OREGON S N K N.M. Goose Lake - Nevada City California · Ash Creek Pit er Cr. L o s t B o l e s...
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Pit Yuba Fall Bear Tule Bear Ash Creek Pit Clover Cr. L o s t B ol e s C r . N . F k . W i l l o w C r . B i d w e l l C r . L a s s e n C r. P i n e C r e e k N . F o r k P it H a t Cr e e k C a rs on M u l l e n C r . D r y V a l l e y Cr. S m o k e Cr e ek E a s t C r . M ill C r e e k S . F o r k Pi t C e d a r C r . R e d R o c k C r ee k H or s e C r . B e a v e r C r . P i t S e c r e t C r . W il l o w C r . D e e p C r . Su s a n P i t L i t t l e C o w C r . B u r n e y C r . B e a r C r . W i l l o w C r e e k O l d C o w C r . S . C o w C r . O a k R u n C r . B e a r C r . Pa y n es Cree k A n t e l o p e C r e ek B a t t l e Cree k D igger C r e e k N . F k . B a t t le C r . W a r n e r C r . B u t t e Cr . P i n e C r e e k B u t t Cr e e k M i l l C r e e k B ig D r y C reek N . F k . F e a t h e r I n d i a n C r . D e e r C r e ek S i n g e r C r . P i n e Cr e e k R o c k C r ee k B i g C h i c o C r . B u t t e C r e e k L i t tle D r y C r . S . F k . F e a t he r N . Y u b a Mi d d l e F k . F e a t h e r F e a t he r Sp a n ish C r. W . B r a n c h F e a t h e r C a n y o n C r e e k M id d l e Y u b a H a y p r e s s C r . R e d C l o v er C r . T r u c k ee L o n g V a l l e y C r . N o r t h H o n c u t C r . Fe a t h e r S a c r a m e n t o S o u t h Y ub a R u b i c o n A m e r ica n C o s u m n e s S u t ter C r . N . F k . C o s u m n e s M id d l e F k . C o s u m n e s N. F k . M o k e l u m n e C a m p C r. W e b e r C r . S o u t h F o r k A m e r i c an C ap l e s C r. S t e a m b o a t C r . S l a t e C r. P e t e s C r . N . F k . D e e r C r . Lake Tahoe Goose Lake Pyramid Lake Honey Lake Eagle Lake Lake Almanor Lake Oroville Folsom Lake Tule Lake Lake Davis Washoe Lake Moon Lake Thermalito Afterbay Bucks Lake Big Lake Horr Pond Loon Lake Frenchman Lake Fordyce Lake Lake Natoma Fallen Leaf Lake Lake Aloha Mud Lake Renner Lake Lake Combie Boot Lake L. Britton Jenkinson Lake Butte Lake Thermalito Forebay L. Spaulding Independence Lake Thermalito Diversion Pool Medicine L. Clear Lake Reservoir Big Sage Reservoir Stampede Reservoir Mountain Meadows Res. New Bullards Bar Reservoir Dorris Reservoir Rollins Reservoir Boca Reservoir Raker and Thomas Reservoirs Hell Hole Reservoir Butt Valley Reservoir McCoy Flat Res. French Meadows Reservoir West Valley Reservoir Jackson Meadows Reservoir Smoke Creek Reservoir Spooner Reservoir Ice House Res. Union Valley Res. Prosser Creek Res. Little Grass Valley Reservoir Silva Flat Res. Dodge Reservoir Scotts Flat Reservoir Philbrook Res. Upper Lake Middle Alkali Lake Lower Lake Horse Lake Duck Lake Egg Lake Cow Head Lake Whitehorse Flat Reservoir Caples Lake Salt Springs Reservoir CHEROKEE CANAL 89 44 89 89 89 89 36 36 36 32 32 32 45 99 99 70 65 49 49 70 99 16 49 88 88 4 20 20 20 99 70 70 70 70 89 89 89 49 49 44 44 299 139 139 299 299 147 139 651 160 193 174 162 162 191 149 267 28 89 89 88 88 89 395 395 395 395 395 395 395 395 50 50 50 5 5 5 5 5 5 80 80 80 80 L L L L L L L Yuba Pass Granite Chief Echo Summit Luther Pass Donner Pass Fredonyer Pass Eagle Lake Summit Carson Pass 7377 ft 2249 m (closed in winter) 7735 ft 2358 m 5771 ft 1759 m 6340 ft 1932 m 6708 ft 2045 m K K K K K K K K K 6394 ft 1949 m 6321 ft 1927 m 5536 ft 1687 m 5482 ft 1671 m 8573 ft 2613 m 7088 ft 2160 m 9006 ft 2745 m 8197 ft 2498 m 7715 ft 2352 m 7183 ft 2189 m 8270 ft 2521 m K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K K 7621 ft 2323 m 8587 ft 2617 m 8372 ft 2552 m 7680 ft 2341 m 7795 ft 2376 m 7964 ft 2427 m 7943 ft 2421 m 7931 ft 2417 m 7136 ft 2175 m 6067 ft 1849 m 7420 ft 2262 m 6893 ft 2101 m 8677 ft 2645 m 7863 ft 2397 m 8989 ft 2740 m 9892 ft 3015 m 9710 ft 2960 m 7376 ft 2248 m 5750 ft 1753 m 8290 ft 2527 m 4839 ft 1475 m 5086 ft 1550 m 5582 ft 1701 m 7622 ft 2323 m 10457 ft 3187 m Lassen Peak Emerson Peak Bald Mountain Burney Mountain Bald Mt. Widow Mt. Fox Mt. Eagle Peak Crater Peak Warren Peak Bald Mt. Deep Crater Sierra Buttes Bald Eagle Mt. Mt. Ingalls Adams Peak McDonald Peak Blue Mt. Carr Butte Mt. Bidwell Fredonyer Peak Slate Mt. Glass Mountain Crater Mt. Turner Mt. Likely Mountain Timber Mt. Double Head Mt. Leek Spring Hill Hot Springs Peak Thompson Peak Observation Peak M O T H E R L O D E S I E R R A N E V A D A G R E A T B A S I N M O D O C P L A T E A U W A R N E R M O U N T A I N S S u r p r i s e V a l l e y B i g V a l l e y M a d e l i n e P l a i n s B i g V a l l e y M o u n t a i n s Skedaddle Mts. D i a m o n d M o u n t a i n s F e a t h e r R i v e r C a n y o n S i e r r a V a l l e y The Island Cape Horn M O D O C N A T I O N A L F O R E S T KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST SHASTA-TRINITY NATIONAL FOREST MODOC NATIONAL FOREST FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST MODOC NATIONAL FOREST L A S S E N N A T I O N A L F O R E S T P L U M A S N A T I O N A L F O R E S T HUMBOLDT- TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST HUMBOLDT- TOIYABE NATIONAL FOREST T A H O E N A T I O N A L F O R E S T E L D O R A D O N A T I O N A L F O R E S T TULE LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE WWII VALOR IN THE PACIFIC N.M. CLEAR LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE MODOC N.W.R. LAVA BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT PYRAMID LAKE RESERVATION LAVA BEDS WILDERNESS LASSEN VOLCANIC WILDERNESS CARIBOU WILDERNESS BUCKS LAKE WILDERNESS MOUNT ROSE WILDERNESS GRANITE CHIEF WILDERNESS Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park The Great Ski Race Inter-Mountain Fair Highway 50 Association Wagon Train Mountain Mandarin Festival Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Virginia City International Camel Races Downieville Classic Rails to Trails Festival Chico Thursday Night Market O O Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center Visitor Center Folsom Dam Nimbus Dam B B E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E EE E Reno Sacramento Chico Redding West Sacramento Adin Alta Linda Marysville Canby Ambrose California Pines Nixon Doyle Red Rock Constantia Omira Sloat Twain Virgilia Genoa Tahoe Village Minden Gardnerville Kyburz Bryants Durham Sparks Sun Valley Folsom Malby Crossing Auburn Bangor Smartville Norden Soda Springs Yuba Pass Washington Cisco Grove Wendel Viewland Keddie Burney Doyles Corner Cassel Four Corners Manton Shake House Likely Parsnip Springs Pinnio Moran Bayley McArthur Bieber Pit River Dixie Pittville Newell Stronghold Dalton Copic Liskey Kandra Perez Meares Cornell Ainshea Butte Mammoth Tahoma Meeks Bay Weimar Colfax Quincy Massack Quincy Junction Camino Coloma Kelsey American Flat Pilot Hill Lotus Chili Bar Loomis El Dorado Hills Shingle Springs Magalia Stewart Palermo Oregon House Gridley Lincoln Cool Greenwood Truckee Dobbins North San Juan Milford Almanor Prattville Caribou Chester Deer Creek Round Valley Clear Creek Junction Robbers Creek Mineral Alturas Juniper Daphnedale Park Lookout Pondosa Slagger Hambone White Horse Bartle Portola Herlong Herlong Junction Paradise Oroville Wicks Corner Anderson Live Oak Cohasset Campbellville Standish Leavitt Lake Westwood Westwood Junction Lasco Fire Mountain Clear Creek Hamilton Branch Madeline Sage Hen Termo Brockman Glenburn Curtis Obie McArthur Nubieber Little Valley Willow Springs Jellico Halls Flat Hat Creek Big Bend Tionesta Hackamore Hollenbeck Scarface Demuth Lookout Junction Tulelake Kalina Hatfield Tuber Homestead Homewood La Porte Little Grass Valley Chilcoot Copperfield Black Springs Loyalton Vinton Reno Junction Cold Springs Verdi Stead Hallelujah Junction Peavine Scotts Graeagle Cromberg Plymouth Drytown Elk Grove Antelope Red Bluff Yuba City Sutcliffe Ravendale Canyondam Gold Hill Applegate Goodyears Bar Blairsden Clio Haskell Creek Challenge Stateline Twin Bridges Lincoln Park Glenbrook Skyland Zephyr Cove Lakeridge Omo Ranch Grizzly Flat River Pines Enterprise Nashville Somerset Lake City Carmichael Arden Town Orangevale Olivehurst Thermalito Hurleton Rackerby Butte Valley Susanville Forbestown Clipper Mills Strawberry Valley Janesville Calneva Stacy Buntingville Greenville Mill Creek Dales Paynes Creek Tahoe City Lake Forest Foresthill Michigan Bluff Westville Quintette Dutch Flat Gold Run Beckwourth Bucks Lake Belden Rich Bar Pine Grove Fiddletown El Dorado Mount Aukum Melsons Corner Eagleville Cedarville Berry Creek Mountain House Four Trees Cresta Storrie Merlin Rock Creek Tobin French Bar Rag Dump Five Corners Silver City Brownsville Oak Valley Cedar Ridge Higgins Corner Old Station Lodgepole Shingletown Summertown Drakesbad Tahoe Vista Kings Beach Incline Village Downieville Bassetts Sierra City Sierraville Sattley Nevada City Placerville Davis Creek Meadow Vista Georgetown Buckeye Nielsburg Hobart Mills Grass Valley Alta Sierra Chicago Park Taylorsville Indian Falls Emigrant Gap Baxter North Bloomfield Amador City Fort Bidwell Feather Falls North Star Stirling City Lovelock Letter Box Palmetto Pulga Buckeye Inskip Forest Ranch DeSabla Butte Meadows Jonesville Transfer Lomo Soda Springs Johnstonville Litchfield Virginia City Meadow Valley Spring Garden Plumas Eureka Gibsonville Pollock Pines Rancho Cordova Wilton Citrus Heights Florin Crescent Mills Moccasin Paxton Manzanita Lake Viola Round Mountain Ingot North Highlands Spalding Tract Stones Landing Boston Ravine Diamond Springs South Lake Tahoe Echo Lake Montgomery Creek Hillcrest Wengler Fall River Mills Eagle Lake Resort Richardson Springs Carson City Woodfords Mesa Vista Alpine Village Kirkwood Calpine CALIFORNIA NEVADA OREGON 122° Longitude West 121° of Greenwich 120° 40°N 41° 42° 39° 40°N 41° 42° 122° 121° 120° 39° PACIFIC C R E S T N A T I O N A L S C E NI C T R A I L P A C IF I C C R E S T N A T I O NA L S C E N I C T R A IL E M I G R A N T T R A I L S S C E N I C B Y W A Y E M I G R A N T T R A IL S SCENIC B Y W A Y B A R R E L SPRIN G S B A C K C O U N T R Y B Y W AY BUCKHORN BACK C O U N T RY B Y WAY LASSEN S C E N IC BYWAY VOLC A NIC LEG A C Y SCENIC BYWAY PYR AMI D L A K E S C ENIC BYWAY Y UB A – D O N N E R S CE N I C B Y W A Y YU B A –D O NN E R S C E N I C B Y W A Y E B BE TT S P A S S N A T I ON A L S C E N I C BY WA Y CA R S O N P ASS HIGHWAY ( R O U TE 8 8 ) R O U T E 50–EL DO R A D O C O U N TY M O U N T R O S E H I G H WA Y V O L C A N I C LE G A C Y S C E N I C BY W A Y L A S S E N S CE NI C B Y W A Y V OL C A N I C L E G A C Y SC E NIC BY W A Y M O D O C V O L C A N I C SC E N I C B YW A Y LAKE TAHOE– EASTSHORE DRIVE ROUTE 89–MONITOR PASS & LUTHER PASS HIGHWAYS & LAKE TAHOE ROAD F EA TH E R R I V ER S C E N I C B Y W A Y F E A T H E R RI V E R SCE N I C B Y W A Y Mt. Judah Loop Tahoe Rim Trail Lake Tahoe Water Trail Martis Creek Lake Castle Peak Area Trails Bernhard Museum Complex Hat Creek Rim Overlook Lincoln Historic Downtown District Truckee River Legacy Trail Honey Lake Wildlife Area Donner Memorial State Park LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK Volcanic Legacy Scenic Byway Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway Mt. Rose Highway Scenic Overlook Chimney Rock Historical Monument Carter Reservoir Wild Horse Herd McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Explore Tahoe Visitor Center Cluster Lakes Loop Trail Feather River Scenic Byway Northstar Mine Powerhouse & Pelton Wheel Museum Gatekeeper’s Museum Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center Sand Harbor Gold Run and Dutch Flat South Fork American River Anaho Island National Wildlife Refuge JnR Hotel Fall River Hotel Sierra Shangri-La Resort Bike Rides of Nevada County Rainbow Lodge JT Basque Bar & Dining Room Mormon Station State Historic Park Lake Tahoe Historical Society Museum St. Bernard Lodge Vikingsholm Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park DESOLATION WILDERNESS Ringtail Vineyards ISHI WILDERNESS Amador Flower Farm Independence Lake Amador City On the self-guided walking tour you’ll find antique shops, museums, and even an old-fashioned soda fountain behind original, mining-era facades. Linger over a cocktail at the Imperial Hotel bar and curl up in a room where Victorian elite once slept. Virginia City Samuel Clemens created his pen name Mark Twain while working at the offices of the Territorial Enterprise newspaper, now the Mark Twain Museum. He sought respite at the Tahoe House Hotel, now beautifully restored, here in what was once called the “richest city in the world.” Nevada State Museum Among the museum’s offerings you can view the country’s largest exhibited Columbian mammoth, tour the former Carson City Mint building, or attend a live, interactive cultural event. Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park Learn about life on a turn-of-the-century 48,000-acre cattle and sheep ranch by touring the farm buildings and 15-room residence in which four generations of the prominent Dangberg family once resided. Advance reservations required. Tallac Historic Site On this secluded and forested lakeside property stand three elaborate mansions built between 1873 and 1921. Tour the Pope Estate, meander through the Tallac Museum in the Baldwin House, or watch a live performance at the Valhalla Grand Hall or Boathouse Theater. Nevada City By day the photographic neighborhoods and historic district, once frequented by Mark Twain and President Herbert Hoover, invite you into charming shops, art galleries, and inns. Come evening you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife at a wine tasting room or with live music over dinner. Empire Mine State Historic Park Descend deep into the entrance of California’s oldest and largest gold mine, view original mining equipment aboveground, and tour the owner’s impressive Tudor-style cottage and lush gardens. Beyond the grounds lie 845 backcountry acres with 12 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians. Spenceville Wildlife Area Wander about the lush grasses, oak tree groves, and rolling hills of this California Watchable Wildlife site. You might spot a bald eagle or willow flycatcher, both California endangered species, or any of the other 175-plus bird species and 42 mammal species documented here. Colfax Visit two renovated train depots, one which now houses the Colfax Heritage Museum, at this former transportation hub. Colfax served as a base for Chinese rail workers who built a precipitous track around Cape Horn, leading to the completion of the first transcontinental railroad. American River Inn The well-kept, romantic Victorian exterior—complete with two levels of wraparound porches—parallels the attention to detail inside, including English antiques, luxurious feather beds, and complimentary late afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres. Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park On January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall went about his work constructing a new sawmill and noticed glittering flakes of metal in the American River, setting off a massive westward migration known as the California gold rush. Visit the replica of Sutter’s Mill, pan for gold, or stand on the very spot where Marshall made his discovery. Donner Summit 20-Mile Museum You won’t find any walls at this “museum.” Instead, drive along Old Highway 40 and stop at dozens of interpretive signs that reveal wagon train routes, Native American sites, the first transcontinental railroad, and other relics of history. North Yuba Trail Hike or bike year-round on this well-maintained, forested canyon trail that follows the north fork of the Yuba River. Tahoe Maritime Museum View more than 30 vessels, from an 1890s steam launch to full-size, mahogany motor- boats. Peruse the diverse collection of vintage inboard and outboard engines. Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park Tour the 1903 Hellman-Ehrman mansion, kayak the shoreline, or cross-country ski along trails used during the 1960 Winter Olympics. Deer View With a USGS topographical map in hand, hike to Slate Mountain for panoramic views; Deer View, for a look at the remains of Hotel Bret Harte; and Stumpy Meadow, with its reservoir and excellent fishing. Kentucky Mine Historic Park & Museum Hear the thunderous drop of the 1,000-pound stamp mill and imagine the deafening clamor of several mills working simultaneously during the gold rush heyday. Tour the operation and 50 yards of the mining tunnel. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Sierra Valley Abundant wildlife shares this pine-edged subalpine meadow with cattle ranches and farms that originally supported mid-1800s mining operations. Climb the steep Badenaugh Trail traveled by James P. Beckwourth, a pioneer emigrant, trailblazer, and fur trader; or follow the interpretive Cottonwood Creek Botanical Trail. Canoe the Feather River headwaters or visit certified-organic Sierra Valley Farms, with its on-site summertime Farmers Market. Downieville Examine historical artifacts, portraits, and documents at the Downieville Museum; stand before the Sierra County Sheriff’s Gallows, used only once, in 1885; or catch a production at the Yuba Theatre, the smallest venue of the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin Recreation Area Exposed, craggy peaks and forested mountainsides flank glacial lakes, streams, and hills in one of the region’s most scenic backcountry recreation areas. In summer months you can fish and swim, or bike and hike hundreds of miles of trails. Winter months are perfect for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even sledding. Ishi Wilderness Harsh and remote river canyons, unusual volcanic formations, and abundant wildlife characterize these dramatic environs in which camping is primitive, hiking strenuous, and solitude plentiful. This wild and unusual landscape was named for Ishi, the last of the Native American Yahi people, who mysteriously walked out of the woods in 1911. Lake Almanor With summer surface temperatures around 75 degrees, Lake Almanor is a popular destination for kayaking, fishing, sailing, and other water sports. Dock and camp on the shores and hike the Lake Almanor Recreation Trail through the conifer forests around the lake. Thousand Lakes Wilderness Among the seven major lakes and numerous ponds throughout the wilderness, you can hike more than 20 miles of trails, fish at Eiler Lake, or camp under the canopy of old-growth pines. Hat Creek Valley Around 20,000 years ago the earth’s crust fractured, discharging molten lava that spread across the valley floor and eventually hardened. Rivers of lava continued to flow underground until they themselves drained away, leaving tube-like caves. Follow the nature trail across the rocky top crust aboveground or explore nearby Subway Cave, a nearly half-mile-long lava tube. Fort Crook Museum Try your hand at crafting metal using a forge, anvil, and other blacksmithing tools at the big round barn in the historic town of Fall River Mills. Obsidian Mines Visit any of four obsidian mines—Pink Lady, Lassen Creek Rainbow, Obsidian Needles, and Middle Fork Davis Creek—and take in the startling colors and shapes of this dense, glass-like lava rock. With the proper permit you can even excavate some yourself. Surprise Valley Hot Springs Located upon one of the valley’s many geothermal springs, this resort-style getaway channels hot artesian water into private mineral baths found in each suite or villa. Lounge in a therapeutic tub while stargazing at a dark sky unencumbered by big city lights. Captain Jack’s Stronghold Follow the interpretive trails through an ancient lava flow where Modoc leader Captain Jack and a small band of tribe members used a maze of natural trenches up to 26 feet deep as a final holdout against U.S. forces in 1873. Medicine Lake Highlands Explore dozens of lava tube caves along a broad shield volcano, used as an underground ice skating business in the early 20th century. Modoc National Wildlife Refuge Bring your binoculars for a look at migratory waterfowl that nest and feed amid these wetlands and meadows. Ahjumawi Lava Springs State Park Accessible only by boat, this serene wilderness of natural springs and lava flows is ideal for fishing, bird-watching, and nature photography. Lava Rock Ranch View local artist Kay Minto’s unique and nationally acclaimed sculptures of welded aluminum, bronze, and native lava rock. Happy Trails Studio Artist Zelma Allan uses color and detail to capture authentic, human moments and broad landscapes of the Old West. View paintings, mosaics, jewelry, and more. Willow Creek Ranch Visit one of the world’s largest producers of ranch-raised, organic caviar. Tour the naturally spring-fed ponds used to raise white sturgeon, an ancient freshwater fish, for the production of caviar on a homestead dating back to 1871. Plumas County Museum At the Plumas County Museum you can view mining and logging artifacts, tour a fully restored 1878 pioneer home, and admire handwoven Native American Mountain Maidu baskets. Learn about local Chinese families and African American explorer James P. Beckwourth, who discovered a pass over the crest of the Sierra Nevada in 1851. Western Pacific Railroad Museum At this 36-acre working historic railroad facility you can climb aboard the world’s largest diesel locomotive and sit in the engineer’s seat, wander through vintage passenger cars, ride in a caboose, or even take the throttle and commandeer a real locomotive yourself. Susanville Railroad Depot Built by Southern Pacific Railroad in 1927, the Susanville depot houses a railroad museum that displays photo- graphs and artifacts from passenger and logging trails that once came through here. The depot also serves as the trailhead for the Bizz Johnson Trail, a well-maintained rail trail for cyclists, hikers, and equestrians that passes over trestle bridges and through tunnels as it follows along the scenic Susan River. Eagle Lake Basaltic lava flows, sagebrush hills, and pine and fir forests characterize the high semiarid plateau that surrounds the second largest natural freshwater lake in California. Native Eagle Lake trout, once believed extinct, now thrive in the highly alkaline water, creating a feast for osprey, western and eared grebes, American white pelicans, great blue herons, and bald eagles. Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museum and Visitor Center Learn about the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, why this body of water is sacred to these native inhabitants, and how to enjoy the lake in a manner respectful to the tribe. Victorian-era house museum, two-story stone winery, and barn. Popular whitewater rafting river. Home of the only remaining major manufacturer of ornamental hand- sculptured terra cotta in the country. Gold-mining artifacts, a working stamp mill, and a 30-foot-diameter Pelton wheel. Well-preserved late 1800s towns at the center of the region’s aggressive hydraulic mining operations. Popular ten-mile backpacking trail, with a shorter day hike to Echo Lake. Taste award-winning wines harvested from nutrient-rich volcanic soil. Bird’s-eye view of the volcanic Hat Creek Valley floor and Lassen Peak, Mt. Shasta, Crater Peak, Burney Mountain, and Magee Peak. Wetlands habitat for migrating cranes, geese, and swans. Lava flows, canyons, farmland, and vestiges of routes trod by early settlers and gold miners. Primitive camping near a stunning 129-foot waterfall. Fly-fish to your heart’s content in the spring-fed rivers and creeks near this historic hotel. Remains of the residence of one of the region’s first pioneers. Bring your own horse for a guided, high-desert ride through wild mustang territory. Rustic and tranquil bed-and-breakfast with a restaurant and tavern. Nesting ground for American white pelicans, Caspian terns, great blue herons, and many more species. An awe-inspiring panoramic view of Lake Tahoe from 7,562 feet. California Watchable Wildlife viewing site with adjacent recreation area. Unique recreational asset; pristine home of the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout. Year-round recreation and a museum depicting the history of the ill-fated Donner Party pioneer wagon train. Traditional “family-style” Basque cuisine made from produce and meat from the owners’ Carson Valley ranch. Emigrant trading post from the 1850s with museum, stockade, wagon shed, park, and Snowshoe Thompson statue. An 1859 tollbooth, 1930s cabin, and artifacts from the region’s earliest inhabitants, the Washoe. Pioneer and maritime history, and more than 800 handwoven baskets from the Washoe and other Native American tribes. Opulent 1929 summer home on the shore of Emerald Bay, accessed by boat or a steep one-mile trail. Popular hiking and snowshoeing trail. Late 1800s bed-and-breakfast-style lodge with granite walls, timber ceilings, artesian spring water, and a forested riverside setting. Indian Reservation National Forest National Park or Monument Wilderness National Scenic Byway Other Scenic Byway National Wild and Scenic River Trail Festival or Event Historic Site Museum Natural or Scenic Area Other Point of Interest Outdoor Recreation Scheduled Air Service Visitor Center Map Key G O Scale 1:543,000 1 inch = 8.6 miles 1 centimeter = 5.4 kilometers 5 0 10 15 20 25 Miles 5 0 10 15 20 25 Kilometers National Geographic and the residents of California and Nevada are proud to share this Geotourism MapGuide with you to experience our timeless local culture steeped in tradition, sustained by the land. The Sierra Nevada foothills and mountain range offer world-class opportunities for recreation, exploration of gold rush and Native American history, indulgence in local cuisine and culture, and self-discovery inspired by striking scenic beauty. Lead project partners include Sierra Business Council, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and National Geographic Maps. We gratefully acknowledge funding and support for this map from Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Federal Highways Administration, United States Forest Service, Morgan Family Foundation, Northern Sierra Partnership, and the Sierra Nevada Geocouncils, numerous community organizations, and counties throughout the Sierra Nevada. Text by Laura Read, author; Tom Miller, editor. Map notes by Angela Burnford. Copyright © 2012 National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. TAHOE RIM TRAIL Should you choose to backpack your way around Lake Tahoe on this 164.8-mile-long trail, you’ll journey along ridgetops and pass through two states (California and Nevada), one state park, three national forests, and three wilderness areas. Day hikers might choose shorter jaunts from among eight trailheads, and mountain bik- ers should plan ahead—biking is only permitted on certain segments of the trail. LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK While this lesser known national park can boast of abundant recreation, jaw-dropping vistas, and more than 40 feet of snow per year, Lassen is best known for volcanic activity. Be sure to see Bumpass Hell, a 16-acre, steaming, odorous basin; 125-degree Boiling Springs Lake; and the Devil’s Kitchen fumaroles. PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL Whether you thru-hike this Mexico-to-Canada trail or backpack a shorter segment, you’ll encounter the diverse, ever shifting ecosys- tems of the Sierra Nevada crest. On foot you have ample time to take in the Joshua trees, 14,000-foot summits, giant sequoias, and alpine lakes. In lower elevations, bobcats and deer wander wetlands and meadows. Thousands of feet higher, the arid and wintry climate limits vegetation mostly to scrub and grasses but provides habitat for marmots and endangered bighorn sheep. FEATHER RIVER SCENIC BYWAY Since 1906, railroads have carried freight and passengers through the Feather River Canyon, over the crest of the Sierra Nevada, into the expansive Sierra Valley, and further east. Follow the scenic byway as it parallels the train tracks, crossing trestles and weaving through tunnels. Pause for local flavor in the historic hamlets of Belden, Twain, Quincy, and Portola. INDIAN GRINDING ROCK STATE HISTORIC PARK Upon the 173-foot slab of marbleized limestone at this park the Miwok people once ground acorns and other seeds, leaving behind 1,185 mortar holes visible today. Encounter Miwok culture amidst the reconstructed village, which includes bark houses and a ceremonial round- house. The Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum presents artifacts such as basketry, arrow points, and tools, and the many religious ceremonies held by local Native Americans throughout the year bring this culture to life. BIKE RIDES OF NEVADA COUNTY Whether you prefer wooded, single-track trails or long stretches of smooth asphalt you’ll find routes that suit your preference. Mountain bikers can traverse through lush forests or pump through remote river canyons. Road riders can follow the route of the annual Nevada City Bicycle Classic, previously raced by Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong. LAKE TAHOE WATER TRAIL Paddle through crystalline, turquoise water on the Lake Tahoe Water Trail and explore secluded coves and white-sand beaches along 72 miles of shoreline. Tour the grand 1930s Tudor Revival-style mansion at Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site, and visit Sand Harbor at Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park. VOLCANIC LEGACY SCENIC BYWAY From the steaming vents of California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park to Oregon’s Crater Lake, evidence of violent subterranean forces—lava tubes, black volcanic rock, and magnificent Mt. Shasta—reveal themselves along 500 miles of roadway. Glacier- and spring-fed rivers plunge over basalt cliffs as at Burney Falls, considered by many to be the most beautiful waterfall in California. DESOLATION WILDERNESS Nearly 64,000 acres (100 square miles) of glacially carved wilderness straddle Lake Tahoe and the El Dorado National Forest, encompassing barren granite peaks, more than 130 lakes, and expansive meadows. The wetlands and landscapes of this protected area support habitat critical to many rare plant and animal species. With good reason, Desolation Wilderness attracts seekers of back- country solitude, scientific study, and primitive recreation. Festivals and Events Contribute and Volunteer The Great Ski Race Tahoe City, CA (early March). Celebrating Tahoe’s Nordic cultural heritage since 1977, this 30-kilometer (18.43-mile) race from Tahoe City to Truckee is also the main fund-raising event for the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team. Three Rivers Lions Team Roping Three Rivers, CA (April). Team roping competitions for all ages, calf branding competition, Sunday cowboy church service, steer championship, pig scramble, adult and kids barrel races, hearty breakfasts, and deep-pit BBQ. Chico Thursday Night Market Chico, CA (April to September). Street festival and certified farmers’ market featuring farm-fresh organic produce, local artwork, handmade crafts, special children’s activities, and music. Bishop Mule Days Celebration Bishop, CA (week before Memorial Day). More than 180 events featuring over 700 mules plus exhibitors, a concert, and parade. Determined to prove “anything a horse can do a mule can do better”— events include English jumping, team roping and penning, chariot racing, and the Packer’s Scramble. John Muir Route Celebration Mariposa County, CA (first Saturday in June). Celebrating the anniversary of the dedication of the 14-mile John Muir Historic Route, the family-friendly events include nature hikes along the footsteps of John Muir, eco-friendly activities, readings, bike tours, horseback rides, and arts and crafts. Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua Mono Lake, CA (June). Three-day birding festival with a wide variety of field trips, workshops, and presentations led by profes- sional photographers, naturalists, and scientists. Highway 50 Association Wagon Train Placerville, CA (June). For more than 60 years, caravans of men, women, and children have taken the six-day, 90-mile organized ride from Lake Tahoe to Placerville (Old Hangtown) to experience life during the California gold rush. Groveland Quilt Stroll Groveland, CA (June, on odd-numbered years). Quilters from all over the Mother Lode bring their quilts to display and sell, and to exchange stories and techniques. Artisan demos, food, and fun for the kids. Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree North Fork, CA (first weekend in July). For more than 50 years this once busy logging town has hosted professional and ama- teur competitions such as double-hand bucking, ax throwing, log rolling, and hot power sawing. June Lake Triathlon June Lake, CA (weekend after July 4th). A fundraiser for Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, this event features Olympic, sprint, and kid’s mini-triathlon distances in addition to courses for challenged athletes. Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Lake Tahoe, NV (July-August). Shakespeare performed on the beach surrounded by crystalline blue water, majestic peaks, and alpenglow sunsets. Amenities include beach chairs, sand areas for blanket seating, and on-site dining with pre-show cocktails. Indian Fair Days & Pow Wow North Fork, CA (first weekend in August). Longest running festival of traditional arts in the western Sierra Nevada. Native Ameri- can food, games, dance demonstrations, arts and crafts, pageant, and raffle. Downieville Classic Downieville, CA (August). Features a 29-mile cross-country bike race that follows a rugged gold-rush-era route and a challenging 17-mile downhill mountain bike race. Festival entertainment includes river jumping and pixie-cross championships, music, street fair, and bike expo. Inter-Mountain Fair McArthur, CA (Labor Day weekend). Since 1918, an “old-fashioned country fair” with arts and crafts, tractor pull, carnival, parade, roping and bull riding, livestock championships and auction, horse show, and exhibits. Virginia City International Camel Races Virginia City, NV (September). Fun-filled event featuring untrained camels mounted by novice riders, interspersed with ostrich races and the occasional zebra race. Specialty acts, food, and a camel parade. Rails to Trails Festival Susanville, CA (October). Family event celebrating the Rails to Trails conversion of the Bizz Johnson Trail. Music, chili cook-offs, hand- car races and rides, caboose tours, and children’s activities. Mountain Mandarin Festival Auburn, CA (weekend before Thanksgiving). Mandarin orange recipe cooking contest, professional chef demonstrations, arts and crafts, music and dance, local vendors, and free children’s activities. See more events and volunteer opportunities on www.SierraNevadaGeotourism.org. BURNEY FALLS GABBRO / ALAMY KAYAKERS AT SECRET HARBOR, LAKE TAHOE B. KINGMAN HIKING ALONG THE TAHOE RIM TRAIL SCPHOTOS / ALAMY BUMPASS HELL, LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK NPS PHOTO SIERRA BUTTES AND LOWER SARDINE LAKE RICH REID HIKING THE PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL SCPHOTOS / ALAMY FEATHER RIVER MICHAEL HALBERSTADT / ALAMY DINNER IN THE BARN, SIERRA VALLEY FARMS LETINA VANETTI CLIMBING THE NORTHEAST RIDGE OF BEAR CREEK SPIRE JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY MACK LAKE, NEAR MAMMOTH LAKES RICHARD BROADWELL / ALAMY DANCER AT MIWOK TRIBE POWWOW CHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM SUSIE LAKE, DESOLATION WILDERNESS GARY CRABBE / ENLIGHTENED IMAGES / ALAMY MOUNTAIN BIKER, EMPIRE MINE STATE HISTORIC PARK JOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY AREA ENLARGED B Lake Tahoe P A C I F I C O C E A N S I E R R A N E V A D A Sacramento NEVADA OREGON CALIFORNIA Mountain Life T he Sierra Nevada has long been a place of drama and aspiration. For centuries, the rugged landscape provided sustenance for the region’s Native Americans and mountain com- munities. In the 19th century, however, lives were changed forever by fortune seekers arriving from around the world in search of gold. The evolution continued in the early 20th century as farmers from Japan and Europe discovered how well fruit grew in the Sierra soil, and established orchards. Later, World War II veterans founded some of the country’s first ski resorts. Ever since then, entre- preneurs, nature lovers, and explorers have made lasting impressions on the range. On Main Street or in the backcountry, it is easy to meet the people of the Sierra, whether they play piano at a historic hotel or lead tours through lime- stone caverns. Some sell vintage bottles in the town of Murphys or hold traditional powwows on the Modoc Plateau; others build hiking and mountain biking trails around Lake Tahoe, enjoy regional cuisine in a Sierra Valley barn, or strum the standup bass in Three Rivers. A community’s livelihood is often born of the land. In the western foothills, a farming family grows persimmons on a parcel their immigrant grandfather scrimped to buy a century ago. Every autumn the family hand-massages and dries the orange-colored fruit in order to make the traditional Japanese delicacy called hoshigaki. In the central and southern foothills, vintners grow wine grapes on old cattle ranch lands. In the town of Springville, ranchers protect historical sites, host green wed- dings, and promote outdoor education exercises that expand the mind. Caretakers, curators, and sometimes curiosities themselves—Sierra Nevada residents welcome visitors to share in the future of the remarkable “Range of Light.” —Laura Read, author, Tahoe City, CA Visit www.sierranevadageotourism.org to connect with the residents and more than 1,500 of their favorite art and cultural events, historic sites, time- less towns, local shops, and outdoor explorations. Sierra Nevada Events • Outdoor Adventures • Local Culture geotourism (n): Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. SIERRA NEVADA GEOTOURISM A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATION Outdoor Adventures A hiker reclines on a stony ridge separating Lake Tahoe from the Great Basin terrain of Nevada. To the east lies a sagebrush desert, its soil so dry in places that occasional wind gusts whip the dust a half-mile high into the air. To the west the snowcapped Sierra crest shimmers, folded and scoured by heat and ice. Below is Lake Tahoe, its cobalt blue hue reflecting the sky. Monstrous peaks, cascading rivers, glacier-carved cirques— the Sierra Nevada’s endless landforms are playgrounds for adventure. The mountain range hosts the oldest living plant on Earth, the bristlecone pine, and grows the largest living organism on earth, the giant sequoia tree. It has some of the world’s clearest alpine lakes and one of the nation’s saltiest lakes. It contains an astonishingly large geologic form called a batholith, a seam of continuous granite 6 miles deep and 25,000 square miles at the surface, featuring one of the nation’s tallest peaks, Mt. Whitney. It also hides one of the Earth’s most important metals, gold. Challenged by such extremes, adventurers find ways to test their grit in the Sierra by kayaking thunderous rivers or hiking along the 1,072-mile Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Some explore the Sierra High Route at 10,000 feet, while others land wild trout or ski backcountry bowls. Some become heroes: “Snowshoe Thompson” delivered mail to mountain hamlets on handmade wooden skis; Norman Clyde and Clarence King scaled 14,000-foot peaks and inspired a new breed of mountaineers. The Sierra landscape fires the imaginations of explorers both young and old, galvanizing ambitions and igniting dreams. Natural Beauty On cold spring nights, halos of translucent ice freeze around midstream boulders. As the sun rises, the circles of ice start to melt, but not before a cross-country skier crouches streamside to admire the clear fragile shards. In an hour the ice halos will be gone. For all of the Sierra Nevada’s grandeur—the granite forma- tions, the broad meadows, the glittering lakes—there are many small and fleeting pleasures. Being in solitude, being quiet, being at ease in nature—in all of these situations a person can find renewal. When President Theodore Roosevelt visited Yosemite National Park in 1903, he celebrated the joys of nature, exclaiming, “This has been the grandest day of my life.” Roosevelt’s friend, the naturalist-conservationist John Muir, ex- plained his own relationship with wilderness this way: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” In the Sierra, the excitement of beauty is everywhere: a hiker in a sheltered streambed notices flowers that seem to float in shadows like crimson stars; a motorist pausing at a Kings Canyon National Park viewpoint is moved to tears by a panorama of granite cliffs; and a kayaker paddling next to a white tufa tower touches the stone’s chalky surface with her thumb and licks the strange, bitter salt from her skin. Impressions of magnificence endure.
Transcript of OREGON S N K N.M. Goose Lake - Nevada City California · Ash Creek Pit er Cr. L o s t B o l e s...
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Virginia City InternationalCamel Races
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GenoaTahoe Village
MindenGardnerville
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Bryants
Durham
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Sun Valley
Folsom
Malby Crossing
Auburn
Bangor
Smartville
NordenSoda Springs
YubaPass
Washington
CiscoGrove
Wendel
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Keddie
Burney Doyles Corner
Cassel
Four Corners
Manton
Shake House
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Pinnio
Moran
Bayley
McArthur
Bieber
Pit River
Dixie
Pittville
NewellStronghold
Dalton
Copic
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Kandra
Perez
Meares
Cornell
AinsheaButte
Mammoth
Tahoma
Meeks BayWeimar
Colfax
Quincy Massack
Quincy Junction
Camino
Coloma Kelsey
American FlatPilot Hill
Lotus
Chili Bar
Loomis
El DoradoHills
ShingleSprings
Magalia
Stewart
Palermo
OregonHouse
Gridley
Lincoln Cool Greenwood
Truckee
DobbinsNorth
San Juan
Milford
AlmanorPrattville
Caribou
Chester
Deer CreekRoundValley
Clear CreekJunction
RobbersCreek
Mineral
AlturasJuniper
Daphnedale Park
LookoutPondosa
Slagger HamboneWhite Horse
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HerlongHerlongJunction
Paradise
Oroville
Wicks Corner
Anderson
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Cohasset
Campbellville
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Halls Flat
Hat Creek
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LookoutJunction
Tulelake
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TuberHomestead
Homewood
La Porte
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Copperfield
Black Springs
Loyalton
Vinton RenoJunction
ColdSprings
Verdi
Stead
HallelujahJunction
Peavine
Scotts
Graeagle
Cromberg
Plymouth
Drytown
Elk Grove
Antelope
Red Bluff
Yuba City
Sutcliffe
Ravendale
Canyondam
Gold Hill
Applegate
GoodyearsBar
Blairsden
Clio
Haskell Creek
Challenge
Stateline
TwinBridges
LincolnPark
Glenbrook
SkylandZephyr Cove
Lakeridge
Omo Ranch
Grizzly Flat
River PinesEnterprise
Nashville
Somerset
Lake City
Carmichael
Arden Town
Orangevale
Olivehurst
ThermalitoHurleton
Rackerby
Butte Valley
Susanville
Forbestown Clipper Mills
Strawberry Valley
Janesville
Calneva
Stacy
Buntingville
Greenville
MillCreek
DalesPaynes Creek
Tahoe CityLake Forest
Foresthill
Michigan Bluff
Westville
Quintette
DutchFlat
Gold Run
Beckwourth
BucksLake
Belden Rich Bar
PineGrove
Fiddletown
El Dorado
Mount Aukum
Melsons Corner
Eagleville
Cedarville
BerryCreek
MountainHouse
Four Trees
Cresta
Storrie
MerlinRock Creek
Tobin
French Bar
Rag Dump
FiveCorners
SilverCity
Brownsville
Oak Valley
Cedar Ridge
HigginsCorner
OldStation
Lodgepole
Shingletown
Summertown
Drakesbad
Tahoe Vista KingsBeach
InclineVillage
Downieville
Bassetts
SierraCity
SierravilleSattley
NevadaCity
Placerville
Davis Creek
MeadowVista
GeorgetownBuckeye
Nielsburg
Hobart Mills
GrassValley
AltaSierra
ChicagoPark
TaylorsvilleIndian Falls
Emigrant Gap
Baxter
North Bloomfield
Amador City
Fort Bidwell
FeatherFalls
NorthStar
StirlingCity
Lovelock
Letter BoxPalmetto
Pulga Buckeye
Inskip
Forest RanchDeSabla
Butte Meadows
JonesvilleTransfer
Lomo
SodaSprings
Johnstonville Litchfield
Virginia City
Meadow Valley
Spring Garden
Plumas Eureka
Gibsonville
Pollock Pines
Rancho Cordova
Wilton
Citrus Heights
Florin
Crescent MillsMoccasin
Paxton
ManzanitaLakeViola
Round Mountain
Ingot
North Highlands
SpaldingTract
StonesLanding
Boston Ravine
Diamond Springs
South Lake Tahoe
Echo Lake
Montgomery Creek
Hillcrest
Wengler
Fall RiverMills
Eagle LakeResort
RichardsonSprings
CarsonCity
Woodfords
Mesa VistaAlpineVillage
Kirkwood
Calpine
CALIFORNIA
NEVADA
OREGON
122°
Longitude West 121° of Greenwich
120°
40°N
41°
42°
39°
40°N
41°
42°
122°
121°
120°
39°
PACIFIC CREST NA
T I ONAL SCENIC TRAIL
PA
C IFIC CREST N
ATION
AL SCEN
IC TRAIL
EMIG
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BYW
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EMIGRAN
T T
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ILS SCEN
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AY
BARR
EL S
PRIN
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BACK
CO
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BYW
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BUCKHORN BACK COUNTRY BY WAY
LASSEN SCENIC BYWAY
VOLCANIC LEGAC
Y SCENIC BYWAY
PYRAMID LAKE SCENIC BYWAY
YUBA–DONNER SCENIC BYW
AY
YUBA–DO NNER SCE
NIC BYWAY
EBBETTS PASS N
AT
IONAL SCEN
IC BYWAY
CARSON PASS HIGHWAY (ROUTE 88)
ROUTE 50–EL DORADO COUNTY
MOUNT RO
SE
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VOLCANIC LEGACY S C
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BYW
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LASS
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VOLCA
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MO
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LAKE TAHOE– EASTSHORE
DRIVE
ROUTE 89–MONITOR PASS & LUTHER PASS HIGHWAYS
& LAKE TAHOE ROAD
FEATHER RIVER
SC
EN
IC B
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FEATHER RIVER SCENIC BYW
AY
Mt. Judah Loop
TahoeRim Trail
Lake TahoeWater Trail
Martis Creek Lake
Castle PeakArea Trails
Bernhard Museum Complex
Hat Creek Rim Overlook
Lincoln Historic Downtown District
Truckee River Legacy Trail
Honey Lake Wildlife Area
Donner MemorialState Park
LASSEN VOLCANIC
NATIONAL PARK
Volcanic LegacyScenic Byway
Emigrant Trails Scenic Byway
Mt. Rose HighwayScenic Overlook
Chimney RockHistorical Monument
Carter Reservoir WildHorse Herd
McArthur-Burney FallsMemorial State Park
Pacific CrestNational Scenic Trail
Explore TahoeVisitor Center
Cluster Lakes Loop Trail
Feather RiverScenic Byway
Northstar Mine Powerhouse& Pelton Wheel Museum Gatekeeper’s Museum
Carson Valley Museum& Cultural Center
Sand HarborGold Run and Dutch Flat
South Fork American River
Anaho IslandNational Wildlife Refuge
JnR Hotel
Fall River Hotel
SierraShangri-La Resort
Bike Rides of Nevada County
Rainbow Lodge
JT Basque Bar & Dining Room
Mormon Station State Historic Park
Lake Tahoe HistoricalSociety Museum
St. Bernard Lodge
Vikingsholm
Indian Grinding RockState Historic Park
DESOLATION
WILDERNESS
Ringtail Vineyards
ISHI
WILDERNESS
Amador Flower Farm
Independence Lake
Amador CityOn the self-guided walking tour you’ll �nd antique shops, museums, and even an old-fashioned soda fountain behind original, mining-era facades. Linger over a cocktail at the Imperial Hotel bar and curl up in a room where Victorian elite once slept.
Virginia CitySamuel Clemens created his pen name Mark Twain while working at the of�ces of the Territorial Enterprise newspaper, now the Mark Twain Museum. He sought respite at the Tahoe House Hotel, now beautifully restored, here in what was once called the “richest city in the world.”
Nevada State Museum Among the museum’s offerings you can view the country’s largest exhibited Columbian mammoth, tour the former Carson City Mint building, or attend a live, interactive cultural event.
Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park Learn about life on a turn-of-the-century 48,000-acre cattle and sheep ranch by touring the farm buildings and 15-room residence in which four generations of the prominent Dangberg family once resided. Advance reservations required.
Tallac Historic Site On this secluded and forested lakeside property stand three elaborate mansions built between 1873 and 1921. Tour the Pope Estate, meander through the Tallac Museum in the Baldwin House, or watch a live performance at the Valhalla Grand Hall or Boathouse Theater.
Nevada City By day the photographic neighborhoods and historic district, once frequented by Mark Twain and President Herbert Hoover, invite you into charming shops, art galleries, and inns. Come evening you can enjoy the vibrant nightlife at a wine tasting room or with live music over dinner.
Empire Mine State Historic Park Descend deep into the entrance of California’s oldest and largest gold mine, view original mining equipment aboveground, and tour the owner’s impressive Tudor-style cottage and lush gardens.Beyond the grounds lie 845 backcountry acres with 12 miles of trails for hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.
Spenceville Wildlife Area Wander about the lush grasses, oak tree groves, and rolling hills of this California Watchable Wildlife site. You might spot a bald eagle or willow �ycatcher, both California endangered species, or any of the other 175-plus bird species and 42 mammal species documented here.
Colfax Visit two renovated train depots, one which now houses the Colfax Heritage Museum, at this former transportation hub. Colfax served as a base for Chinese rail workers who built a precipitous track around Cape Horn, leading to the completion of the �rst transcontinental railroad.
American River InnThe well-kept, romantic Victorian exterior—complete with two levels of wraparound porches—parallels the attention to detail inside, including English antiques, luxurious feather beds, and complimentary late afternoon wine and hors d’oeuvres.
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic ParkOn January 24, 1848, James W. Marshall went about his work constructing a new sawmill and noticed glittering �akes of metal in the American River, setting off a massive westward migration known as the California gold rush. Visit the replica of Sutter’s Mill, pan for gold, or stand on the very spot where Marshall made his discovery.
Donner Summit 20-Mile Museum You won’t �nd any walls at this “museum.” Instead, drive along Old Highway 40 and stop at dozens of interpretive signs that reveal wagon train routes, Native American sites, the �rst transcontinental railroad, and other relics of history.
North Yuba TrailHike or bike year-round on this well-maintained, forested canyon trail that follows the north fork of the Yuba River.
Tahoe Maritime Museum View more than 30 vessels, from an 1890s steam launch to full-size, mahogany motor- boats. Peruse the diverse collection ofvintage inboard and outboard engines.
Ed Z'Berg Sugar Pine Point State Park Tour the 1903 Hellman-Ehrman mansion, kayak the shoreline, or cross-country ski along trails used during the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Deer View With a USGS topographical map in hand, hike to Slate Mountain for panoramic views; Deer View, for a look at the remains of Hotel Bret Harte; and Stumpy Meadow, with its reservoir and excellent �shing.
Kentucky Mine Historic Park & Museum Hear the thunderous drop of the 1,000-pound stamp mill and imagine the deafening clamor of several mills working simultaneously during the gold rush heyday. Tour the operation and 50 yards of the mining tunnel. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Sierra Valley Abundant wildlife shares this pine-edged subalpine meadow with cattle ranches and farms that originally supported mid-1800s mining operations. Climb the steep Badenaugh Trail traveled by James P. Beckwourth, a pioneer emigrant, trailblazer, and fur trader; or follow the interpretive Cottonwood Creek Botanical Trail. Canoe the Feather River headwaters or visit certi�ed-organic Sierra Valley Farms, with its on-site summertime Farmers Market.
Downieville Examine historical artifacts, portraits, and documents at the Downieville Museum; stand before the Sierra County Sheriff’s Gallows, used only once, in 1885; or catch a production at the Yuba Theatre, the smallest venue of the Banff Mountain Film Festival.
Sierra Buttes and Lakes Basin Recreation AreaExposed, craggy peaks and forested mountainsides �ank glacial lakes, streams, and hills in one of the region’s most scenic backcountry recreation areas. In summer months you can �sh and swim, or bike and hike hundreds of miles of trails. Winter months are perfect for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even sledding.
Ishi WildernessHarsh and remote river canyons, unusual volcanic formations, and abundant wildlife characterize these dramatic environs in which camping is primitive, hiking strenuous, and solitude plentiful. This wild and unusual landscape was named for Ishi, the last of the Native American Yahi people, who mysteriously walked out of the woods in 1911.
Lake AlmanorWith summer surface temperatures around 75 degrees, Lake Almanor is a popular destination for kayaking, �shing, sailing, and other water sports. Dock and camp on the shores and hike the Lake Almanor Recreation Trail through the conifer forests around the lake.
Thousand Lakes WildernessAmong the seven major lakes and numerous ponds throughout the wilderness, you can hike more than 20 miles of trails, �sh at Eiler Lake, or camp under the canopy of old-growth pines.
Hat Creek ValleyAround 20,000 years ago the earth’s crust fractured, discharging molten lava that spread across the valley �oor and eventually hardened. Rivers of lava continued to �ow underground until they themselves drained away, leaving tube-like caves. Follow the nature trail across the rocky top crust aboveground or explore nearby Subway Cave, a nearly half-mile-long lava tube.
Fort Crook MuseumTry your hand at crafting metal using aforge, anvil, and other blacksmithing toolsat the big round barn in the historic townof Fall River Mills.
Obsidian MinesVisit any of four obsidian mines—Pink Lady, Lassen Creek Rainbow, Obsidian Needles, and Middle Fork Davis Creek—and take in the startling colors and shapes of this dense, glass-like lava rock. With the proper permit you can even excavate some yourself.
Surprise Valley Hot SpringsLocated upon one of the valley’s many geothermal springs, this resort-style getaway channels hot artesian water into private mineral baths found in each suite or villa. Lounge in a therapeutic tub while stargazing at a dark sky unencumbered by big city lights.
Captain Jack’s StrongholdFollow the interpretive trails through an ancientlava �ow where Modoc leader Captain Jack and a small band of tribe members used a maze ofnatural trenches up to 26 feet deep as a �nal holdout against U.S. forces in 1873.
Medicine Lake Highlands Explore dozens of lava tube caves along a broad shield volcano, used as an underground ice skating business in the early 20th century.
Modoc National Wildlife RefugeBring your binoculars for a look at migratory waterfowl that nest and feed amid these wetlands and meadows.
Ahjumawi Lava Springs State ParkAccessible only by boat, this serene wilderness of natural springs and lava �ows is ideal for �shing, bird-watching, and nature photography.
Lava Rock Ranch View local artist Kay Minto’s unique andnationally acclaimed sculptures of welded aluminum, bronze, and native lava rock.
Happy Trails Studio Artist Zelma Allan uses color and detail to capture authentic, human moments andbroad landscapes of the Old West. View paintings, mosaics, jewelry, and more. Willow Creek Ranch
Visit one of the world’s largest producers of ranch-raised, organic caviar. Tour the naturally spring-fed ponds used to raise white sturgeon, an ancient freshwater �sh, for the production of caviar on a homestead dating back to 1871.
Plumas County MuseumAt the Plumas County Museum you can view mining and logging artifacts, tour a fully restored 1878 pioneer home, and admire handwoven Native American Mountain Maidu baskets. Learn about local Chinese families and African American explorer James P. Beckwourth, who discovered a pass over the crest of the Sierra Nevada in 1851.
Western Pacific Railroad MuseumAt this 36-acre working historic railroad facility you can climb aboard the world’s largest diesel locomotive and sit in the engineer’s seat, wander through vintage passenger cars, ride in a caboose, or even take the throttle and commandeer a real locomotive yourself.
Susanville Railroad DepotBuilt by Southern Paci�c Railroad in 1927, the Susanville depot houses a railroad museum that displays photo- graphs and artifacts from passenger and logging trails that once came through here. The depot also serves as the trailhead for the Bizz Johnson Trail, a well-maintained rail trail for cyclists, hikers, and equestrians that passes over trestle bridges and through tunnels as it follows along the scenic Susan River.
Eagle LakeBasaltic lava �ows, sagebrush hills, and pine and �r forests characterize the high semiarid plateau that surrounds the second largest natural freshwater lake in California. Native Eagle Lake trout, once believed extinct, now thrive in the highly alkaline water, creating a feast for osprey, western and eared grebes, American white pelicans, great blue herons, and bald eagles.
Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Museumand Visitor CenterLearn about the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, why this body of water is sacred to these native inhabitants, and how to enjoy the lake in a manner respectful to the tribe.
Victorian-era house museum,two-story stone winery, and barn.
Popular whitewater rafting river.
Home of the only remaining majormanufacturer of ornamental hand-
sculptured terra cotta in the country.
Gold-mining artifacts, a working stamp mill,and a 30-foot-diameter Pelton wheel.
Well-preserved late 1800s towns atthe center of the region’s aggressivehydraulic mining operations.
Popular ten-mile backpacking trail,with a shorter day hike to Echo Lake.
Taste award-winning wines harvested from nutrient-rich volcanic soil.
Bird’s-eye view of the volcanic Hat Creek Valley �oor and Lassen Peak, Mt. Shasta, Crater Peak, Burney Mountain, and Magee Peak.
Wetlands habitat for migrating cranes, geese, and swans.
Lava �ows, canyons, farmland, andvestiges of routes trod by early
settlers and gold miners.
Primitive camping near a stunning 129-foot waterfall.
Fly-�sh to your heart’s content in the spring-fed rivers and creeks near thishistoric hotel.
Remains of the residence of oneof the region’s �rst pioneers.
Bring your own horse for a guided, high-desert ride through wild mustang
territory.
Rustic and tranquil bed-and-breakfastwith a restaurant and tavern.
Nesting ground for American whitepelicans, Caspian terns, great blue
herons, and many more species.
An awe-inspiring panoramic view ofLake Tahoe from 7,562 feet.
California Watchable Wildlife viewing site with adjacent recreation area.
Unique recreational asset; pristine home of the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout.
Year-round recreation and a museumdepicting the history of the ill-fatedDonner Party pioneer wagon train.
Traditional “family-style” Basque cuisine made from produce and meat from the owners’ Carson Valley ranch.
Emigrant trading post from the 1850s with museum, stockade, wagon shed, park, and Snowshoe Thompson statue.
An 1859 tollbooth, 1930s cabin, and artifacts from the region’s earliest inhabitants, the Washoe.
Pioneer and maritime history, and more than 800 handwoven baskets from the Washoe
and other Native American tribes.
Opulent 1929 summer home on the shore of Emerald Bay, accessed by
boat or a steep one-mile trail.
Popular hiking andsnowshoeing trail.
Late 1800s bed-and-breakfast-style lodge with granite walls, timber ceilings, artesian
spring water, and a forested riverside setting.Indian ReservationNational ForestNational Park or Monument WildernessNational Scenic BywayOther Scenic BywayNational Wild and Scenic RiverTrailFestival or EventHistoric SiteMuseumNatural or Scenic AreaOther Point of InterestOutdoor RecreationScheduled Air ServiceVisitor Center
Map Key
G
O
Scale 1:543,000
1 inch = 8.6 miles1 centimeter = 5.4 kilometers
50 10 15 20 25 Miles
50 10 15 20 25 Kilometers
National Geographic and the residents of California and Nevada are proud to share this Geotourism MapGuide with you to experience our timeless local culture steeped in tradition, sustained by the land.
The Sierra Nevada foothills and mountain range offer world-class opportunities for recreation, exploration of gold rush and Native American history, indulgence in local cuisine and culture, and self-discovery inspired by striking scenic beauty.
Lead project partners include Sierra Business Council, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and National Geographic Maps. We gratefully acknowledge funding and support for this map from Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Federal Highways Administration, United States Forest Service, Morgan Family Foundation, Northern Sierra Partnership, and the Sierra Nevada Geocouncils, numerous community organizations, and counties throughout the Sierra Nevada.
Text by Laura Read, author; Tom Miller, editor. Map notes by Angela Burnford.
Copyright © 2012 National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C.
TAHOE RIM TRAILShould you choose to backpack your way around Lake Tahoe on this 164.8-mile-long trail, you’ll journey along ridgetops and pass through two states (California and Nevada), one state park, three national forests, and three wilderness areas. Day hikers might choose shorter jaunts from among eight trailheads, and mountain bik-ers should plan ahead—biking is only permitted on certain segments of the trail.
LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARKWhile this lesser known national park can boast of abundant recreation, jaw-dropping vistas, and more than 40 feet of snow per year, Lassen is best known for volcanic activity. Be sure to see Bumpass Hell, a 16-acre, steaming, odorous basin; 125-degree Boiling Springs Lake; and the Devil’s Kitchen fumaroles.
PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILWhether you thru-hike this Mexico-to-Canada trail or backpack a shorter segment, you’ll encounter the diverse, ever shifting ecosys-tems of the Sierra Nevada crest. On foot you have ample time to take in the Joshua trees, 14,000-foot summits, giant sequoias, and alpine lakes. In lower elevations, bobcats and deer wander wetlands and meadows. Thousands of feet higher, the arid and wintry climate limits vegetation mostly to scrub and grasses but provides habitat for marmots and endangered bighorn sheep.
FEATHER RIVER SCENIC BYWAYSince 1906, railroads have carried freight and passengers through the Feather River Canyon, over the crest of the Sierra Nevada, into the expansive Sierra Valley, and further east. Follow the scenic byway as it parallels the train tracks, crossing trestles and weaving through tunnels. Pause for local flavor in the historic hamlets of Belden, Twain, Quincy, and Portola.
INDIAN GRINDING ROCK STATE HISTORIC PARKUpon the 173-foot slab of marbleized limestone at this park the Miwok people once ground acorns and other seeds, leaving behind 1,185 mortar holes visible today. Encounter Miwok culture amidst the reconstructed village, which includes bark houses and a ceremonial round-house. The Chaw’se Regional Indian Museum presents artifacts such as basketry, arrow points, and tools, and the many religious ceremonies held by local Native Americans throughout the year bring this culture to life.
BIKE RIDES OF NEVADA COUNTY Whether you prefer wooded, single-track trails or long stretches of smooth asphalt you’ll find routes that suit your preference. Mountain bikers can traverse through lush forests or pump through remote river canyons. Road riders can follow the route of the annual Nevada City Bicycle Classic, previously raced by Greg LeMond and Lance Armstrong.
LAKE TAHOE WATER TRAILPaddle through crystalline, turquoise water on the Lake Tahoe Water Trail and explore secluded coves and white-sand beaches along 72 miles of shoreline. Tour the grand 1930s Tudor Revival-style mansion at Thunderbird Lodge National Historic Site, and visit Sand Harbor at Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park.
VOLCANIC LEGACY SCENIC BYWAYFrom the steaming vents of California’s Lassen Volcanic National Park to Oregon’s Crater Lake, evidence of violent subterranean forces—lava tubes, black volcanic rock, and magnificent Mt. Shasta—reveal themselves along 500 miles of roadway. Glacier- and spring-fed rivers plunge over basalt cliffs as at Burney Falls, considered by many to be the most beautiful waterfall in California.
DESOLATION WILDERNESSNearly 64,000 acres (100 square miles) of glacially carved wilderness straddle Lake Tahoe and the El Dorado National Forest, encompassing barren granite peaks, more than 130 lakes, and expansive meadows. The wetlands and landscapes of this protected area support habitat critical to many rare plant and animal species. With good reason, Desolation Wilderness attracts seekers of back-country solitude, scientific study, and primitive recreation.
Festivals and EventsContribute and VolunteerThe Great Ski Race Tahoe City, CA (early March). Celebrating Tahoe’s Nordic cultural heritage since 1977, this 30-kilometer (18.43-mile) race from Tahoe City to Truckee is also the main fund-raising event for the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue Team. Three Rivers Lions Team Roping Three Rivers, CA (April). Team roping competitions for all ages, calf branding competition, Sunday cowboy church service, steer championship, pig scramble, adult and kids barrel races, hearty breakfasts, and deep-pit BBQ. Chico Thursday Night Market Chico, CA (April to September). Street festival and certified farmers’ market featuring farm-fresh organic produce, local artwork, handmade crafts, special children’s activities, and music. Bishop Mule Days Celebration Bishop, CA (week before Memorial Day). More than 180 events featuring over 700 mules plus exhibitors, a concert, and parade. Determined to prove “anything a horse can do a mule can do better”—events include English jumping, team roping and penning, chariot racing, and the Packer’s Scramble. John Muir Route Celebration Mariposa County, CA (first Saturday in June). Celebrating the anniversary of the dedication of the 14-mile John Muir Historic Route, the family-friendly events include nature hikes along the footsteps of John Muir, eco-friendly activities, readings, bike tours, horseback rides, and arts and crafts. Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua Mono Lake, CA (June). Three-day birding festival with a wide variety of field trips, workshops, and presentations led by profes-sional photographers, naturalists, and scientists.
Highway 50 Association Wagon Train Placerville, CA (June). For more than 60 years, caravans of men, women, and children have taken the six-day, 90-mile organized ride from Lake Tahoe to Placerville (Old Hangtown) to experience life during the California gold rush.Groveland Quilt Stroll Groveland, CA (June, on odd-numbered years). Quilters from all over the Mother Lode bring their quilts to display and sell, and to exchange stories and techniques. Artisan demos, food, and fun for the kids. Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree North Fork, CA (first weekend in July). For more than 50 years this once busy logging town has hosted professional and ama-teur competitions such as double-hand bucking, ax throwing, log rolling, and hot power sawing. June Lake Triathlon June Lake, CA (weekend after July 4th). A fundraiser for Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, this event features Olympic, sprint, and kid’s mini-triathlon distances in addition to courses for challenged athletes. Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Lake Tahoe, NV (July-August). Shakespeare performed on the beach surrounded by crystalline blue water, majestic peaks, and alpenglow sunsets. Amenities include beach chairs, sand areas for blanket seating, and on-site dining with pre-show cocktails. Indian Fair Days & Pow Wow North Fork, CA (first weekend in August). Longest running festival of traditional arts in the western Sierra Nevada. Native Ameri-can food, games, dance demonstrations, arts and crafts, pageant, and raffle.Downieville Classic Downieville, CA (August). Features a 29-mile cross-country bike race that follows a rugged gold-rush-era route and a challenging 17-mile downhill mountain bike race. Festival entertainment includes river jumping and pixie-cross championships, music, street fair, and bike expo. Inter-Mountain Fair McArthur, CA (Labor Day weekend). Since 1918, an “old-fashioned country fair” with arts and crafts, tractor pull, carnival, parade, roping and bull riding, livestock championships and auction, horse show, and exhibits. Virginia City International Camel Races Virginia City, NV (September). Fun-filled event featuring untrained camels mounted by novice riders, interspersed with ostrich races and the occasional zebra race. Specialty acts, food, and a camel parade. Rails to Trails Festival Susanville, CA (October). Family event celebrating the Rails to Trails conversion of the Bizz Johnson Trail. Music, chili cook-offs, hand-car races and rides, caboose tours, and children’s activities. Mountain Mandarin Festival Auburn, CA (weekend before Thanksgiving). Mandarin orange recipe cooking contest, professional chef demonstrations, arts and crafts, music and dance, local vendors, and free children’s activities.
See more events and volunteer opportunities on www.SierraNevadaGeotourism.org.
BURNEY FALLSGABBRO / ALAMY
KAYAKERS AT SECRET HARBOR, LAKE TAHOEB. KINGMAN
HIKING ALONG THE TAHOE RIM TRAILSCPHOTOS / ALAMY
BUMPASS HELL, LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARKNPS PHOTO
SIERRA BUTTES AND LOWER SARDINE LAKERICH REID
HIKING THE PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAILSCPHOTOS / ALAMY
FEATHER RIVERMICHAEL HALBERSTADT / ALAMY
DINNER IN THE BARN, SIERRA VALLEY FARMSLETINA VANETTI
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Mountain LifeThe Sierra Nevada has long been a place of
drama and aspiration. For centuries, the rugged landscape provided sustenance for
the region’s Native Americans and mountain com-munities. In the 19th century, however, lives were changed forever by fortune seekers arriving from around the world in search of gold. The evolution continued in the early 20th century as farmers from Japan and Europe discovered how well fruit grew in the Sierra soil, and established orchards. Later, World War II veterans founded some of the country’s first ski resorts. Ever since then, entre-preneurs, nature lovers, and explorers have made lasting impressions on the range. On Main Street or in the backcountry, it is easy to meet the people of the Sierra, whether they play piano at a historic hotel or lead tours through lime-stone caverns. Some sell vintage bottles in the town of Murphys or hold traditional powwows on the Modoc Plateau; others build hiking and mountain
biking trails around Lake Tahoe, enjoy regional cuisine in a Sierra Valley barn, or strum the standup bass in Three Rivers. A community’s livelihood is often born of the land. In the western foothills, a farming family grows persimmons on a parcel their immigrant grandfather scrimped to buy a century ago. Every autumn the family hand-massages and dries the orange-colored fruit in order to make the traditional Japanese delicacy called hoshigaki. In the central and southern foothills, vintners grow wine grapes on old cattle ranch lands. In the town of Springville, ranchers protect historical sites, host green wed-dings, and promote outdoor education exercises that expand the mind. Caretakers, curators, and sometimes curiosities themselves—Sierra Nevada residents welcome visitors to share in the future of the remarkable “Range of Light.” —Laura Read, author, Tahoe City, CA
Visit www.sierranevadageotourism.org to connect with the residents and more than 1,500 of their favorite art and cultural events, historic sites, time-less towns, local shops, and outdoor explorations.
Sierra NevadaEvents • Outdoor Adventures • Local Culture
geotourism (n): Tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a
place—its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents.
SIERRA NEVADA
GEOTOURISM
A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATION
Outdoor AdventuresA hiker reclines on a stony ridge separating Lake Tahoe from the Great Basin terrain of Nevada. To the east lies a sagebrush desert, its soil so dry in places that occasional wind gusts whip the dust a half-mile high into the air. To the west the snowcapped Sierra crest shimmers, folded and scoured by heat and ice. Below is Lake Tahoe, its cobalt blue hue reflecting the sky. Monstrous peaks, cascading rivers, glacier-carved cirques— the Sierra Nevada’s endless landforms are playgrounds for adventure. The mountain range hosts the oldest living plant on Earth, the bristlecone pine, and grows the largest living organism on earth, the giant sequoia tree. It has some of the world’s clearest alpine lakes and one of the nation’s saltiest lakes. It contains an astonishingly large geologic form called a batholith, a seam of continuous granite 6 miles deep and 25,000 square miles at the surface, featuring one of the nation’s tallest peaks, Mt. Whitney. It also hides one of the Earth’s most important metals, gold. Challenged by such extremes, adventurers find ways to test their grit in the Sierra by kayaking thunderous rivers or hiking along the 1,072-mile Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Some explore the Sierra High Route at 10,000 feet, while others land wild trout or ski backcountry bowls. Some become heroes: “Snowshoe Thompson” delivered mail to mountain hamlets on handmade wooden skis; Norman Clyde and Clarence King scaled 14,000-foot peaks and inspired a new breed of mountaineers. The Sierra landscape fires the imaginations of explorers both young and old, galvanizing ambitions and igniting dreams.
Natural BeautyOn cold spring nights, halos of translucent ice freeze around midstream boulders. As the sun rises, the circles of ice start to melt, but not before a cross-country skier crouches streamside to admire the clear fragile shards. In an hour the ice halos will be gone. For all of the Sierra Nevada’s grandeur—the granite forma-tions, the broad meadows, the glittering lakes—there are many small and fleeting pleasures. Being in solitude, being quiet, being at ease in nature—in all of these situations a person can find renewal. When President Theodore Roosevelt visited Yosemite National Park in 1903, he celebrated the joys of nature, exclaiming, “This has been the grandest day of my life.” Roosevelt’s friend, the naturalist-conservationist John Muir, ex-plained his own relationship with wilderness this way: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” In the Sierra, the excitement of beauty is everywhere: a hiker in a sheltered streambed notices flowers that seem to float in shadows like crimson stars; a motorist pausing at a Kings Canyon National Park viewpoint is moved to tears by a panorama of granite cliffs; and a kayaker paddling next to a white tufa tower touches the stone’s chalky surface with her thumb and licks the strange, bitter salt from her skin. Impressions of magnificence endure.
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Isabella Lake
FolsomLake
LakeCrowleyMammoth
Lakes
Millerton Lake
LakeSuccess
TurlockLake
New HoganLake
New Melones Lake
LakeKaweah
Shaver Lake
Lake McClure(Exchequer Reservoir)
Cherry Lake
Topaz Lake
Bass Lake
GrantLake
Gull L.
Thousand IslandLake
LakeNatoma
LakeEleanor
HuntingtonLake
Lake ThomasA. Edison
Florence Lake
Ice HouseRes.
LakeTahoe
Twin Lakes
Beardsley Lake
Jenkinson Lake
Caples Lake
Silver Lake
Donnell Lake
Pinecrest L.
Deep SpringsLake
O w e n s
L a k e
DonPedro
Reservoir
Pine Flat Reservoir
CamancheReservoir
PardeeReservoir
Tulloch Reservoir
BridgeportReservoir
S. HaiweeReservoir
N. HaiweeReservoir
Hetch Hetchy Reservoir
ModestoReservoir
CourtrightReservoir
Mammoth PoolReservoir
WishonReservoir
TinemahaReservoir
Burns Lake
Yosemite Lake
Salt SpringsReservoir
Salt Spring ValleyReservoir
Mariposa Reservoir
EastmanLake
HensleyLake
BearReservoir
Lower Bear RiverReservoir
Owens Reservoir
Spicer MeadowRes.
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Kings Canyon
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BLUE RIDGEN.W.R.
INYO
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WILDERNESS
S E Q U O I A -
K I N G S C A N Y O N
W I L D E R N E S S
OWENS PEAK
WILDERNESS
SACATAR
TRAIL
WILDERNESS
D O M E L A N D
W I L D E R N E S S
PIPER
MOUNTAIN
WILDERNESS
COSO RANGE
WILDERNESS
SOUTH
SIERRA
WILDERNESS
JOHN KREBSWILDERNESS
K I A V A H
W I L D E R N E S S
EL PASOMOUNTAINSWILDERNESS
SYLVANIA MOUNTAINS
WILDERNESS
CHIMNEY PEAK
WILDERNESS
GRANITE
MOUNTAIN
WILDERNESS
BOUNDARY PEAK WILDERNESS
OWENS RIVERHEADWATERS
WILDERNESS
WHITE
MOUNTAINS
WILDERNESS
BRIGHT STAR
WILDERNESS
M O K E L U M N EW I L D E R N E S S
Y O S E M I T E
W I L D E R N E S S
Y O S E M I T E
W I L D E R N E S S
A N S E L
A D A M S
W I L D E R N E S S
KAISER WILDERNESS
DINKEYLAKES
WILDERNESS
JENNIELAKES
WILDERNESS
MONARCH
WILDERNESS
G O L D E N T R O U T
W I L D E R N E S S
E M I G R A N T
W I L D E R N E S S
C A R S O N - I C E B E R G
W I L D E R N E S S
HOOVER
WILDERNESS
D E S O L A T I O N
W I L D E R N E S S
TULE RIVER
RESERVATION
E L D O R A D O
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
S T A N I S L A U S
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
S I E R R A
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
I N Y O
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
S E Q U O I A
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
S E Q U O I A
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
SEQUOIA
NATIONAL FOREST
S E Q U O I A
N AT I O N A L F O R E S T
H U M B O L D T - T O I Y A B E
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
I N Y O
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
INYONATIONAL
FOREST
INYO
NATIONAL
FOREST
I N Y O
N A T I O N A L
F O R E S T
D E A T H
V A L L E Y
N A T I O N A L
P A R K
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Big Oak Flat EntranceInformation Station
WawonaVisitor Center(open summer only)
Lodgepole Visitor Center
Cedar Grove Visitor Center
EB
BETTS PA SS NAT
IONAL SCENIC B Y WA
Y
TIOGA RO
AD
KINGS CANYON SCENIC BYWAY
CHIM
NEY
PEA
K BACK COUNT RY BYWAY
SIERRA HERITAGE S CEN IC BYWAY (ROUTE 16
8)
SIERRA
VISTA SCEN
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WAY
ROU
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0—MARIPOSA COUNTY
LEE VIN
I N G CANYON
RO
UTE 395–M
ON
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ROU
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ROU
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95--IN
YO C
OU
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SCE
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SALINE VALLEY RO
AD BAC
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NTRYBYW
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ANC
IE NT BRISTLECO
NE SCENIC
BY
WAY
(ROU
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CARSON PASS HIG HWAY (ROUTE 88)
ROUTE 50–EL DORADO COUNTY
NA
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PAC
I F IC CREST
JOH
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UIR T
RAIL
PACIFIC
CREST
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RAIL
JOHN MU
IR TRA
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PACIFIC CREST NATIO
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L SCENIC TRAIL
PAC
IFI C CR
EST NATIONAL SCE N
IC TRA
IL
JOHNMUIRTRAIL
JOHN MUIRHIGHWAY
RD.GLACIER POINT
SIERRA HIGH ROUTE
SIERRA HIGH
ROUTE
FOWLER SW
ITCH CANAL
MADERA CANAL
ALTA EAST BRANCH CANAL
FRIANT— KERN CANAL
FRIA
NT K
ERN
CAN
AL
BIG
PIN
E CA
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Success Dam
Folsom Dam
Nimbus Dam
Beardsley Dam
New Hogan Dam
Tulloch Dam
New Melones Dam O’ShaughessyDam
New Don Pedro Dam
New Exchequer Dam
Vermilion Valley Dam
Mammoth Pool Dam
Isabella Lake Dam
Pine Flat Dam
Friant Dam
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Mono Pass
Piute Pass
Walker Pass
Devils GateSonora Pass
CarsonPass
Echo Summit
Taboose Pass
Ebbetts Pass
Forester Pass
Tehachapi Pass
(clo
sed
in w
i nte
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(closedin winter)
(closed in winter)
Monitor Pass(closed in winter)
(closed in winter)
(road closedin winter)
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Mt. Dana
Half Dome
Piute Peak
Sugarloaf Mt.
Owens Peak
Mt. Inyo
The Needles
Sunday Peak
Merced Peak
Shuteye Peak
Mt. Lyell
Sonora Peak
Sherman Peak
Olancha Peak
Mt. Kaweah
Mt. Darwin
Mt. Morgan
Bear CreekSpire
Mt. Ritter
Mt. Hoffmann
Bullion Mt.
Mt. Langley
Lone Pine Peak
Pine Mountain
Mt. Florence
Mt. Whitney
Boundary Peak
Mt. Conness
Mt. Silliman
Bear Mt.
BlackMountain
North Palisade
Kennedy Mt.
Maggie Mt.
Mt. Humphreys
Bloody Mt.
Mt. Patterson
Highland Peak
Matterhorn Peak
Mt. Williamson
Waucoba Mt.
White Mountain Peak
Leek Spring Hill
TheSisters
Mokelumne Peak
Patterson Mountain
DEVILS POSTPILENATIONAL
MONUMENT
June Lake Triathlon
John Muir RouteCelebration
Groveland Quilt Stroll
Mono BasinBird Chautauqua
Indian Fair Days & Pow Wow,Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree
Bishop Mule DaysCelebration
Three Rivers LionsTeam Roping
June Lake
West Walker River
Crystal Cave
ConvictLake
MammothLakes
Bass Lake
Great SierraRiver Cleanup
Highland Lakes
Ebbetts PassNational Scenic Byway
Buttermilks
Yosemite Theater
Palisade Glacier
Rock Creek Canyon
Buck Rock Lookout
Happy and Sad Boulders
McGee Creek Trail
Terminus Dam
Red Rock CanyonState Park
Coarsegold Historic Museum
Alabama Hills
Audubon KernRiver Preserve
Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park
Columbia State Historic Park
Canebrake Ecological Reserve
Tule Elk WildlifeViewing Area
Three RiversHistorical Museum
Ancient BristleconePine Forest
Coulterville
Angels Camp Museum
Panum Crater
Tuolumne County Museum& History Research Center
Eastern California Museum
Don Pedro Recreation AgencyVisitor Center
Trail of 100 Giants
Mono Lake CommitteeInformation Center
& Bookstore
Beverly and Jim RogersMuseum of Lone PineFilm History
Horsetail Falls
High Sierra Trail
Mineral King
Parchers Resort
River Ridge Ranch
Cabinart
Mountain Light Gallery
Tioga Lodgeat Mono Lake
Sorensen's Resort
Fine Eye Gallery
Jackson Downtown Historic District
Bodie State Historic Park
Y O S E M I T E
N A T I O N A L
P A R K
K I N G S C A N Y O N
N A T I O N A L
P A R K
KINGSCANYON
NATIONAL PARK
S E Q U O I A
N A T I O N A L P A R K
M o n o
L a k e
McNally's Fairview Lodge
Wapama Falls
Railtown 1897State Historic Park
J O H N M U I R
W I L D E R N E S S
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Fresno
Stockton
Bakersfield
Onyx
Canebrake
Avery
MountainRanch
Sandy Gulch
FisherPlace
Hathaway Pines
Sanger
Oakhurst
TuolumneSoulsbyville
Columbia
Lakeshore
Bass Lake
Pinecrest
June Lake
Crestview
Altaville
Toms Place
Whitmore Hot Springs
North Fork
EastPorterville
Carbondale
ShingleSprings
Nashville
Enterprise River Pines
Springville
Milo
Dinkey Creek
Three Rivers
Auckland
Coulterville
Markleeville
Echo Lake
ChiliBar
KelseyTwin Bridges
Lodi
Hume
Crabtree
Dyer
Ione
Orosi
Woody
Keene
Loraine
Cinco
Armistead
MarcelWalong
Bear ValleySprings
Arvin
Kyburz
Bryants
CutlerDinuba
Fowler
Delano
Tulare
Piedra
Clovis
Friant
Merced
Winton
Hornitos
Bishop
Oteys SierraVillage
Rovana Alta Vista Laws
BentonMontgomery City
Hammil
Bena
Greenfield
Alameda
Lamont
Mojave
Exeter
Wawona
Sonora
Walker
MountBullion
Sonora Junction
Arnold
White Pines
Camino
Coloma
Cantil
RanchoSeco
Sageland
WeldonBellaVista
FreemanJunction
Keeler
Dolomite
Swansea
Whitney Portal
ParlierReedley
Oildale
Midvalley
Atwater
Auberry
Raymond
Murphys
Vallecito
Jackson
Bodfish
Cartago
Bartlett
Olancha
Hayward
Bear Valley
Mount Ophir
Bagby
Big Pine Zurich
Aberdeen
FishSprings
Caliente
Rowen
Woodford
Cable
Twin Oaks
Millersville
Monolith
Woodlake
Ahwahnee
YosemiteForks
Midpines
BootjackMariposa
Plymouth
FourCorners
Drytown
Martell
Amador City
La Grange
GraniteSprings
McFarland
Big Creek
Huntington Lake
Mono Hot Springs
Tollhouse
Trimmer
Tehachapi
Chaffee
Lemoncove
MiramontePinehurst
Grant GroveVillage
Kingsburg
Fish Camp
El PortalIncline
Briceburg
GrovelandBig Oak Flat Smith
Station
Jamestown
Copperopolis
LongBarn
Woodfords Alpine Village
Kirkwood
Plasse
Mesa Vista
Coleville
Topaz
Loope
OmoRanch
Kernville
Indian Wells
Pine FlatEarlimart
Lone Pine
Owenyo
Coarsegold
Strawberry
Lee Vining
Bridgeport
Mono Village
Willow Springs
Dardanelle
WestPoint
PineGrove
Pioneer
Fiddletown
Glennville
Orange Cove
Porterville
Visalia
Camp Nelson
Shaver Lake
PratherMarshall Station
Squaw ValleyDunlap
PineRidge
Cedar Grove
Twain Harte
Bear Valley
LakeAlpine
CottageSprings
Cold Springs
AngelsCamp
Independence
San Andreas
Placerville
Somerset Grizzly Flat
Tamarack
Ganns
Little Lake
Haiwee
Dunmovin
Alta Sierra
Johnsondale
Fairview
DeepSprings
Oasis
Independence
SevenPines
Farmersville
WuksachiVillage
Chinese Camp
Sutter Creek
Mammoth Lakes
PollockPines
Lake Isabella
Catheys Valley
Mi-Wuk Village
Rail Road Flat
Jesus MariaPaloma
ValleySprings
CampoSeco
Mokelumne Hill
Big Bar
Rancho Calaveras
California City
Diamond SpringsEl Dorado
Malby Crossing
Rancho Murieta
MelsonsCorner
MountAukum
Wofford Heights
Yosemite Village
MiracleHot Springs
HavilahDemocratHot Springs
CaliforniaHot Springs
Fales Hot SpringsSunnybrook
Kaweah
Mather
Dorrington
El DoradoHills
Folsom
Wilton
Buck Meadows
CALIFORNIA
NEVADA
Grover Hot Springs State ParkHike through forests and meadows of this designated California Watchable Wildlife viewing site, and soak in the soothing hot springs.
Historic Cary House Hotel Mark Twain, President Ulysses S. Grant, and Bette Davis once stayed at this classic gold rush hotel built in 1847. Original woodwork and bricks, and the second oldest elevator west of the Mississippi, add to its elegance and charm.
Chew Kee Store Museum Built of thick, mud-packed walls, this gold-rush-era herb store served a thriving Chinese community that inhabited the townfor more than a hundred years. Step inside the present-day museum and examine original furnishings, goods from the store, and the owner’s residence.
Calaveras Big Trees State ParkStanding at the base of the giant sequoias, the world’s largest living objects, you might feel overwhelmed by their immensity. The Louis Agassiz tree, the park’s most massive, is 250 feet tall and more than 25 feet in diameter.
Lundy CanyonCome in the spring to enjoy vibrant wild�ower displays, in the summer to view awe-inspiring waterfalls, or in autumn to admire aspen gladesthat glow in �ery crimson and gold.
BridgeportMountaineers might explore the Sawtooth Range year-round while anglers land brown trout in the Bridgeport Reservoir, Twin Lakes, the Walker River, and numerous backcountry lakes and creeks.
Benton Hot SpringsAfter exploring the 1860s mining equipment you can choose a campsite, pitch your tent, and soak in your own private hot spring tub.
Eastern Sierra Birding Cruise down this 200-mile stretch of Highway 395 where the landscape is as diverse as the bird population. With an Eastern Sierra Birding Trail Map in hand you’ll know where to scan the skies, cliffs, and streams for bald eagles, yellow-billed cuckoos, tundra swans, or even a magni�cent frigate bird.
Owens River Local guides can help you access back-country, isolated sections of this river considered by many to be one of the best trout �sheries in the West.
Vermilion Valley ResortThis out-of-the-way, full service, lakeside resort with simple accommodations is a major rest and resupply spot for thru-hikers on the Paci�c Crest National Scenic Trail and John Muir Trail.
Narrow Gauge InnThis small, family-owned, Swiss chalet-style lodge invites visitors to stroll through vibrant gardens, enjoy seasonal food at the restaurant, and kick back on your room’s private deck with forest and mountain views.
Sierra Mono Indian MuseumThe North Fork Mono tribe conveys its history and cultural heritage not only through displays in the museum, but also through guided tours with stories, songs, and an interpretive nature walk. Take a language class or attend a Thursday “Craft Day” and learn the traditional arts of basketry and beadwork.
Billy Creek Guard Station MuseumThis 1920s residence tells the story of the region’s Native American history ranging fromthe Monache to the Western Mono, the onset of the hydroelectric power era, and a B-24 bomber that crashed into Huntington Lake in 1943.
Shaver Crossing Railroad Station Museum From 1912 through the late 1920s this station served as a hub of activity—worker residences, workshops, and the like—on the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad. Learn about this once-thriving community and the last standing station on a railroad that was dismantled in 1933.
Kings Canyon National Park The powerful Kings River surges through a glaciated valley �oor �anked by skyscraping granite walls and cliffs. Canyons thousands of feet deep snake their way through the mountains. And the barren ridges and remote High Sierra environs lure hikers and backpackers to spots visited by few.
Laws Railroad Museum and Historic SiteView the original 1883 depot, agent’s house, and hundred-year-old “Slim Princess,” the last steam train to operate on the narrow-gauge railroad. Wander through the 1880s-style village or take a ride on the “Death Valley Railroad Car” during summer weekends.
Bishop Creek BasinFrom March to November anglers can choose between four well-stocked lakes in close proximity to one another.
Los Angeles Aqueduct IntakeIn 1913 the rapidly growing city of Los Angeles completed construction on an aqueduct that originated at this intake on the Owens River and sent water thundering down more than 200 miles to the city.
Baxter Pass TrailFollow the ten-mile loop trail through �owering alpine meadows, where you might see a bighorn sheep grazing on the hills. A steep hike to the summit of the pass and an equally challenging descent will lead you to the John Muir Trail.
Onion Valley and Kearsarge Pass After steering through steep switchbacks up morethan 5,000 vertical feet you arrive in Onion Valley.From here you can climb the challenging KearsargePass Trail on foot to several alpine lakes or over the crest of the Sierra Nevada, through breathtakingKings Canyon backcountry and directly to theJohn Muir Trail.
Mt. Whitney At the south end of the John Muir Trail rises Mt. Whitney, an ultimate quest for hikers and climbers. At 14,494 feet it is the highest peak in the contiguous United States.
General Sherman TreeNearly 275 feet tall and as much as 36.5 feet in diameter at the base, General Sherman Tree is the world’s largest tree by volume and is estimated to be roughly 2,000 years old.
KaweahThe Kaweah Post Of�ce, built in 1910 and still in operation, is the last vestige of the Kaweah Colony, a late 1800s community based on the principles of utopian socialism.
Dry Creek Preserve This unique nature preserve sits on 152 acres of reclaimed mining land on which local conservationists and community members restored sycamore woodlands, native grasses, and habitat for native and migratory bird species. Cannell Trail
For hard-core mountain bikers, this 23.7-mile trail is considered one of Southern California’s most thrilling rides. The route (mostly single-track) starts in the thin air at 9,200 feet, climbs an additional 1,900-or-so vertical feet, and rewards you with jaw-dropping views and an overall 9,000-vertical-foot descent down to the Kern River.
Kernville Examine objects depicting thousands of years of local history—including fossils and Native American artifacts—at the Kern Valley Museum. Honor the legacy of the region’s earliest settlers with a walk through the timeworn Old Kernville Historic Cemetery. Browse downtown art galleries and shops, watch kayakers and anglers on the Kern River, and get to know some locals at the Kern River Brewing Company.
Audubon Kelso Creek Sanctuary One hundred �fty-six acres of riparian forest, desert scrub, and Joshua tree woodlands lie on a major migratory corridor for songbirds, raptors, and bats.
Manzanar National Historic Site During World War II, more than 10,000 Japanese Americans were interred at a military-style camp here at the base of the Sierra Nevada. Help preserve their memory by touring the remnants of building foundations and the camp cemetery, and take some time to view exhibits in the interpretive center.
Murphys Historic HotelInside this photographic Main Street inn you’ll �nd rooms, many of which are original, furnished with period antiques and named for historic �gures who once stayed here—including Susan B. Anthony, John Wayne, and Horatio Alger.
California Cavern State Historic LandmarkDon your helmet lamp and follow your professional guide through subterranean passages once explored by Mark Twain and John Muir. Delve into chambers where crystalline formations cling to walls and reach down from ceilings, or book an exhilarating expedition through the undeveloped parts of the cave.
Mokelumne RiverAfter you go bass �shing, kayak the white water, or picnic on the riverside, you might consider joining the effort to designate these waters as a National Wild and Scenic River.
1859 Historic National HotelThe ornate redwood exterior and vine-covered courtyard draw you into this restored mid-1800s hotel, with its elegant three-star restaurant, saloon that serves up drinks at the original black bar, and rooms adorned with Victorian antiques.
Yosemite National ParkStand atop Glacier Point and behold a panorama so awe-inspiring it might seem unreal. Half Dome, a Yosemite icon, towers thousands of feet above the Yosemite Valley �oor. Yosemite Falls drops 2,425 feet over three breathtaking cascades. The high-country wilderness, deep valleys, cliffs, and meadows span nearly 1,200 square miles.
MariposaStroll through the sprawling historic district of this former mining town, once a popular rest stop for stagecoaches. Tour the well-preserved buildings and artifacts at the Mariposa Museum and History Center. Book one of the antique-furnished rooms at the Mariposa Hotel Inn and meet visitors from around the globe on the veranda.
Iron Door SaloonNot only is this 1890s saloon unique for its solid granite block walls and tin-covered sod roof, but it is also the oldest continuously operating saloon in California.
Tomo-Kahni State Historic ParkOpen by tour only, Tomo-Khani is the ancestral home of the Kawaiisu people who resided here for around 1,500 years. On the moderately strenuous three-hour hike you’ll encounter ancient cave paintings, grinding holes, and other remnants of this hunter-gatherer culture.
Nuui Cunni Native American Intertribal Cultural CenterThe Cultural Center’s museum, gathering place, and multi-acre gardens feature native plants, artifacts, handmade crafts, and wares from Native American tribes such as the Shoshine Paiute, Tubatulabal, and Kawaiisu.
Designated CaliforniaWild and Scenic River.
Hiking trails across the uneven,rocky surface of volcanic pumicein a highly protected area.
Hike to these powerful falls that cascade more than 1,300 feet into Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a submerged pristine glacial valley.
Live summertime performancesthat bring the park’s history,people, and landscapes to life.
Shallow volcanic canyon with routes along walls, alcoves, and jumbled rock.
World-class bouldering area.
High-altitude trail (begins at 8,000 feetand climbs another 2,000-plus) withaccess to the John Muir Wilderness.
Hike through Little Lakes Basin and 13,000-foot peaks to Mono Pass.
Features the stunning landscape photographyof the acclaimed late Galen Rowell.
Restored buildings and extensive displays convey the cultural heritage of the Chukchansi, Mono, andMiwok people, as well as early pioneer families.
Late 1800s village with homes, jail,blacksmith shop, and other structures.
Popular year-round �shingspot with abundant summerrecreation opportunities.
Exhibits, events, and book titles covering SierraNevada history from the dinosaurs through NativeAmericans, pioneers, and famous mountaineers.
Naturalist-guided summer tours of ancient,underground, marble rooms and formations.
Working cattle ranchand nature preserve.
Ascend from river canyons to high alpinelakes to the summit of Mt. Whitney on this
70-mile classic trek.
Flourishing mountain community withminimal modernization, and a nationalCultural Landscape District.
Panoramic views from a dome-top shelteraccessed by switchback staircases.
Pencil drawings and oil paintings of the southern Sierra Nevada by Jana Botkin. Studio open by appointment only.
Local dining favorite where the in-house butcher hand cuts every steak to order.
Walk the 1.3-mile paved interpretive trailthrough Long Meadow Grove and marvel at thegiant sequoias, the largest which has a 20-foot
diameter and stands 220 feet tall.
Hike, camp, or ski on the southernmostpermanent glacier in North America.
Registered National Historic Districtwith original gold-rush-era buildings.
Contemporary works of art, décor, and jewelry by local and regional artists.
A blend of restored gold-rush-era buildingsand modern-day retailers and services.
Well-preserved mid-1800s buildings and a main street listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Massive waterfall carved into the granitelandscape and pine forest, accessible only bya steep trail with challenging boulder climbs.
All-season resort with cozy cabins and cottages, a wood-�red sauna, and nearby trout-�lled West Fork Carson River.
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Changing LandscapesDrinking water, shower water, car wash water:
Domestic water doesn’t originate at the tap in California; it arrives from the mountains. Up
to 65 percent of all of the water consumed in the Golden State flows from a magnificent 400-mile-long spine of peaks and canyons along the state’s eastern border—the Sierra Nevada range. The Sierra narrative is an epic of growth, erosion, and renewal. Four million years ago the Earth’s superheated magma shoved surface plates of rock high into the air. Weather and gravity worked as rain, snow, ice, and wind gouged and cracked the moun-tains and washed away the soil. Today’s mountain range is 70 miles wide and more than 14,000 feet high. The sculpted shapes that remain comprise some of the Sierra’s grandest places, including the glorious Yosemite Valley, ancient volcanic rock formations of the Sierra Buttes, and the mighty Kern River canyon. The high country is a storage place for water.
When snow melts in springtime, it streams into collection systems that deliver it to neighborhoods and homes. Many months and miles later, the mountain’s snowmelt reaches the domestic tap where it splashes onto millions of hands. But the story doesn’t end there. Today, climate change, a development as defining as the area’s first uplift, is altering the mountain range’s trea- sured places. Weather disruptions are shortening the length of winters, and the warmer days are shrinking the snowpack, reducing its capacity as a storage body. Rare plant and animal species are migrating upslope. In addition, warmer winters are shortening ski and snowboarding seasons, which affects local economies. All is not doomed, however. The human passion for the Sierra is kindling fresh collaboration among the region’s many stewards. The mountains are putting their people to the test, and the people are responding. —Laura Read, author, Tahoe City, CA
BODIE STATE HISTORIC PARKTales of saloons, gunfights, and lawlessness bring to life the heyday of this former 1800s gold mining boomtown, now a deserted ghost town. Bodie draws you down its dusty, abandoned streets and into homes, the school, and other buildings where time-worn furnishings and interiors remain as they were when the last resident left.
RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARKEroded cliffs, buttes, and rock formations rise from the desert landscape in striations of red, brown, and gray, often used as land-marks for weary pioneers and miners in the late 1800s. Camp at the foot of a magnificent sandstone ridge, hike along miles of trails, or take a guided nature hike in the spring when wildflowers are ablaze with color.
MONO LAKEThere’s a certain otherworldly quality to Mono Lake—volcanic islands, the faint buzz of alkali flies, trillions of brine shrimp feeding on algae in dense salt water, and limestone spires and formations that protrude through the lake surface. The Mono Lake Committee works to protect the ecosystem and prevent excessive water usage and other threats.
RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARKRailtown invites you into this fully operational railroad roundhouse complex that has operated continually since 1897 and served as a Hollywood filming location for more than 200 productions, from Petticoat Junction to Unforgiven. View original locomotives, watch skilled workmen repair cars, check out movie props and artifacts, or ride an authentic steam-powered train through California’s scenic gold country.
JOHN MUIR WILDERNESSNamed for the naturalist-conservationist who explored the dramatic canyons, lakes, and pinnacles of this alpine terrain, the John Muir Wilderness encompasses more than a half million acres from elevations of 4,000 feet to mountain peaks of 14,000-plus feet.
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARKAfter you climb the quarter-mile staircase to the exposed summit of Moro Rock and behold the Sierra Nevada and for-ested canyons, it becomes clear how this became California’s first national park. The Giant Forest Museum familiarizes you with the towering sequoias and verdant meadows before you venture out among the trees, the tallest of which are the height of the average 26-story building. Wuksachi Village and Lodge, an upscale mountain resort, invites you to rest and relax in luxury.
AUDUBON KERN RIVER PRESERVEOne of the country’s first ten sites to receive “Globally Important Bird Area” recognition, this natural preserve on the South Fork Kern River contains freshwater wetlands and cottonwood-willow riparian forests that provide habitat for rare and/or protected bird species—such as bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and southwestern willow flycatcher—and 200 species of nesters.
Connect and EngageSix photography students are up before dawn, their tripods planted firmly in the Sierra dirt, their lenses trained on an array of peaks and ridges they cannot yet see. Their teacher explains that with the earliest slip of light, the sky will flush indigo blue and the still-black mountains will sharpen in relief. As every second passes, the sun’s illumination will change, and so will the students’ perceptions. The Sierra reveals much to people who actively engage with its landscape and traditions. Some activities honor craft and tech-nology, such as basket weaving taught by a Yosemite Miwok, or gold panning demonstrated by a northern foothills miner. Others, including naturalist-guided walks and interpretive center events, reveal natural wonders, such as how a red snow plant bursts through hard soil into sunshine in spring, or how every October, kokanee salmon squirm upstream to lay eggs. From birding festivals at Kern River Valley to river restoration programs such as the annual Great Sierra River Cleanup, group gatherings reflect the diversity of the Sierra’s inhabitants. One annual event commemorates America’s first downhill ski races organized by gold miners, another challenges the indomitable skills of loggers, while other fairs celebrate animals, including mules in Bishop, jumping frogs in Calaveras, and camels in Virginia City, Nevada. Participants not only make new friends, but also discover new worlds.
Culture and HeritageEarly Native Americans and settlers left behind artifacts that immerse visitors in the detail and nostalgia of history. In a traditional roundhouse, Nisenan families hold a ceremony for an annual acorn harvest. In a windswept meadow north of Lake Tahoe, campers bake pizza in an early 20th-century Basque fieldstone oven. In the Bodie Hills near Bridgeport, children explore the abandoned buildings of a preserved ghost town. In the western foothills, a ranching family drives cattle across river bridges to winter pastures. In the barren northeast, history buffs examine rutted paths marking the routes of brave 19th-century emigrants seeking prosperity. In the south among the giant redwoods, artists capture the spirit of early settlers embodied in the historic Kaweah Post Office. Thanks to the people who preserve the Sierra’s cultural artifacts and traditions, it is possible to contemplate the region’s future while treasuring the past.
ANCIENT BRISTLECONE PINE FORESTAlong the mountaintops of the Inyo National Forest stretches an unusual landscape of rocky, white soil, interrupted by dwarfed, gnarled, and distorted trees: ancient great basin bristlecone pine trees, many of which are more than 4,000 years old. After you’ve walked the 4.5-mile Methuselah Loop Trail you can be sure you’ve seen the world’s oldest living tree, but you’ll have to guess which one it is. Its identity is kept secret.
MAMMOTH LAKESImpressive snow totals and a stable snowpack make the Sierra Nevada world-famous for almost-year-round skiing. In the spring you can ski through the morning, go trout fishing midday, and hike in the afternoon. Take a side trip to see the Minarets, a breathtaking ridge of jagged moun-tain peaks, or hike to the base of 101-foot-tall Rainbow Falls.
EBBETTS PASS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY Drive at a leisurely pace down this 61-mile stretch of road that winds through the wildest wonders of the Sierra Nevada, including giant sequoias, glacially carved valleys, alpine lakes, and volcanic peaks. You’ll find remains of Native American, pioneer, and mining sites. And outdoor recreation is virtually unlimited—from camping, fishing, and boating to skiing at Bear Valley.
GREAT SIERRA RIVER CLEANUPThe Great Sierra River Cleanup is an annual volunteer event spread across 22 counties and 700 river miles. The Cleanup focuses on remov-ing trash and restoring watershed health throughout the Sierra Nevada region. The Sierra supplies California with up to 65 percent of its water.
John Muir“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.” —John Muir John Muir and climbers Clarence R. King and Norman Clyde dedicated their lives to exploring and writing about the Sierra while advocating for its protection. They believed sharing their dramatic adventures would awaken the public’s interest in the natural world. In all of John Muir’s adventures, he believed the Sierra Nevada, affectionately referred to as the “Range of Light,” was the most divinely beautiful chain of mountains he had ever seen.
ALABAMA HILLSMillennia of rain, snow, and windblown sand sculpted these distinctive hills of granite, out of which rise impressive arches such as Alabama Hills’ Mobius Arch. If you notice a familiar quality to the landscape it may be with good reason. The contoured formations have served as the backdrop for hundreds of Hollywood films, from Gunga Din and The Lone Ranger to Gladiator and Iron Man.
Visit www.sierranevadageotourism.org to connect with the residents and more than 1,500 of their favorite art and cultural events, historic sites, time-less towns, local shops, and outdoor explorations.
RAILTOWN 1897 STATE HISTORIC PARKSTEPHEN SAKS PHOTOGRAPHY / ALAMY
BODIE STATE HISTORIC PARKJOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
BACKCOUNTRY SKIING, BLOODY MOUNTAIN, MAMMOTH LAKESDALE APGAR
MONO LAKECHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM
RED ROCK CANYON STATE PARKJACK GOLDFARB / DESIGN PICS / CORBIS
BULLOCK’S ORIOLE PERCHING IN COTTONWOOD TREE, AUDUBON KERN RIVER PRESERVEWILLIAM LEAMAN / ALAMY
GIANT SEQUOIASISTOCKPHOTO.COM / JIM LOPES
LONG LAKE, JOHN MUIR WILDERNESSRUSS BISHOP / ALAMY
ACKERSON MEADOW, NEAR YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK CHARLES PHILLIPS / STONECREEKGALLERY.COM
EPIC SIERRA ADVENTURES TEEN CLEARS GROUND FOR A TRAIL AT GULL LAKEMOLLY HUCKLEBRIDGE, AMERICAN RIVER CONSERVANCY (ARC)
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VIEW OF LONE PINE PEAK THROUGH MOBIUS ARCHJOSH MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY
MOSQUITO LAKE, EBBETTS PASS NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYSTEVE SHUEY / ALAMY
PULLING TIRES OUT OF THE SAN JOAQUIN RIVERRICHARD F. SLOAN
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SIERRA NEVADA
GEOTOURISM
A NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DESTINATION
Sierra Nevada Travel TipsGeotourism invites you to explore new environments and cultures in a way that leaves local treasures unspoiled for generations to come. In the Sierra Nevada region of California and Nevada, where breathtaking beauty can be found at every turn, we strive to promote the principles of geotourism every day. So as you take your journey to some of the most captivating places on Earth, we hope that you not only will be enriched by the experience, but also will be inspired to conserve and protect it—so you and all those who follow can enjoy it time and again.
Shop LocallySupport Sierra Nevada communities by patronizing local businesses. Seek out delicious local foods, unique lodging, and family-owned shops. Supporting the people who support the places you are visiting will reward you with richer experiences.
VolunteerA great way to get to know a place, and the people who work to protect it, is to lend a hand. Repair hiking trails, pull invasive weeds, restore streamside habitat, catalog historical artifacts, and pick up trash. Be a “voluntourist”—check out ways to “Connect and Engage” at www.sierranevadageotourism.org.
Take a Hike The Sierra Nevada region boasts trails to hike, bike, ski, and ride horses. Local volunteers can lead you on educational day hikes to watch birds, identify wildflowers, and explore public lands. Kayak and paddle along the Lake Tahoe Water Trail to view wildlife and historic lakeshore man-sions. Wear layered clothing for changeable Sierra weather. Carry and drink plenty of water. Stop to catch your breath and enjoy the views.
Tribal LandsOn any American Indian reservation, you are a guest where people live and work. Taking photos and video can be a sensitive issue, so ask permission first. A great time to visit is during traditional powwows.
Keep Wildlife Wild & SafeHelp protect the Sierra’s abundant wildlife. Maintain a respectful distance (and then some), use binoculars and telephoto lenses, refrain from feeding wild animals, and protect wildlife and your food by securely storing your meals and trash, especially when camping.
Step Away from Your CarExplore the area by getting out into it—try walking, cycling, or taking public transportation for a portion of your travels. Dirt Roads and Seasonal RoadsMany of the roads between towns and public recreational lands are not paved and vary in maintenance levels. Take it slow, keep the dust down, and give the wildlife a brake. Don’t drive off road, and please respect private property. Some roads, especially those that go over Sierra passes, are only open seasonally due to high snow loads and avalanche danger. Be sure to check if your route is open. Call 1-800-GAS-ROAD for Sierra road and weather conditions.
Leave No TraceTake only photographs and leave only footprints. Travel on existing trails and camp on hard surfaces. Keep campfires small in established fire pits. Pack out garbage if no trash receptacles are nearby. Let animals eat natural foods rather than yours.
Turn Your Lights Off and Look Up at the Night SkyWithout the glare of city lights you will be astounded at our clear, crisp Sierra skies. Don’t miss a chance to see the stars, the planets, and the Milky Way like you’ve never seen them before.
Be Prepared, Stay SafeLearn about local conditions and regulations before venturing out: What’s the weather forecast? How are the roads? Are open fires permitted or are camp stoves required? Remember that many mountain roads are gravel or single-lane, and always carry tire chains for snow and ice during the fall, winter, and spring. Dress in layers. It’s not uncommon to experience several seasons during the same day, especially at high elevations.
How This MapGuide Was CreatedThe people of the Sierra Nevada laid the foundation of this MapGuide by telling the stories of thousands of authentic places and experiences that they would like to share with you. Sites for the map were described and selected by locals. The project is overseen by the Sierra Nevada Geocouncil, a diverse alliance of representatives committed to engage visitors in experiences that sustain and enhance the special qualities of the Sierra Nevada.
When you’re traveling in the Sierra, use the Sierra Nevada Geotourism mobile phone app to find local places and fun things to do near you!
