Tioga Pass, one of the highest roads in California, cuts through Yosemite National Park and provides spectacular alpine and lake views. Even from the road, Ellery Lake is stunning and reminded me a lot of some spots along the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia (more info linked here)! It’s exciting to descend the pass and watch the landscape transform from lush forest to high desert as on the approach to the town of Lee Vining.
Lee Vining serves as the gateway to Mono Lake with its unusual tufa spires. This salty towers are formed by the interaction of freshwater springs and alkaline lake water. We didn’t stop there on this trip, but if you haven’t been, put it on your bucket list!
Heading south from there on Highway 395, you’ll glide into the Inyo National Forest. Covering over two million acres, the forest offers a variety of recreational activities, from hiking and fishing to camping and wildlife viewing. It is home to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, some of the oldest living trees on earth.
Even further south is the town of Lone Pine and just west of it lies the Alabama Hills, which offer a striking contrast to the rugged Sierra Nevada peaks towering in the background. This area, with its rounded, weathered boulders and arches, has been the backdrop for countless movies including:
- Gunga Din (1939 staring Cary Grant),
- High Sierra (1941 starring Humphrey Bogart
- Bad Day at Black Rock (a 1955) drama featuring Spencer Tracy)
- How the West Was Won (a John Wayne epic western filmed in1962
- Tremors (the 1990 cult classic about underground worms terrorizing a town)
- Django Unchained (a 2012 western starring Jamie Foxx and directed by Quentin Tarantino)
- Iron Man (2008 starring Robert Downey Jr)
- Man of Steel (a 2013 Superman reboot utilized the area dramatic rock to depict parts of Krypton).
You can drive check out movie settings, take an easy hike to the Mobius Arch (a natural arch that perfectly frames Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States), or do both, if you have the time!
Although the Eastern Sierras are often overlooked, the lofty heights of Tioga Pass, the eerie beauty of Mono Lake, the serene forests of Inyo National Forest, and the cinematic landscapes of the Alabama Hills, offer a tapestry of experiences among diverse landscapes. It’s a fabulous California road trip!
