This section contains photos of the Tuolomne Meadows and Tioga Road areas, and in the Lyell Canyon Hike section you will find pictures of the John Muir Trail. You can see some other Summer photographs by clicking here for pictures taken at Glacier Point in the summer of 2000 or you can also click here for pictures taken in 2001. Many of the pictures taken here are from day hikes and backpacking trips on the many trails that traverse this part of the park. As beautiful as the views are from places such as Olmstead Point, Tenaya Lake, and Tuolomne Meadows, those people who hike 1 to 4 miles away from the road will be blessed with even more spectacular scenery. Anyone venturing further than 6 miles into the backcountry will find towering peaks, fragile meadows, crystal clear streams and a sense of solitude unmatched anywhere on this planet.
Some of the panoramic photos in this section may take longer to load than in other parts of this web site. Your patience will be rewarded with magnificent scenery, much of it visible only after hiking for a few hours into the wilderness.
ALL MAJOR ROADS ARE OPEN IN THE PARK
Below is text from autumn 2002 park conditions. This is for archival purposes only, weather conditions change frequently in the park.
The weather is beginning to change and the first rain of the fall season arrived this week.. The temperatures have cooled considerably and it's downright chilly at night. With the days getting shorter and the crowds thinning out, we're into that transitional time of year. There's no water in any of the waterfalls except for Nevada, Vernal and a bit in Bridalveil, so you'll have to wait several months before they roar to life again.
The trails are dry and dusty and you won't have high water crossings or snow to deal with pretty much anywhere in the park, unless you try to cross the above mentioned watercourses. The weeks from mid July to early August was the time to see the wildflowers in the sub-alpine and alpine meadows. The wildflowers have peaked and died pretty much everywhere, and the only places you can expect to see much blooming is where there are watercourses running nearby.
Lakes are no longer getting warmer, and will get cooler as the days shorten in September, so take the plunge now! Avoid those valley crowds and pick a spot above 7000' to enjoy the remaining days of summer. Tenaya Lake is an excellent choice this time of year. Head to the west and north shores for a picnic lunch, or take in the late afternoon and evening sun at the gorgeous beach on the east end. A hike up Lyell Canyon with your ThermaRest, towel and some food makes for a perfect way to end summer lazing along a bend in the river.
Take the hike from Tuolomne Meadows to Cathedral Lakes or Elizabeth Lake. This is the time of year to visit these spots, they are as warm as they ever get. If you stay between elevations of 7000 and 10,000 feet for the next few weeks, you'll find the best spots in the park. Below 6000 it will generally be pleasant and the seasonal creeks have disappeared, eliminating most convenient water sources. A leisurely day in the redwood groves of Mariposa Grove near the south entrance on Highway 41 or Tuolomne Grove near Crane Flat Gas Station are particularly enjoyable now.