The Long Way
Madera County
A person hiking up a rocky mountain trail under a blue sky.
Plate I. Shuteye Peak trail, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
Two women looking out at a mountain landscape from a scenic overlook.
Plate II. Scenic overlook, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
Two adults and a child hike along a wooded dirt trail.
Plate III. Hikers along the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
A brown dog wearing a life jacket stands on a rock by a lake.
Plate IV. Dog at Jackass Lake, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
Purple wildflowers bloom in a green meadow surrounded by pine trees under a blue sky.
Plate V. Wildflowers along the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
A scenic view of a forested mountain landscape under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.
Plate VI. Mountain vista, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
A close-up photograph of white dogwood blossoms on a branch.
Plate VII. Blooming dogwood flowers, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com
A scenic paved road winding through a mountainous landscape with rocky peaks and pine trees.
Plate VIII. Paved road, Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. From sierravistascenicbyway.com

Sierra Vista Scenic Byway

North Fork, Madera County, California. National Scenic Byway; open from June through October.

Details

Map. North Fork, Madera County, California. Larger map
Where
North Fork, Madera County, CA. No street address stated. Directions
Getting there
from North Fork to the exit point on Highway 41 past Nelder Grove.
Access
The Beasore Road has a graded dirt surface from the end of the Minarets Road to Muglar Meadow.
Walk-in or reserve
Campground reservations are suggested for this very popular area.
Phone
559-877-2218 ext. 0
Managed by
Bass Lake Ranger District.

Located in the Sierra National Forest, the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway is a designated member of the National Scenic Byway System. The entire route meanders along National Forest roads, from North Fork to the exit point on Highway 41 past Nelder Grove, and without stopping takes about five hours to drive.

Notable Events

  1. 1860sJessie Blakey Ross built the Ross Cabin, one of the area's oldest standing log cabins. fs.usda.gov
  2. 1957A federal study found the proposed Minaret Summit Highway, which would have extended the route across the Sierra Nevada to Mammoth Lakes, feasible, but it was never built. en.wikipedia.org
  3. 1957Wagner's Store at Mammoth Pool was created as a supply post for workers building the dam. sierravistascenicbyway.com
  4. 1988The Forest Service established its National Forest Scenic Byways Program to identify existing roads providing access to scenic, recreational, and historic features. en.wikipedia.org
  5. 1989The Sierra Vista route was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in July 1989. en.wikipedia.org
  6. 1993The page's overview says the route was designated to attract tourism after timber harvesting stopped. nsbfoundation.com
  7. 2023The rehabilitation project started in 2023 and reached its target completion in July 2024. fs.usda.gov

People

  • Antonio Cabrera, Sierra Vista Byway Rehabilitation Project lead.
  • Pablo Gonzalez, Sierra Vista Byway Rehabilitation Project coordinator.
  • Jessie Blakey Ross, builder of Ross Cabin, one of the oldest standing log cabins in the area (late 1860s).
  • Theodore Roosevelt, President, photographed at Globe Rock on the byway.
  • Christopher Mugler, Merced River sheepman, namesake of Muglers Meadow, which he used as his base camp each summer.
  • John Potter Beasore, namesake of Beasore Meadows and Creek; farmer, lumberman, blacksmith of Fresno Flats and Crane Valley.
  • Tom Jones, built the old western front store at Beasore Meadow after Beasore Road was built (died April 17, 1956).

Sources

  1. fs.usda.gov/r05/sierra/recreation/opportunities/scenic-drives
  2. fs.usda.gov/media/266669
  3. sierravistascenicbyway.com/the-sights
  4. sierravistascenicbyway.com/about-the-byway
  5. nsbfoundation.com/sb/sierra-vista-scenic-byway
  6. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Vista_Scenic_Byway
  7. sierranewsonline.com/wildflowers-and-history-along-beasore-road
  8. fs.usda.gov/media/266669
  9. fs.usda.gov/about-agency/features/paving-way-sierra-national-forest
  10. yosemitethisyear.com/sierra-vista-scenic-byway
  11. fhwaapps.fhwa.dot.gov/bywaysp/byway/2300
  12. sierravistascenicbyway.com/about-the-association