Part 3

Skiing enthusiasts may enjoy excursions of several days’ duration in the high mountain country above Yosemite Valley accompanied by a ski instructor and guide and stopping overnight at ski lodges strategically located at an elevation where the snow is deep throughout the winter and in a region where the ski fields are second to none. Skiing is also enjoyed on ski fields along Wawona Road and adjacent to Glacier Point on the rim of the Valley, reached on foot over a 4-mile trail. The Glacier Point Mountain House is kept open during the winter season.

TRAILS AND HIKES

With nearly 700 miles of well-defined trails radiating from Yosemite Valley to all sections of the park, and with, for the most part, camps, lodges, or hotels situated within an easy day’s walking distance from each other, conditions in Yosemite are particularly adapted to hiking trips. The hiker may go “light”, depending upon the hotels and lodges for accommodations, or he may pack his entire outfit either on his back or upon a pack animal and thereby be entirely independent. During July and August ranger-naturalists conduct regular 7-day hikes through the High Sierra, stopping each night at one of the High Sierra camps above mentioned. There is no charge for this guide service, but hikers desiring to go with these guides should register at the museum in advance.

FISHING

The introduction of game fish into the waters of Yosemite National Park began in 1878, 12 years before the area now confined within the park boundaries had been set aside as a national reservation, when plants of rainbow trout were made in some of the lakes in what is now the northwestern corner of the park. In the following year plants of eastern brook trout were made in the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River, and in 1880 plants of rainbow trout were repeated in the Lake Eleanor country. Nothing more seems to have been done in the way of stocking any of the waters that are now within the park until 1890, the year that the park was created, when a general stocking of the streams and lakes was begun. This was continued, at first intermittently, but from 1911 to 1925 plants of from 100,000 to 400,000 young fry were made annually. The State hatchery was completed at Happy Isles in 1926 and from that year from 500,000 to over 1,000,000 fry have been planted annually by the rangers, with the result that today all of the principal lakes and streams of the park contain one or more well-known species of game fish.

It is in the northern canyons, however, that the greatest of all fishing grounds in the entire park are found. Many of the waters of that great area of 500 square miles or more north of the Tuolumne River were stocked years ago with rainbow and eastern brook. Conditions for continued propagation seem to have been exceedingly favorable, with the result that practically all of the lakes and streams now teem with fish life, and the fisherman who seeks fishing de luxe amid surroundings of the most fascinating grandeur of high-mountain scenery will find here a fulfillment of his most ambitious dreams and will be more than repaid for having taken time to penetrate this portion of the park.

In Yosemite National Park few anglers, even the most inexperienced, use bait during the summer or autumn. Of the various artificial flies the California Royal Coachman almost always proves the best lure; gray and brown hackles are also very good. Copper-nickel spinners of the sizes 0 to 2 are often taken in the lakes and sometimes in the streams when the trout are not rising to flies.

The nine species of trout in the waters of the park, about in the order of their relative abundance, are: Eastern brook trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, Lock Leven trout, cutthroat or black-spotted trout, Tahoe trout, steelhead trout, golden trout.

Information on the best lakes and streams for fishing may be obtained at any ranger station or at park headquarters in the New Village. See posted weekly bulletins.

Persons desiring to fish in the waters of Yosemite National Park must secure a sporting fishing license, as required by the laws of California. These laws provide that every person over the age of 18 years who obtains fish without first taking out a license is guilty of a misdemeanor. The license fee for residents is $2; for nonresidents, $3; and for aliens, $5. These licenses may be obtained from any county clerk, from the State Board of Fish and Game Commissioners, Wawona, Carl Inn, and Tuolumne Meadows, or at the general store in Yosemite Village. All fishing must be done in conformity with the State laws regarding open season, size of fish, and limit of catch.

HOW TO REACH THE PARK

BY AUTOMOBILE

All-Year State Highway.—The main paved route to Yosemite Valley from all California points, both north and south, is through Merced on the Pacific Highway through the San Joaquin Valley (Route 99). From Merced the State maintains the splendid paved All-Year Highway to El Portal (Route 140) and from El Portal the National Park Service maintains a similar highway to Yosemite Valley. It is 83 miles long and is the shortest, easiest, and most popular route from Merced, a high-gear modern highway, requiring 2½ hours to drive from Merced to Yosemite Valley. It is open and safely traveled every day of the year.

During the winter months visitors may obtain the latest accurate information on the snow conditions and winter sports at the automobile association offices. Visit the quaint old town of Mariposa, center of the gold rush in the days of ’49. See the oldest courthouse in the State, built in 1854.

By Seasonal Mountain Roads.—There are two other main routes across the Yosemite National Park leading into the Yosemite Valley, viz, the Wawona Road from the south and the Big Oak Flat Road from the north. The Tioga Road crosses the center of the park from east to west and connects with the Big Oak Flat Road. The Wawona Road is reached from Fresno, Madera, or Merced and points south and west of the park. The Big Oak Flat Road may be reached from Stockton, Modesto, Oakdale, and points north and west of the park. The Tioga Road may be reached on the east at Mono Lake from Lake Tahoe and points north, from Tonopah, Nev., and points east, from Bishop, Big Pine, and Mojave, and points south. On the west it connects with the Big Oak Flat Road at Carl Inn. Motorists using these roads will experience no serious difficulty if their cars are in good condition. In wet weather chains are advisable.

The Tioga Road.—Up the east slope of the Sierra Nevadas, through the scenic, spectacular Leevining Canyon, and from east to west across the mountain-top paradise winds the Tioga Road, which has a romantic history. It was built by Chinese labor in 1881 to a gold mine east of the park, but as the mine did not pay the expenses of getting out the ore it was quickly abandoned and soon became impassable. In 1915 a group of public-spirited citizens, headed by the Honorable Stephen T. Mather, purchased it from the present owners of the old mining property and presented it to the Government. When a young man, Mark Twain visited Mono Lake on the Tioga Road. Following is his own inimitable description from Roughing It:

Mono Lake is a hundred miles in a straight line from the ocean—and between it and the ocean are one or two ranges of mountains—yet thousands of sea gulls go there every season to lay their eggs and rear their young. One would as soon expect to find sea gulls in Kansas. And in this connection let us observe another instance of nature’s wisdom. The islands in the lake being merely huge masses of lava, coated over with ashes and pumice stone, and utterly innocent of vegetation or anything that would burn; and sea gulls’ eggs being entirely useless to anyone unless they be cooked, nature has provided an unfailing spring of boiling water on the largest island, and you can put your eggs in there, and in 4 minutes you can boil them as hard as any statement I have made during the past 15 years. Within 10 feet of the boiling spring is a spring of pure, cold water, sweet and wholesome. So in that island you get your board and washing free of charge—and if nature had gone farther and furnished a nice American hotel clerk, who was crusty and disobliging, and didn’t know anything about the time-tables, or the railroad routes—or—anything—and was proud of it—I would not wish for a more desirable boarding house.

BY RAILROAD AND AUTO STAGE

Merced is the most popular railway and stage gateway to the park and is served by the Southern Pacific Railway, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, and stage lines.

At Merced, direct connections are made throughout the year with daily trains of the Yosemite Valley Railroad to El Portal, at which place passengers are transferred to stages on the last 14 miles to Yosemite Valley. In summer, through overnight sleeper cars from San Francisco and Los Angeles are available for train passengers daily. For information regarding schedules, rates, etc., visit your nearest ticket office or write to the passenger traffic manager of the Southern Pacific Lines, San Francisco, Calif., the Santa Fe Lines, Chicago, Ill., or the Yosemite Valley Railroad, Merced, Calif.

Automobile stages from Merced to Yosemite Valley are operated every day of the year. In summer, stages leave Fresno and Stockton for Yosemite Valley, the service being available daily from about June 1 to September 1. From July 4 to September 3, stages connect Yosemite Valley and Lake Tahoe with daily service via the Tioga Road. For information and rates, apply to the Yosemite Transportation System, Yosemite National Park, Calif.

BY AIRPLANE

For persons desiring to spend less time en route to the park, fast air service is available to Fresno, Calif. This is furnished by the United Air Lines on their Seattle to San Diego route, which connects with their transcontinental planes at Oakland and those of the American Airlines and TWA at Los Angeles.

ADMINISTRATION

The representative of the National Park Service in immediate charge of Yosemite National Park is the superintendent, C. G. Thomson, whose office is located in the Administration Building in the Yosemite New Village and whose address is Yosemite National Park, Calif. General information may be obtained from him, and all complaints should be addressed to him. A staff of employees, including rangers and ranger-naturalists, assists the superintendent in serving the public.

Exclusive jurisdiction over Yosemite National Park was ceded to the United States by act of the California Legislature, dated April 15, 1919, and accepted by Congress by act approved June 2, 1920 (41 Stat. 731).

INFORMATION BUREAU

The National Park Service maintains an information bureau at the superintendent’s office in Yosemite New Village, and the ranger in charge will supply accurate information concerning points of interest, trails, camping facilities, camping locations, fishing places, etc.

A branch office of the California State Automobile Association is maintained in conjunction with the Park Service Information Bureau, where the best road information obtainable is furnished free to autoists.

Information can also be obtained at the museum or at any of the hotels, camps, lodges, or garages, and at the transportation offices.

FREE EDUCATIONAL SERVICE

Constant improvement of the roads makes Yosemite more and more readily accessible. Every class of accommodation is provided for the comfort of the tourist. But the National Park Service has carried the idea of service to a still higher point in providing a free nature-guide service. In other words, the visitor is encouraged to avail himself of the offices of an interpreter in the form of a trained ranger-naturalist who can answer his questions and reveal the many fascinations of nature which abound on every side. To enjoy fully a national-park trip, one must learn to read the trails.

During the summer season a splendid program of lectures and nature-guide service is offered to visitors. One should plan to take advantage of the lectures and trips listed below which are available only during the long summer season. During winter months the modified program consists mainly of lectures at the hotels and the museum. The more the visitor knows about the park and its wildlife the more he will enjoy his stay. This service is maintained by the Government and is free to the public.

Nature walks from Camp Curry each morning (except Sunday).

Special bird walks at 8 o’clock each Wednesday morning.

Auto caravans each day at 9:30 a. m. and 2 p. m. (except Sunday) to points of special interest on the floor of the Valley. These start from museum, visitors using their own cars.

Each day (except Sunday) there is an all-day hike to Glacier Point, Vernal and Nevada Falls, Eagle Peak, Tenaya Canyon, or Half Dome.

At the evening camp-fire program at Government Camp No. 14, Camp Curry, Yosemite Lodge, and the Ahwahnee Hotel there are short talks on wildlife.

Short talks on the geology of Yosemite Valley are given several times each morning and afternoon in the museum.

Each week a naturalist leads a party on a 7-day hike into the spectacular high mountain region of the park, starting from Happy Isles at 7:30 o’clock each Monday morning. Make reservations in advance at the museum.

A junior nature school for children is conducted during the summer.

The bears are fed every evening at 9:30 o’clock at the bear pits, and a short talk is given on animal life of the Yosemite.

Groups or organizations may procure the services of a naturalist by applying to the park naturalist at the museum.

MUSEUM

The park museum, in New Village, a gift to the Nation from the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, is a spacious and appropriately designed building in which are housed a large number of exhibits loaned or contributed by park enthusiasts.

These exhibits are appropriately displayed in rooms devoted to the following major fields: Geology, birds and animals, Indian history, trees, and flowers.

The museum grounds have recently been beautified by plantings of native wild flowers and shrubs, a project made possible by a gift from Marjorie Montgomery Ward. Flower lovers will find this garden a great aid in identifying flowers that they have seen along the roads and trails.

An Indian exhibit is conducted back of the museum daily during the summer by inhabitants of the local Indian village.

The museum also contains a library well supplied with scientific and historical books and periodicals, all of which are available to visitors.

Naturalists at the museum are at the service of the public to answer questions and to instruct regarding the park and its wildlife.

YOSEMITE FIELD SCHOOL OF NATURAL HISTORY

A 7 weeks’ course in field study of Sierra Nevada natural history is offered by the Yosemite educational staff to students who have completed at least 2 years of college work. Emphasis is placed upon field methods, and the course is designed to avoid duplication of work offered in universities and colleges.

RANGER-NATURALIST OUTPOST

The development of the park areas above the rim has inevitably brought with it the establishment of branch-museum and ranger-naturalist service at several focal points of interest.

The Glacier Point Lookout is located on the most famed scenic point on the rim. Powerful binoculars enable visitors to bring the Sierra’s great peaks to their very feet. A flower show is maintained, and a ranger-naturalist on duty conducts a service of field trips and lectures which correlate with those offered from the Yosemite Museum.

At Mariposa Grove the old log cabin originally built by Galen Clark and replaced by the State in 1885 has been reconstructed. This is now equipped as a museum telling the complete story of the Big Trees. A ranger-naturalist is stationed here to lecture, make guide trips to famous trees, sell publications, and give accurate information.

At Tuolumne Meadows a ranger-naturalist is stationed during July and August to conduct field trips, organize more strenuous mountain-climbing expeditions, keep up an exhibit of local interest, and lecture at evening camp fires.

Guide maps, and topographical maps may be obtained from the ranger-naturalists, who will be glad to assist visitors desiring to know more about the park.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR VISITORS

Accommodations in Yosemite National Park offer a complete range from free public camp grounds to the highest class of hotel service. At all units except housekeeping there is a discount of 10 percent from the basic rates for stays of 3 days or longer and an additional discount for weekly stays.

FREE PUBLIC CAMP GROUNDS

The National Park Service maintains extensive camp grounds in Yosemite Valley and at Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove, and Tuolumne Meadows, for the use of which no charge is made. These areas are provided with necessary sanitary conveniences and for the most part with running water. The grounds are policed daily during the camping season and all litter and waste removed.

A camp-fire entertainment is held each summer evening (except Sunday) at a platform centrally located in Camp 14. Please report any talent among the campers to the ranger at entrance to Camp 14.

The public is requested to cooperate with the park force in keeping the camp grounds clean and presentable.

Campers must register their name, address, car make and number, length of stay and location in camp ground (post and section number) on the registration book at entrance to each camp ground. This is important in case of emergency messages.

HOTELS, LODGES, HOUSEKEEPING CABINS, AND CAMPS

The following list of accommodations is a brief summary of rooms, cabins, and tents available in Yosemite. These are operated by the Yosemite Park and Curry Co., which is under contract with the Government to supply these services and accommodations in the park. For reservations and information apply to the Yosemite Park and Curry Co., at Yosemite National Park, Calif., or at 39 Geary Street, San Francisco, Calif., and 540 West Sixth Street, Los Angeles, Calif.

Important Notice.—The closing of schools in California always brings a rush of visitors to the park immediately after June 15 and from that date to July 25 prospective visitors to the park (except those contemplating camping with their own outfits in the free public camping grounds) should in all cases apply in advance for reservations. Advance reservations for the period between December 28 and January 1 will not be made for less than 4 days.

Rates authorized herein are subject to change without notice on approval by the Director of the National Park Service. Authorized changes in rates will be posted for public information in the park.

All the rates of the authorized public utilities within the park are approved by the Government. Employees of the hotels, camps, and transportation lines are not Government employees, they are employed by the Yosemite Park and Curry Co.

Any suggestions regarding service furnished by these public utilities should be made to the superintendent.

The Ahwahnee.—In Yosemite Valley. American plan. Open all year. Commanding all major Yosemite Valley views, The Ahwahnee is one of the most distinctive resort hotels. Complete informality prevails. All rooms have outside view and private bath. The spacious grounds include a native wildflower garden, a mashie golf course alongside the Merced River, tennis courts, archery, badminton, children’s playground. Basic rates, including meals, are $10 and $12 per person daily.

Camp Curry.—In Yosemite Valley. American and European plan. Open approximately May to September. Camp Curry is a complete community center. Accommodations are in bungalows with bath, cabins without bath, and completely furnished tents. The dining room seats 700 guests; the cafeteria 350. European plan, in tents only, $1.50 to $2.50 per person daily; American plan, $4 to $8.50 per person daily—less discounts.

Yosemite Lodge.—In Yosemite Valley. European plan. Open all year. A colony of redwood cabins with and without bath set among pines and cedars near the Merced River. The main building has an excellent cafeteria. Rates, $2.25 to $5 per person daily—less discounts.

Glacier Point Hotel.—On the Valley rim. European plan. Open approximately June to September. The main building has accommodations for 150 guests in rooms with or without bath and meals are served in the cafeteria. (During winter months when Glacier Point is accessible only by trail, the Annex is available as a headquarters for skiing parties.) Rates, $2 to $5 per person daily—less discounts.

Wawona Hotel.—Twenty-seven miles from Yosemite Valley, near the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. American and European plans. Open approximately May to October. A charming vacation place with one of the finest mountain golf courses in the West; headquarters for fishing and camping trips. Rates, $1.25 to $4.50 per person daily, European plan; $4.25 to $9 American plan—less discounts.

Big Trees Lodge.—In the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, 35 miles from Yosemite Valley. European plan. Open approximately June to September. A new building of unusual charm and comfort with accommodations for 24 guests. Four bedrooms have private bath; all have hot and cold running water. The cafeteria has an outdoor terrace. Rates, $2.50 to $5 per person daily—less discounts.

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge.—On Tioga Pass Road in the heart of Yosemite Park, 68 miles from Yosemite Valley. American plan. Open approximately July to September. A trail and fishing center and headquarters for pack trip parties. Accommodations are in canvas cabins with lounge and dining room in central canvas building. Rates, $5 and $6 per person daily—less discounts.

High Sierra Camps.—An average of about 10 miles apart along High Sierra trails. Comfortable, camp-style accommodations for saddle and hiking parties. Open approximately July and August. Basic rates are $1 a night and $1 a meal.

Housekeeping Cabins.—At Yosemite Lodge, open all year.

Completely furnished Daily, 1 Daily, 3 Per week or 2 days or more days One person in cabin $3 $2.25 $14 Each additional person 1 .75 4

Additional charge for wood is 50 cents per bundle. Cabins are furnished with wood stoves, complete housekeeping equipment including bedding linen, cooking utensils, and silverware. Electrically lighted cabins.

Housekeeping Cabins and Tents, partially furnished (with cots, mattresses, tables, chairs, and stove).

Cabins or tent with floor: Per day For 1 or 2 persons $1.50 For each additional person .25 Extra equipment: Blankets .25 Linen and pillows .25 Cooking and table .25 equipment A charge of 50 cents per bundle is made for wood.

All kinds of camping equipment are available for rental to all campers; ask for rental price list.

Yosemite Housekeeping Camp.—Open May 7 until September 5.

Regular outfits, comprising tents fully furnished except for linen (sheets, pillow slips, and towels) are available at the following rates, by the week only: