When travelers form mind pictures of Yosemite National Park in California, the snapshots are inevitable: towering waterfalls and a long scenic valley surrounded by towering granite peaks like Half Dome and El Capitan.

But the territory above the rim of the valley actually encompasses a much greater area of the park. The crest of the Sierra Nevada forms the park’s eastern boundary and the Merced and Tuolumne Rivers originate here among the jagged peaks.

Tioga Pass Road is the sole entrance from the eastern edge of the park. Since it is only open for about five months of the year, Tioga tends to be a more secluded hiking, camping and driving Yosemite destination.

Tuolumne Meadows intersects Tioga Pass Road, extending for more than two miles along the Tuolumne River. Trails lead in all directions from the meadows, the largest subalpine habitat of its type in the entire Sierra Nevada. You can hike to alpine lakes, to the summits of granite domes, to a series of river waterfalls.

One of the most popular and worthwhile trails is the 7.5 mile round trip to Sunrise Lakes. There is a High Sierra campground near the end of the trail, a popular overnight stop for those hiking the John Muir Trail which crosses nearby.

If you prefer a granite-domed summit, try the 2.8 mile round trip to the top of Lembert Dome. This is a well-known area for rock climbers, but no scrambling is required to take the hikers trail up to views of the Tuolumne Meadows below.

Tioga Pass also has much to offer right from the car. As you pass through Tuolumne Meadows there are granite domes and spires at every turn. Six miles past the meadows is Tenaya Lake, a sapphire blue lake right beside the road with a beautiful picnic area. And just west of Tenaya is Olmsted Point, with a view of Half Dome so unusual that it takes a minute to recognize this famous peak.

These fifty-eight scenic miles start where Tioga Pass Road intersects Highway 395 at Lee Vining and end on the west side of the park in the valley near Crane Flat Campground.