YOSEMITE Rules and Regulations 1920

HOW TO REACH THE PARK.

EL PORTAL ROUTE—"THE GATEWAY."

IN AND OUT VIA EL PORTAL—OPEN ALL YEAR.

The park is reached from Merced, Calif., on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific Railroads, thence by way of the Yosemite Valley Railroad to El Portal, near the western boundary of the park.

From El Portal the Yosemite National Park Co. operates an automobile line into the valley.

When entering the park via Merced the passenger has the choice of leaving via Hetch Hetchy, Lake Tahoe, Stockton, or Wawona.

Fares.

Special fares (individual tickets).

Time limits are from 15 to 90 days, dependent upon type of ticket.

No additional transportation charge is made for including Glacier Point in the tour to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees and return to Yosemite Valley. A night's stay at Glacier Point should be planned to view the firefalls, sunrise, and sunset.

If desired, one may return over any one of four different routes for a small additional charge, insuring a continuous change of scene for the entire journey. If decided after reaching Yosemite, to return by another route, an adjustment of tickets can be made at the transportation offices of the Yosemite National Park Co. without trouble or loss, so that any of these trips may be taken at a minimum cost.

IN AND OUT VIA MARIPOSA AND WAWONA.

The park may also be reached from Merced by automobile stage to Mariposa and Wawona, thence to the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees and the Yosemite Valley. The Yosemite Stage & Turnpike Co. operates this line. The fare for the trip from Merced to the valley is $15 or $24.50 round trip. This same trip, not including the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, can be made for $14.25 either way. A side trip to Glacier Point in connection with either of the above trips between Yosemite Valley and Merced via this line may be made at an additional cost of $5.

RAILROAD ROUTES TO NATIONAL PARKS IN CALIFORNIA.

IN VIA EL PORTAL, OUT VIA WAWONA AND MARIPOSA, OR VICE VERSA.

Tickets may be procured at a very large number of points in Cali Valley, going in via El Portal (Yosemite Valley Railroad, Merced to El Portal), thence to the valley by automobile line of the Yosemite National Park Co., and returning via Wawona and Mariposa Big Trees to Merced by motor stage line of the Yosemite Stage & Turnpike Co, or the trip may be made in the reverse direction. This route is known as the Horseshoe Route. Side-trip tickets from Merced for this route may be purchased at Merced, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento.

THE HETCH HETCHY ROUTE.

IN AND OUT VIA HETCH HETCHY—OPEN MAY 15 TO OCTOBER 1.

A side trip from Oakdale, Calif., on the lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroads, thence, by way of the Sierra Railway and the Hetch Hetchy Railway, to the Hetch Hetchy Valley, the terminus of this line in the Yosemite National Park. From Hetch Hetchy Valley and return via rail motor, nine miles to Mather Station, from which point stages of the Yosemite National Park Co. operate direct to the floor of the Yosemite Valley.

When entering the park via Hetch Hetchy, the passenger has the choice of leaving via Lake Tahoe, Merced, Stockton or Wawona.

Fares.

Time limits are from 15 to 90 days, dependent upon type of ticket.

If desired, one may return over any one of four different routes, for a small additional charge, insuring a continuous change of scene for the entire journey. If decided, after reaching Yosemite, to return by another route, an adjustment of tickets can be made at the transportation office of the Yosemite National Park Co. without trouble or loss, so that any of these trips may be taken at a minimum cost.

THE STOCKTON ROUTE.

IN AND OUT VIA TUOLUMNE GROVE OF BIG TREES.

From Stockton, Calif., on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and Southern Pacific Railroads, and at the terminus of river boats on the San Joaquin River, a side trip by auto stages to the floor of Yosemite Valley, including Priest, Groveland, Carl Inn, and the Tuolumne Grove of Big Trees may be made.

The passenger has the choice of leaving Via Hetch Hetchy, Merced, Lake Tahoe, or Wawona.

FARE.

If desired, one may return over any one of four different routes, for a small additional charge, insuring a continuous change of scene for the entire journey. If decided, after reaching Yosemite, to return by another route, an adjustment of tickets can be made at the transportation offices of the Yosemite National Park Co. without trouble or loss, so that any of these trips may be taken at a minimum cost.

LAKE TAHOE ROUTE.

IN AND OUT VIA THE TIOGA PASS—OPEN ABOUT JULY 1.

A side trip from Truckee, Calif., on the main line of the Southern Pacific Railroad, via the Lake Tahoe Railroad to Tahoe; then by stages of the Yosemite National Park Co. to the floor of the Yosemite Valley, passing Minden, Nev.; Bridgeport, Mono Lake, Leevining Creek Canyon, Tioga Pass (altitude 10,000 feet), Tuolumne Meadows, Sierra Club Lodge, Lake Tenayn, Lake Tenaya Lodge, and the Tuolumne Grove of Big Trees.

The passenger has the choice of leaving via Hetch Hetchy, Merced, Stockton, or Wawona.

Fares.

Important side trips.

Time limits are from 15 to 90 days, dependent upon type of ticket.

If desired, one may return over any of four different routes, for a small additional charge, insuring a continuous change of scene for the entire journey. If decided, after reaching Yosemite, to return by another route, an adjustment of tickets can be made at the transportation offices of the Yosemite National Park Co. without trouble or loss, so that any of these trips may be taken at a minimum cost.

The Tioga Road forms a link in the increasingly popular route between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. The distance from Yosemite Valley to the southern end of Lake Tahoe by auto road is 206 miles via Gardnerville, Minden, and the Kingsbury Grade, 225 miles via Carson City and the Kings Canyon Road, and about the same distance via Gardnerville and Myers. An additional 20-mile run from the lower end of the Lake takes the motorist to Tahoe Tavern, while other Tahoe resorts may be reached by shorter drives of various distances. The scenery along the route varies from the rugged broken high Sierra type along the Tioga Road, 46 miles of which lies within the boundaries of the Yosemite National Park, and reaches at Tioga Pass the Eastern Park Boundary, an elevation of 9,941 feet above the sea, to that of the semiarid regions around Mono Lake, Bridgeport, and the Carson River Valley in Nevada and that of the rolling timbered mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe. Motorists from Central California points traveling to Lake Tahoe via Placerville or Emigrant Gap may complete the circuit by going over the above described route in the reverse direction.

The roads indicated, as well as all other mountain roads in Yosemite National Park, are kept in good condition during the summer months and are being gradually improved. Although heavy grades will be encountered, as is the case on all mountain roads, fear of serious difficulties need not be entertained.

MAP SHOWING NATIONAL PARKS IN CALIFORNIA WITH PRINCIPAL CONNECTING AUTOMOBILE HIGHWAYS.

DETAILED TRAVEL INFORMATION.

For further information regarding railroad fares, service, etc., apply to railroad ticket agents or address C. S. Fee, passenger traffic manager, Southern Pacific Lines, San Francisco, Calif.; or W. J. Black, passenger traffic manager, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, Chicago, Ill.

MISCELLANEOUS AUTOMOBILE ROUTES.

Automobiles and other vehicles may enter from Fresno, Madera, Merced, and other points south and west of the park Via Wawona and the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees; from the east via the Tioga Road, which is reached at Mono Lake from Lake Tahoe on the north, Tonopah, Nev., on the east, and Mojave, Big Pine, and Bishop, Calif., on the south; and from the north and west the park may be reached via the Big Oak Flat and Coulterville Roads from Stockton, Modesto, Merced, etc. See map in center of this circular.

No positive date can be given for the opening of the mountain roads leading to Yosemite. However, the following dates are approximately correct:

The Big Oak Flat Road opens May 15 and closes November 1. The Tioga Road opens July 15 and closes September 30. The Wawona Road opens May 1 and closes November 1. The El Portal and Valley Roads are open all the year, except occasionally during the winter when Valley Roads may be blocked with snow for short periods. This occurs rarely, however, as the roads are cleared promptly with snow plows.

Immediately upon the opening of any of the roads to Yosemite the automobile associations of California are notified, and from them tourists can obtain information.

For the convenience of automobilists who wish to avoid driving over mountain roads, a freight rate of $12.85, including war tax, per automobile between Merced and El Portal has been established by the Yosemite Valley Railroad Co. By this means tourists may have their own machines for use in the park.

The Southern Pacific and Santa Fe systems sell through rail and stage tickets, and baggage is checked through to Yosemite. Free allowance on railroads for 150 pounds; on stages, 50 pounds for each full-paid fare, 25 pounds for each half fare; excess baggage, 1 cent per pound. Freight rates between El Portal and Yosemite, $8 per ton for carload lots, $10 per ton for less than carload.

The regular tourist season extends from May 1 to November 1, but the park is always accessible. The park superintendent lives there the year around. In the Yosemite Valley the hotel is open through the winter to those who desire to view the wonderful spectacle of snow. Above the valley, however, winter conditions are severe and none but hardened and practiced mountaineers will make the venture. Motorists may not be sure of finding the Tioga Road free of snow before July 15.

During the season accommodations may be had in well-kept hotels, camps and lodges. The National Park Service is promoting the increase of hotel facilities to meet the rapid increase in the number of visitors.