Canadian World Traveller Spring 2024 Issue

“The Sierra should be called the Range of
Light—the most divinely beautiful of all
the mountain chains I have ever seen,”
wrote renowned naturalist, John Muir, in
1868. These mountains, which span 400 kilometers
along the eastern edge of California,
captured Muir’s heart,and he championed
the region, leading to the creation of Yosemite
National Park.
As a lover of road trips and mountains,
exploring Tuolumne County and the High
Sierra was indeed ‘divinely beautiful’, and it
stole my heart on an all-too-short getaway.
Starting from San Francisco, I white-knuckled
it on the busy freeways, as cars sped in and
out of traffic. But after an hour, my grip
relaxed. The scenery changed and the views
of a sea of cars morphed into a rural landscape
dotted with almond farms. Next, an
out-of-the-world landscape of red clay hills
arose out of nowhere before the road led me
into the mountains. The towering pines and
granite rock formations that greeted me
would be my enchanting company throughout
my road trip that included these heavenly
moments:
Horseback Riding with Aspen Meadows in
Stanislaus National Forest
Everyone’s heard of Yosemite, but lesser
known is the nearby federally protected
Stanislaus National Forest. Spanning almost
900,000 acres, its alpine landscape features
wildflowered meadows, glacial lakes and
granite peaks. Hiking on its 185 miles of
developed trails, pitching a tent at one of 52
campgrounds or pulling over at its panoramic
viewpoints are popular ways to enjoy
Stanislaus. But if you’re looking for an adventure
to remember, I suggest a trail ride excursion
at Aspen Meadow Pack Station.
Our cowboy guide was passionate about the
mountain wilderness that surrounded us, and
he regaled us with stories of his horseback
adventures and the geology and history of the
Sierra. The surefooted horses carried us
through the Aspen meadow plateau to the
ridge, where we were treated to panoramic
views of the canyon stretching out to Yosemite.
Sipping Cider at Indigeny Reserve
The 160-acre sprawling property with its picnic
tables and antique farming relics among
Photo: Tuolumne County
the pines and apple orchards was as much of
an attraction as the cider itself. “Everything is
made here,” said Rebecca as she poured a
flight of cider samples. The first glass smelled
of apples and tasted like traditional cider, but
others were unexpectedly creative concoctions
made from the 52 varieties of apples grown
there. “They’re magicians,” she said. Also
magical were the property’s features, like the
hiking trails that led to an historic mine,
Phoenix Lake and a miniature gnome garden.
Breakfasting with a View at
Alicia’s Sugar Shack
Not only were the scones delicious and the
coffee rich at this popular roadside bakery,
but just across the way was a panoramic view
to accompany them.
Frolicking at Pinecrest Lake
A favourite local summer destination, this
deep blue glacial lake edged by granite and
pines, has been attracting generations of
families for decades. The view was Norman
Rockwellish with families swimming, boating
or just lounging on the beach, melting ice
cream in hand. More active vacationers can
hike the 6.3-mile trails around the lake. This
was my intention but a quarter of the way in,
I found a bench perched high on the granite
slab ridge and was more than content to bask
in the sunshine and take in the view of the
lake, mountains and the frolickers enjoying it
all.
Moseying Down Main Street, Sonora
Sonora is one of the gold-rush towns in the
region that sprung up during the booming
decades in the mid-1800s. Today, its historic
buildings house original boutiques, eateries,
artisan workshops and craft breweries. A
favorite stop was Emberz, for its wood-oven
pizzas and selection of Californian wines.
Living the History of the Gold Rush Era at
Columbia State Historic Park
I felt as though I was walking through a western
movie set, but this historic town was the
real deal. Between 1850 and 1870 over a billion
dollars of gold in today’s standards was
mined in the area, and towns sprung up to
support the industry. Most became ghost
towns and disappeared, but Columbia was
preserved and turned into a remarkable living
history site, where you can stroll its stagecoach-only-streets
and explore its churches,
schoolhouse, firehouse, barbershop, ironsmith
and other buildings.
Exploring the Mountain Town of Twain Harte
Named after authors Mark Twain and Bret
Harte, this mountain town is touristy in the
best of ways with ice cream stands, mini-golf
and restaurants with outdoor seating. The
double dipped fried chicken sandwich
85
paired with an ice-cold brew at the
Rock of Twain Harte, one of the town’s
most popular hangouts, was an ideal ending
to a day of mountain activities.
Driving the Sonora Pass
My ears popped, as I switchbacked up the
mountain, trying hard to focus on the center
of the road in front of me and not to the side,
where no guard rails edged a rocky precipice
that dropped down into deep valleys. But it
was worth the sweaty palms.
The Sonora Highway, also known as Highway
108, passed through the Sierra Nevada
Mountains at 9,623 feet and was a spectacularly
scenic drive. Technically, the drive should
have taken about two hours, but all the lookout
points enroute doubled the time. The
Donell Vista at 6000 feet in Stanislaus
National Forest was a particularly exceptional
pitstop with its panoramic views of the forested
canyon and the reservoir shimmering like
an emerald at the bottom.
Other stops weren’t signposted but just
begged for photographs like the Dardanelles,
alien-like rock formations that edged the
highway, created by a series of horizontal volcanic
layers jutting out from granite.
For a lover of mountains and road trips, you
couldn’t get much better than this drive in
Tuolumne County. Simply divine.
If you go: It’s approximately a two-hour drive
from either San Francisco or Sacramento airport.
My accommodation at the Black Oak
Casino Resort was an ideal base to explore
the region and had large, comfortable suites
with jacuzzi tubs and amenities that included
outdoor pool, fitness center, arcade and even
a bowling alley.
www.visittuolumne.com
World Traveler Spring 2024