At the visitor center are Tuolumne Meadows, which, millions of years ago, were under a sea of ice more than 2,000 feet [609.6 meters] deep. Wildflowers—among them Jeffrey shooting stars, Lewis paintbrushes, monkeyflowers, and marsh marigolds—carpet this High Sierra realm in spring and summer. Trails of varying difficulty branch out here and elsewhere along the road. Some trails link five commercially run High Sierra camps with showers and dining halls (reservations required). The camps are spaced 8 to 10 miles [13 to 16 kilometers] apart.
The road climbs to 9,945-foot [3,031.2-meter] Tioga Pass, highest automobile pass in California, at the park’s eastern boundary. At a trailhead here you can take a half-day alpine hike that rewards you with glimpses of both beauty and history. The 2.5-mile [4-kilometer] trail climbs sharply from 9,945 feet [3,031.2 meters] to about 10,500 [3,200.4 meters], then descends to Middle Gaylor Lake, a gem set in a broad meadow prowled by marmots and ground squirrels. The trail again winds upward, first to Upper Gaylor Lake, then to a surprise: the ruins of a stone cabin, rusting bits of machinery, and half-filled shafts—relics of a failed 19th-century silver mine.
