Highway 140 corridor
Especially in winter and spring, many people coming from or going to the Bay Area access Yosemite on Highway 140. Because of its lower elevation, 140 is called 'The All-Year Highway' as it's the last place to accumulate any snow. As soon as the land starts to tilt up, you're entering the Gold Rush region with its rich history of struggle, enterprise and loss. A short way past a grocery or lunch stop in Mariposa you encounter the vast public domain of Sierra National Forest with its extensive recreational possibilities. You'll drop down into the dramatic canyon of the Merced River as you approach the park.The canyon is renowned for the springtime wildflower displays, whitewater rafting, and mild winter temperatures. Mariposa, Midpines and El Portal are good bases for accessing the park and enjoying foothill and/or canyon terrain. Mariposa county's only stoplight is in the canyon, where the highway takes a one-lane detour around the big 2006 Ferguson rockslide. The only public transportation to access Yosemite year-round comes along 140. This part of the park's western boundary region includes a gradual ascent to Yosemite Valley through oaks then pines, along the Merced River the whole way.
