Re: Yosemite West to Tuolumne

Hello all. We visited Yosemite in 2005 and enjoyed the park immensely, but the late opening of Tioga meant we missed visiting T.M. by one day, so a return trip is planned this summer. How long is the driving time from Yosemite West to the T. M. area, say the more popular trailheads such as Cathedral Lake, etc? I've struck out on valley reservations, White Wolf, etc and since we stayed there last time, Yosemite West IS convenient to the parks other attractions. I'm thinking it would be about 1.5 hours... Any other options I have overlooked? Thanks in advance!

David,

1.5 hours is probably about right given the speeds one is limited to. You have mostly winding roads from Yosemite West to well past Crane Flat. Last year we approached TM from Mariposa, about a 76 mile drive and almost 2 hours. You don't have quite that far to go but your route into and out of the valley does eat up miles and time. Get going early and skip that big sit-down tourist breakfast. The sooner you get there the more time you can spend on the trails. I'm presuming your are talking day hikes. If not, then you need to plan time for getting a permit. Permits for popular trails like Cathedral and Glen Aulin will likely be booked already for weekends unless you try for the advanced reservation system which will restrict you to whatever date you choose.

Jim