The Sierra Vista scenic byway is located in east-central California, between Yosemite National Park and Kings Canyon National Park. The byway forms an open loop between Bass Lake and North Fork, with a side trip ending at the junction with CA 41. The byway is about 100 miles long and is usually passable mid-May to mid-November.
Beginning in North Fork, the byway follows Minarets Road northeasterly to Beasore Road. It then follows Beasore Road southwest to Bass Lake. The side road that is also a part of the byway follows Sky Ranch Road to CA 41. Minarets Road is a two-lane paved road from North Fork to Beasore Road. From this point, the first eight miles of Beasore Road has a graded dirt surface; expect to travel at slow speeds on this portion. The rest of Beasore Road to Bass Lake is paved. The entire byway is safe for travel by all types of vehicles.
The Sierra Vista scenic byway begins at an elevation of 3,000 feet and climbs to more than 7,000 feet as it crosses Sierra National Forest. Several scenic overlooks provide sweeping views of the surrounding Sierra Nevada Mountains. Redinger Overlook provides an excellent view of Redinger Lake and the San Joaquin River. Mile High Overlook offers spectacular views of the Minarets, Mount Ritter, and Mammoth Mountain as well as views of Mammoth Pool Reservoir and the San Joaquin River.
Those interested in camping will find plenty of camp-grounds along the byway. All campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations are accepted. Nelder Grove, located along Sky Ranch Road, is a popular camping area. Here there are over 100 giant sequoias intermingled with pine, fir, and incense cedar. Shadow of the Giants National Recreation Trail, located in Nelder Grove, is a one-mile, self-guided trail along the banks of Nelder Creek. Be sure to check out “Granddad and the Grandkids,” an isolated, mature sequoia tree that has one large branch outstretched over younger sequoias growing beneath.