Re: Old Big oak flat road

Is this a by foot only road? Where does it start and end???

ginap73 wrote:

> Is this a by foot only road? Where does it start and end???

Which one? There's new Big Oak Flat Road from the Big Oak Flat entrance station to Yosemite Valley, which is part of California Highway 120 from the entrance station to Crane Flat.

Then there's Old Big Oak Flat Road (about the same starting and end points), which is supposedly closed to vehicle traffic on the NPS Yosemite map. Here's a photo gallery:

http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/bigoak_flat

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79086409@N00/336366426/



I can see why it was closed off to vehicle traffic. Way too many rockfalls.

Old Big Oak flat road starts at the Big Oak Flat Entrance station and
heads east past Hodgdon Meadow Campground. After that it is bike
or walk only thru the Tuolumne Grove back to 120. From there it
sorta parallels north of 120 and crosses back down to Tamarack Flat
Camground. You can drive from 120 down to Tamarack Flat Camground
of course. The section north of 120 is hike only. Been there and it's
forest cover. Not too many trees to hike under/around.
After Tamarack Flat is it hike only all the way down to the valley
past Cascade Creek and Rockslides. The hike down from Tamarack is
a great early spring backpack trip. Beautiful views as you go by
Rainbow View and look across at Tunnel View. You may have to pitch
right on the trail though.

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Everything I know I learned from

It starts at the Hodgdon Meadow campground by the Big Oak Flat entrance station. It runs up past the Tuolumne Grove. This section may still be open to official vehicles but not private ones. You can hike this part but I'm not sure if there is anything of significance until the Tuolumne Grove. The next section of the Old Big Oak Flat Road starts at the entrance to Tamarack Flat campground about five miles east on 120 from Crane Flat. Since by now the campground is closed one would have to start hiking from 120 through to the campground and on. The old roadway past the campground is still paved but not suitable for cars as it is badly rutted and washed out in spots. The paved roadbed continues on down to the valley floor somewhat west of El Capitan.

There is a trailhead on 120 very near the Foresta turnoff. This trail picks up the old paved road after a couple of miles. There are some views on the portion that are quite nice.

My mother remembers coming into Yosemite on this road. It was replaced with the new road in the late 40s I believe.

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Old Dude

I think the hike up the OBOFR from Hogdon Meadows is a beautiful hike. It is nice easy walking along the old road - which is stil in nice shape. There are some wonderful wildflowers, beautiful forests, and amazing stone bridges along the way. Also, the one time I hiked it there was no one else around.

There is the section from Tamarack Flat campground entrance to Crane Flat (just east of the Tuolumne Grove parking area/ just north of Crane Flat / just east of the Yosemite Institute/ just east of where 120 closes for the winter) as I mentioned above.
As you drive east keep your eyes peeled left and you will see it. At the Tamarack flat campground entrance across 120 there is a wire rope across the old road with a road closed sign. In the winter people must snowshoe/ski this portion since there is the typical triangle signage.
There are trails from the crane flat gas station to the old road.

Another interesting old road can be found just west of bridalveil falls. It is the old road to wawona. It heads east and goes past inspiration point.
you can walk the old road all the way to the point and beyond. not entirely sure where it meets back up with glacier point or wawona rd. It goes by
Fort Monroe (don't look for any structure though).
You can meet up with this rd on the trail from Tunnel view that goes to
inspiration pt (the pohono trail) also and avoid dodging cars from bridalveil.

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Everything I know I learned from

Billy,

What are you doing up so early?

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Old Dude

Planning my next soiree into the beloved Yosmite.

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Everything I know I learned from

Some pics taken on Old Big Oak Flat Road:

http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php?g2_itemId=2980

http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php?g2_itemId=2984

http://yosemitephotos.net/main.php?g2_itemId=2990



Post Edited (10-11-07 10:40)

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Old Dude

Definitely foot-only from the valley side, though there's some firewood cutting that goes on near the lower part, so vehicles can go a short distance. I don't know about heading down from the upper end (yet).

v_p_w posted a link to my pbase gallery from last year's walk part way up...I'm planning a longer walk at least to Rainbow view and probably beyond this year (though there won't be any rainbow in October). As you may have seen from the photos, there are a LOT of scramble-over rockfalls; I remember counting them on the way back, and forgot the number (rockfalls, not rocks 8^) but there are some big ones to work your way through.

If you've looked at some of the historic photos of the old road, it's a nice feeling to be there looking at the same, easily-recognizable view from the same place, imagining an old car or coach passing over that spot.

Crowds are not a problem, to say the least.

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Gary
Yosemite Photo Galleries: http://www.pbase.com/roberthouse/yo

Is there anyway to get to old oak flat road by foot from foresta?

ginap73 wrote:

> Is there anyway to get to old oak flat road by foot from
> foresta?

Yes, the trailhead is near the Foresta junction.

then where does the trail end? is the valley accessable to the trail?

The trail ends near El Cap/ Ribbon Creek.
So, yes the valley is accessible.
You run into Old Big Oak Flat Rd after 4 trail miles at Cascade Creek.
The trailhead is actually called Old Big Oak Flat Rd I believe.

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Everything I know I learned from

Perhaps this will help:

How many miles is this trail and how long does it take?

From the Foresta/120 junction (trailhead parking available) to the valley floor is about 10-11 miles.

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Old Dude