Yosemite National Park

I've been camping at Yosemite 2 times previous but on this particular trip we just drove tioga pass to get to Mammoth Lakes via Lee Vining. Its a beautiful scenic curvy road going past many photo oppurtunities along the way. Half Dome is one of Yosemites treasures and you pass a great spot to take photos. From Bass Lake all the way through takes about 3 hours but it's the most beautiful 3 hours you could ask for. There's a small fee approximately $15 usd to enter the park and take a tour through.

There are a few day hikes when you get down into the valley. We did the easiest one which takes about 10 minutes literally called bridal vail falls. Since it's the easiest hike with a paved road it's very crowded but you do get to see a spectacular waterfall and the higher you climb the less crowded it is. We didn't spend much time in the valley for we were excited to get to Mammoth for some fishing! Almost at the end of the tioga pass road just out of Yosemite Park there's some good fishing as well as camping. It's right around SaddleBag Lake (i believe the name is.) It was July and still there was snow on the side of the road and in the mountains. There's a lake right off the road and right around that area is the turnoff for saddlebag which is a couple miles back. My friends fished this lake a month later on a trip to Tahoe we took and they said they killed it. As soon as there lines hit the water they were pulling up trout!!

We stop in the small town of Lee Vining and have lunch with some local friends. During this time you get great vistas of mono lake off on the distance. I forget the name of the food place but make a left after getting off the mountain and its a mile up on your left. Its a standard burger joint but very good after a lilttle trek.

On to Mammoth...