Tuolumne Meadows - Dana and Lyell Forks

From Soda Springs and Parson’s Lodge we continued on Tioga Road to Tuolumne River. We parked at Dog Lake parking lot and walked a short distance to the John Muir Trail head.

We were hiking along the Tuolumne River on our way to Dana Fork. It was a beautifully scenic trail that offered dramatic and expensive views of glacially carved mountains, alpine and sub-alpine meadows, and lots of stunning rock formation both in and out the water.

At about .3 mile we reached the Dana Bridge, a small wooden foot bridge over the Tuolumne River, when you at it from the side it looks like this bridge was built in an angle. It is surrounded by toll pine trees and interesting boulders nicely shaped by wind and water completes the scenes.

At about a little bit more than .5 miles we reached the Lyell Bridge which span over the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River. Actually it is two wooden bridges span over the fork.

 

The views from Lyell Bridge are dramatic and postcard likes, and the colors were astonishing. Glacially carved mountains and ridge lines, alpine and sub-alpine meadows, toll pine trees, green lush meadows and of course Lembert Dome in the background was views that made us feel like we want to stay there longer.