The Tahoe–Yosemite Trail (TYT) is a

long-distance trail A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking, cycling, equestrianism or cross-country skiing. They exist on all continents exc ...

in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada ( ) is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primari ...

mountain range of

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The trail courses from Meeks Bay at

Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe (; Washo language, Washo: ''dáʔaw'') is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the Western United States, straddling the border between California and Nevada. Lying at above sea level, Lake Tahoe is the largest a ...

Tuolumne Meadows Tuolumne Meadows () is a gentle, dome-studded, sub-alpine meadow area along the Tuolumne River in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park in the United States. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is . The term ''Tuolumn ...

Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The p ...

. The trail is a foot and equestrian path that passes through the Desolation, Mokelumne, Carson-Iceberg,

Emigrant Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...

, and Yosemite Wilderness Areas and the Meiss Country (

Dardanelles The Dardanelles ( ; ; ), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli (after the Gallipoli peninsula) and in classical antiquity as the Hellespont ( ; ), is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey th ...

) Roadless Area.

History

The

United States Forest Service The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...

had begun work on the Tahoe–Yosemite Trail by 1916 with the intent of providing a path from Meeks Bay at Lake Tahoe to the northern boundary of Yosemite National Park. The expectation was that the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

would then complete the trail south to Tuolumne Meadows and connect it to the

John Muir Trail The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, passing through Yosemite National Park, Yosemite, Kings Canyon National Park, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park, Se ...

(JMT). Work on the trail was interrupted in 1918 due to the country's involvement in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

(PCT) was first proposed in the 1920s and was to link several existing long-distance trails to create a continuous path from Canada to Mexico. Early maps and descriptions of the PCT delineate these trail segments, which included the TYT and adjacent JMT. The PCT path described in the ''

Federal Register The ''Federal Register'' (FR or sometimes Fed. Reg.) is the government gazette, official journal of the federal government of the United States that contains government agency rules, proposed rules, and public notices. It is published every wee ...

'' in 1973, however, does not make reference to the TYT, and today the TYT is considered an unofficial path.

Routes

The Winnett Route

First published in 1970, Thomas Winnett's ''The Tahoe-Yosemite Trail'' popularized the trail. He described a route that combined segments of the PCT path, historical TYT/PCT paths that had long been rerouted off roads and moved onto newly constructed trail, and altogether new routes chosen by the author. The result was a route that included Forest Service and Park Service maintained trails, road walks, trails no longer maintained, and cross-country routes through trailless terrain. Winnett hoped the book would encourage the Forest Service to officially recognize his TYT route, but even with five editions, the last published in 1987, the TYT remained an unofficial route. There is continued interest in Winnett's route for hikers seeking remoteness, the challenge of route finding and cross-country travel, and the opportunity to visit lower-elevation ecosystems as the route detours west of and below the Sierra Crest.

The PCT Route

Hiking from Meeks Bay to Tuolumne Meadows can be done on officially recognized and maintained trails. The Forest Service recognizes the beginning of the TYT as the Meeks Bay Trailhead. The trail runs , generally southwest, to join the PCT one mile north of Middle Velma Lake. The PCT is then followed south to Tuolumne Meadows. This route is long with the lowest elevation being at the Meeks Bay Trailhead and the highest elevation being on the ridge south of Sonora Pass. The total elevation gain along the trail is and the elevation loss is .

Hiking

A permit is required to hike the TYT and can be obtained from the

Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is a United States National Forest that manages and protects public land surrounding Lake Tahoe and the Lake Tahoe Basin. Straddling the state borders of California and Nevada in the Sierra Nevada, the LT ...

for hikers beginning at the Meeks Bay Trailhead and from Yosemite National Park for hikers beginning at Tuolumne Meadows. Food must be stored in approved hard-sided bear canisters within the

backcountry In geography, a backcountry, back country or backwater is a geographical area that is remote, undeveloped, isolated, or difficult to access. These areas are typically rural or mountainous and sparsely populated. Terminology Backcountry ...

of Yosemite National Park. The TYT crosses paved roads at or near

Echo Summit Echo Summit is a mountain pass over the Sierra Nevada in the western United States, located in eastern El Dorado County, California. At above sea level, it is the highest point on U.S. Route 50 in California, which traverses it at postmile 6 ...

Carson Pass Carson Pass is a mountain pass on the crest of the central Sierra Nevada, in the Eldorado National Forest and Alpine County, eastern California. The pass is traversed by California State Route 88. It lies on the Great Basin Divide, with the W ...

Ebbetts Pass Ebbetts Pass (el. ), named after John Ebbetts, is a high mountain pass through the Sierra Nevada range in Alpine County, California. Ebbetts is the eastern of two passes in the area traversed by State Route 4. The western pass is the Pacific Gra ...

, and

Sonora Pass Sonora Pass (el. 9,624 ft. / 2,933 m.) is a mountain pass in the Sierra Nevada in California. It is the second-highest pass with a road in California and in the Sierra Nevada. It is lower than Tioga Pass to the south. State Route 108 trav ...

, which facilitates resupplying for thru hikers and provides trail access for section hikers.

Notes