this river considered by many to be one of the best trout fisheries in the West.
m m
UT
E
EMammoth
Bloody Mt. K 12544 ft
Vermilion Valley Resort This out-of-the-way, full service, lakeside resort with simple accommodations is a major rest and resupply spot for thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail and John Muir Trail.
en r.
RO
Fish Camp
49
59
S.
(open summer only)
Mammoth Lakes
203
BOUNDARY PEAK WILDERNESS
NATIONAL Ow
Wawona
E
395
(closed in winter) Mammoth Lakes
WILDERNESS
er c M
Lake
n ui
E Midpines
n
ur Mariposa M B Mount Ophir E Stroll through the sprawling historic district of this Hornitos E former mining town, once a popular rest stop for E Mariposa stagecoaches. Tour the well-preserved buildings and artifacts at the Mariposa Museum and History Center. Bootjack E Book one of the antique-furnished rooms at the Mariposa Hotel Inn and meet visitors from around Catheys Valley E the globe on the veranda. Narrow Gauge Inn This small, family-owned, Swiss chalet-style lodge E Winton Burns Lake ar invites visitors to stroll through vibrant gardens, enjoy seasonal food at the restaurant, and kick Yosemite Lake Bear back on your room’s private deck with forest and Reservoir mountain views. EAtwater
Wawona Visitor Center EO
. San Joaqu in Fk
W ILDE RN E SS
140
id M
4199 ft
Bullion Mt.
. Cr
11726 ft 3574 m
E
1280 m K
E
Y O SE MITE
DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT
N
Bear Valley
New Exchequer Dam
M
Merced Peak K
ADAMS
q oa an J
Support Sierra Nevada communities by patronizing local businesses. Seek out delicious local foods, unique lodging, and family-owned shops. Supporting the people who support the places you are visiting will reward you with richer experiences.
Briceburg
0—
EJune
HEADWATERS WILDERNESS
dl e
Fk. S
Dry C ree k
G
Shop Locally
Bagby E
IPOS A
N.
Lake McClure
(Exchequer Reservoir)
A
13157 ft
Mt. Ritter K 4010 m
E
Geotourism invites you to explore new environments and cultures in a way that leaves local treasures unspoiled for generations to come. In the Sierra Nevada region of California and Nevada, where breathtaking beauty can be found at every turn, we strive to promote the principles of geotourism every day. So as you take your journey to some of the most captivating places on Earth, we hope that you not only will be enriched by the experience, but also will be inspired to conserve and protect it— so you and all those who follow can enjoy it time and again.
Turlock Lake
E
e rc d e
r. CENIC B Y AY oC W AS C hi q u it S IERRA V I S T
Sierra Nevada Travel Tips
ne
ANSEL
M
RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARK Railtown invites you into this fully operational railroad roundhouse complex that has operated continually since 1897 and served as a Hollywood filming location for more than 200 productions, from Petticoat Junction to Unforgiven. View original locomotives, watch skilled workmen repair cars, check out movie props and artifacts, or ride an authentic steam-powered train through California’s scenic gold country.
Hayward
Tuolum
Y COU NT
June Lake
BACKCOUNTRY SKIING, BLOODY MOUNTAIN, MAMMOTH LAKES DALE APGAR
WILDERNESS Benton Hot Springs After exploring the 1860s mining equipment you can choose a campsite, pitch your tent, and soak in your own private hot spring tub.
Eastern Sierra Birding Cruise down this 200-mile stretch of Highway 395 where the landscape is as diverse as the bird population. With an Eastern Sierra Birding Trail Map in hand you’ll know where to scan the skies, cliffs, and streams for bald eagles, yellow-billed cuckoos, tundra swans, or even a magnificent frigate bird.
INYO
Grant Lake
Thousand Island Lake OWENS RIVER
13114 ft 3997 m
38°N
120
Crestview
Mt. Lyell K
MOUNTAIN
Hiking trails across the uneven, rocky surface of volcanic pumice in a highly protected area.
158 Gull L.
P A R K
.
10604 ft 3232 m
June Lake Triathlon
D
132
El Portal
E
er
JOHN
132
of Historic Places.
Mono Pass
A
Dr
A N INCG YCWAY B
3979 m
Mt. Hoffmann K MUIR Groveland E Groveland Quilt Stroll 10850 ft TRAIL 1859 Historic National Hotel adows e OG 3307 m M E Big Oak Flat Smith k c The ornate redwood exterior and vine-covered E EBu S. F Big Oak Flat Entrance Station courtyard draw you into this restored mid-1800s k . uol u mn e O Information Station JOHN MUIR T hotel, with its elegant three-star restaurant, saloon HIGHWAY that serves up drinks at the original black bar, and Iron Door Saloon rooms adorned with Victorian antiques. Not only is this 1890s saloon unique for its 8842 ft Don Half Dome solid granite block walls and tin-covered sod Yosemite Village E 2695 m K Pedro roof, but it is also the oldest continuously Yosemite Theater John Muir Route Reservoir operating saloon in California. ey Live summertime performances Celebration New Don Pedro Dam E that bring the park’s history, Vall Coulterville E Yosemite people, and landscapes to life. Don Pedro Recreation Agency Granite Coulterville Visitor Center Modesto I E C Springs R Well-preserved mid-1800s buildings and a A P O IN T E GL ELa Grange Reservoir main street listed on the National Register Incline RD
120
9945 ft 3031 m
LK
Mt. Dana 13053 ft
N A T I O N A L
.
lk
Tioga Pass
(closed in winter)
sh
ne
Ru
r.
12590 ft 3837 m
Y O S E M I T E
ne
120
121°
E. Wa
k
F d d le
Tuolum
L
AY
Clav e
y
uo lu mn e
.T
us
o ck
Cr .
St a
nis l
Mi
k.
Mt. Conness K
k or el l F Ly
49 120
Camp
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
Tioga Lodge M o n o at Mono Lake Lake Mono Lake Committee Information Center Mono Basin & Bookstore E Bird Chautauqua L Lee Vining e e Vining C . r LEE N Panum Crater I NYO
MONO LAKE There’s a certain otherworldly quality to Mono Lake—volcanic islands, the faint buzz of alkali flies, trillions of brine shrimp feeding on algae in dense salt water, and limestone spires and formations that protrude through the lake surface. The Mono Lake Committee works to protect the ecosystem and prevent excessive water usage and other threats.
INYO NATIONAL FOREST
GRANITE
Cr. ill
VINCE S
EChinese
Hike to these powerful falls that cascade more than 1,300 feet into Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a submerged pristine glacial valley.
Stand atop Glacier Point and behold a panorama O’Shaughessy Dam so awe-inspiring it might seem unreal. Half Dome, a Yosemite icon, towers thousands of feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. Yosemite Falls drops 2,425 feet over three breathtaking cascades. The high-country wilderness, deep valleys, cliffs, and EMather meadows span nearly 1,200 square miles. Tuol um
Railtown 1897 State Historic Park
E UT RO
Tulloch Dam
RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARK STEPHEN SAKS PHOTOGRAPHY / ALAMY
Wapama Falls
O
108 120
Tulloch Reservoir
E Yosemite National Park
Tuolumne
167
GH HI
G
Jamestown E
Sonora
Pi
270
Lundy Canyon Come in the spring to enjoy vibrant wildflower displays, in the summer to view awe-inspiring waterfalls, or in autumn to admire aspen glades that glow in fiery crimson and gold.
RA ER SI
New Melones Dam
4
99
New Melones Lake
Lake Eleanor
Springs
395
W I L D E R N E S S
Cherry Lake
F O R E S T
R
Stockton
E
Y O S E M I T E
L
R
E
5
Copperopolis
A blend of restored gold-rush-era buildings and modern-day retailers and services. E ESoulsbyville
Tuolumne County Museum & History Research Center
WILDERNESS
Matterhorn Peak K 12264 ft 3738 m
MONO LAKE CHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM
Bodie State Historic Park E Willow
39
Twin Lakes
R
R
38°N
rr
C
E
Mono Village n Cr .E nso
M
i sl au s
26
88
WILDERNESS
108
FOREST
HOOVER
EMIGRANT
Bridgeport
Cr . ckeye Bu
RO AD
Cr
Pinecrest Springs
N A T I O N A L
.
Murphys
E
Pinecrest L.
E
E Cold
Murphys Historic Hotel se Ro Inside this photographic Main Street inn you’ll find Altaville E rooms, many of which are original, furnished with n Vallecito E E S. ta Long period antiques and named for historic figures who E Angels Camp Museum F k. S Barn ras once stayed here—including Susan B. Anthony, John Angels lave Mi-Wuk Village E Wayne, and Horatio Alger. Fk Camp a Ca N. Salt Spring Valley Columbia E E Twain Harte Reservoir Columbia State Historic Park
. r Cr
n k. C a r so
r
k.Sta n islaus Mi d d l e F
4
E
Strawberry
Bridgeport Reservoir
OUN T Y
n Sa
Beardsley Dam
NATIONAL
Fall s Cr eek
.
C
ingo Dom
Beardsley Lake
r.
r
l
Devils Gate
NO C MO 5–
Rancho Calaveras E
Hathaway Pines
G
wo r is
NA T ION
E
Bridgeport Mountaineers might explore the Sawtooth Range year-round while anglers land brown trout in the Bridgeport Reservoir, Twin Lakes, the Walker River, and numerous backcountry lakes and creeks.
182
E
New Hogan Dam
New Hogan Lake
largest living objects, you might feel overwhelmed by their immensity. The Louis Agassiz tree, the park’s most massive, is 250 feet tall and more than 25 feet in diameter.
k ee
Springs les Hot
Fa E 7519 ft 2292 m
R O UT
Valley Springs
E Avery E
ES T
C
Arnold
E
E
108
E
San Andreas
E
Ke nn ed Calaveras Big Trees State Park y Standing at the base of the giant sequoias, the world’s Cr.
A EWhite Pines Sa n
C
E
S T A N I S L A U S
y
Fisher Place
L2935 m
(closed in winter)
AIL TR AL SC E NIC
Mountain Ranch
Dorrington
3558 m
Sonora Peak Sonora Pass 9628 ft Sonora Junction
Dardanelle E
he
a C r. ari Jesus M
ni to
r. oC E
Donnell Lake
er av Be
338
West Walker River
Designated California Wild and Scenic River. 11462 ft 3494 m K
a
When snow melts in springtime, it streams into collection systems that deliver it to neighborhoods and homes. Many months and miles later, the mountain’s snowmelt reaches the domestic tap where it splashes onto millions of hands. But the story doesn’t end there. Today, climate change, a development as defining as the area’s first uplift, is altering the mountain range’s treasured places. Weather disruptions are shortening the length of winters, and the warmer days are shrinking the snowpack, reducing its capacity as a storage body. Rare plant and animal species are migrating upslope. In addition, warmer winters are shortening ski and snowboarding seasons, which affects local economies. All is not doomed, however. The human passion for the Sierra is kindling fresh collaboration among the region’s many stewards. The mountains are putting their people to the test, and the people are responding. —Laura Read, author, Tahoe City, CA
Mt. Patterson 11673 ft
lker Wa W.
Jesus Maria
E
C r.
ne
Road Flat
Cl
119°
NEVADA
E
HUMBOLDT-TOIYA K B E
PA C IFIC C R
26
E
E
E Lodi
Be a
Campo Seco
ERail
Calaveras N. Fk.
s ni
R
99
12
Highland Lakes
I
k Mo
E Independence
E Registered National Historic District with original gold-rush-era buildings.
m el u o k Cottage E M k. Springs F
S ta
Cr .
4
49
Camanche Reservoir
Walker
E
E
Jackson Downtown Historic District
395
10935 ft 3333 m
E
Martell E 88 Jackson
California Cavern State Historic Landmark n Don your helmet lamp and follow your professional Big Bar E so guide through subterranean passages once explored Ja c k E by Mark Twain and John Muir. Delve into chambers Mokelumne Hill where crystalline formations cling to walls and reach Paloma down from ceilings, or book an exhilarating expedition Pardee E through the undeveloped parts of the cave. Reservoir e mn elu
. Fk. M o kelu m ne
Lake Alpine E
S PA S TTS BE
Bear Valley C A R S O N - I C E B E R G Ebbetts Pass Mokelumne River National Scenic Byway After you go bass fishing, kayak the white E W I L D E R N E S S Pioneer water, or picnic on the riverside, you might Tamarack E consider joining the effort to designate these West E and Scenic River. Point E waters as a National Wild Ganns ne or Spicer Meadow kF us Sandy Gulch E Middle Fk. Mok e l um Res. la tt Su
E r. Amador City Pine a C Carbondale E n Fine Eye Gallery Grove gu Contemporary works of art, décor, and E jewelry by local and regional artists. Sutter Creek
Sunny bro Ione E ok E
.
Salt Springs Reservoir
S
La
k ree F k . Dry C
K Mokelumne Peak 2844 m
E Coleville
Highland Peak K
er
Drytown E
88
WAY ( R OUT E 8 HI G H
L
C AL S ENI C B Y ON
ob i
Plymouth S.
E Topaz
C
E
C
A SS NP SO AR
N .F k.
E
S. Fk. C osu mnes
EFiddletown
89
ut e
49
N
16
Four Corners
ne s su m
r
Co
River Pines
Topaz Lake
on rs
E
E
E Aukum
H
Enterprise
Mount
E
EBBETTS PASS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY Drive at a leisurely pace down this 61-mile stretch of road that winds through the wildest wonders of the Sierra Nevada, including giant sequoias, glacially carved valleys, alpine lakes, and volcanic peaks. You’ll find remains of Native American, pioneer, and mining sites. And outdoor recreation is virtually unlimited—from camping, fishing, and boating to skiing at Bear Valley.
395
F O R E S T
Omo Ranch E
E
8573 ft 2613 m
W
Melsons Corner
Nashville
E Wilton
Grizzly Flat E
E
E
All-season resort with cozy cabins and cottages, a wood-fired sauna, and nearby trout-filled West Fork Carson River.
NA TI
Somerset
E
les Cr. ap
NIC
Sorensen's Resort
88
C
Markleeville Chinese community that inhabited the town C Caples Lake E Carson 8314 ft E Monitor Pass 2534 m for more than a hundred years. Step inside Kirkwood Pass (closed in winter) the present-day museum and examine 10153 ft K The Mount E E 3095 m Sisters original furnishings, goods from the store, Loope Silver Lake Bullion and the owner’s residence. E Plasse 7621 ft 2323 m Grover Hot Springs State Park K E. Leek Spring Hill F Hike through forests and meadows of this k designated California Watchable Wildlife viewing . Ca site, and soak in the soothing hot springs. r a s Be MOKELUMNE ne Midd um 8731 ft l e Fk. C o s Lower Bear River W I L D E R N E S S 2661 m Ebbetts Pass (closed in winter) Reservoir 8) 9332 ft
Cr. mp Ca
Cr
A
Diamond Springs El Dorado
E
Nimbus Dam
Rancho Murieta
E of thick, mud-packed walls, this Bryants Built gold-rush-era herb store served a thriving
E
E
Malby Crossing
Chew Kee Store Museum
Jenkinson Lake
IC
L
El Dorado Hills
Shingle Springs E
CE
E
L
ican er m
EFolsom
N A T I O N A L
DOR ADO COU NTY
Mesa Vista Woodfords EE Alpine Village
T
Lake Natoma
50
E
d
Folsom Dam
Camino
E EL
89
W. F
Placerville E
0– ROU T E 5
E
Echo Summit
Twin Bridges
50
Lake
ST L RE TRAI
. r Cr
Kyburz
S.
e W
Bar
be
Folsom Lake
Pollock Pines
S. Fk. American
7377 ft 2249 m
E
PA CI F N ATION A L S
E Chili
Ice House Res.
Echo E
EB
Kelsey E
n
E
Massive waterfall carved into the granite landscape and pine forest, accessible only by a steep trail with challenging boulder climbs.
O
Coloma
Horsetail Falls
Historic Cary House Hotel Mark Twain, President Ulysses S. Grant, and Bette Davis once stayed at this classic gold rush hotel built in 1847. Original woodwork and bricks, and the second oldest elevator west of the Mississippi, add to its elegance and charm.
L
121°
rinking water, shower water, car wash water: Domestic water doesn’t originate at the tap in California; it arrives from the mountains. Up to 65 percent of all of the water consumed in the Golden State flows from a magnificent 400-mile-long spine of peaks and canyons along the state’s eastern border—the Sierra Nevada range. The Sierra narrative is an epic of growth, erosion, and renewal. Four million years ago the Earth’s superheated magma shoved surface plates of rock high into the air. Weather and gravity worked as rain, snow, ice, and wind gouged and cracked the mountains and washed away the soil. Today’s mountain range is 70 miles wide and more than 14,000 feet high. The sculpted shapes that remain comprise some of the Sierra’s grandest places, including the glorious Yosemite Valley, ancient volcanic rock formations of the Sierra Buttes, and the mighty Kern River canyon. The high country is a storage place for water.
WILDERNESS
Greenho rn Mo unta ins
M
E L D O R A D O 80
D
DESOLATION
L
Lake Tahoe
.F k.
EPIC SIERRA ADVENTURES TEEN CLEARS GROUND FOR A TRAIL AT GULL LAKE MOLLY HUCKLEBRIDGE, AMERICAN RIVER CONSERVANCY (ARC)
ANSEL ADAMS WILDERNESS JOHN DITTLI
Connect and Engage
and writing about the Sierra while advocating for its protection. They believed sharing their dramatic adventures would awaken the public’s interest in the natural world. In all of John Muir’s adventures, he believed the Sierra Nevada, affectionately referred to as the “Range of Light,” was the most divinely beautiful chain of mountains he had ever seen.
