View source for Tioga Pass

{{Short description|Mountain pass in the American state of California}}
{{Infobox mountain pass
| name = Tioga Pass
| photo = Tioga Pass.png
| photo_caption = The [[Tioga Pass Entrance Station]] to [[Yosemite National Park]]
| map               = California
| map_caption       = Location in [[California]]
| map_relief        = yes
| elevation_ft = 9,945
| elevation_ref = <ref name=gnis>{{gnis|255154}}</ref> 
| traversed = {{jct|state=CA|SR|120}}
| location = [[Mono County, California|Mono]] / [[Tuolumne County, California|Tuolumne]] counties, [[California]], [[United States]]
| range = [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]]
| coordinates = {{coord|37|54|40|N|119|15|29|W |region:US-CA_type:pass |display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name=gnis>{{gnis|255154}}</ref>
| topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] Tioga Pass
}}
'''Tioga Pass''' is a [[mountain pass]] in the [[Sierra Nevada|Sierra Nevada mountain range]] of [[California]]. [[State Route 120 (California)|State Route 120]] runs through it, and serves as the eastern entry point for [[Yosemite National Park]], at the [[Tioga Pass Entrance Station]]. It is the highest elevation highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of {{convert|9,945|ft|m|abbr=on}}.<ref name=gnis/><ref>{{cite web|title=Tioga Pass in California|url=http://www.allmammoth.com/scenic_drives/tioga_pass.php|publisher=AllTrips|access-date=2012-04-21}}</ref> [[Mount Dana]] is to the east of the pass, and [[Gaylor Peak]] to the west.

==Etymology==
Tioga Pass is named after Tioga Mine, whose name came from the [[Tioga River (Chemung River)|Tioga River]] in New York: ''Tioga'' is an [[Iroquois]] and [[Mohawk language|Mohawk]] term meaning "where it forks".{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

==Description==
This pass, like many other passes in the Sierra Nevada, has a gradual approach from the west and drops off to the east dramatically, losing more than {{convert|3000|ft|m|abbr=on}} by the time the road reaches [[U.S. Route 395 (California)|U.S. Route 395]].

The pass is subject to winter closure due to high snowfall, normally from around the end of October until the end of May the following year, though these dates are subject to considerable variation. In heavy snow years, the road has closed in early October, and has remained closed as late as late July. In light snow years, the road may remain open until December and open as early as April.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm |title=Tioga Road Opening & Closing Dates |publisher=National Park Service| access-date=May 8, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm |title=Tioga Pass Road Opening and Closing Dates | publisher=Mono Basin Clearing House| access-date=May 8, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://dot.ca.gov/travel/winter-driving-tips|title=Winter Driving Tips|publisher=Caltrans|accessdate=January 2, 2023}}</ref>

Tioga Pass is the most direct route from [[Bishop, California|Bishop]] or [[Mammoth Lakes, California]] to [[Fresno, California|Fresno]], [[Merced, California|Merced]], and [[Stockton, California|Stockton]]. There are four highway passes to the north, between [[Yosemite]] and [[Lake Tahoe]], but none to the south for about {{convert|200|mi|km|abbr=on}}, until [[Sherman Pass (California)|Sherman Pass]] in southern [[Tulare County, California|Tulare County]].

The pass is on the [[Great Basin Divide]], which demarcates the [[Great Basin]], which is the largest contiguous area of [[endorheic basin]]s in North America.

==Recreation== 
There are several trailheads into the Yosemite backcountry which begin at Tioga Pass, including the trail to the [[Gaylor Lakes]] to the west/northwest, and the trail to the summit of Mount Dana. [[Dana Meadows (California)|Dana Meadows]] is immediately south of the pass alongside the highway, as the pass itself is roughly angled north–south as opposed to east–west. Dana Meadows contains several small lakes.

A popular recreation and camping area exists just north of the summit of the pass at [[Tioga Lake]]. It is in the [[Inyo National Forest]].

Less than 7 miles to the southwest of the pass, inside Yosemite National Park, is [[Tuolumne Meadows]]. The [[Pacific Crest Trail]] passes through, and it crosses the highway here.

==Wildlife==
Some of the wildlife in the area include birds of prey, [[marmot]]s, [[bobcat]]s, and occasionally [[bighorn sheep]] can be seen.

== See also ==
* [[Sonora Pass]]
* [[List of mountain passes in California]]
* [[Tioga Lake]]
* [[Tioga Peak]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Commons and category inline}}
*[http://www.yosemitehikes.com/tioga-road/yosemite-tioga-road.htm Tioga Pass Road Hiking Trails]
*[http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/sr120 Tioga Pass Status from CalTrans]

{{Yosemite National Park}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:Mountain passes of California]]
[[Category:Mountain passes of the Sierra Nevada (United States)]]
[[Category:Landforms of Yosemite National Park]]
[[Category:Landforms of Mono County, California]]
[[Category:Landforms of Tuolumne County, California]]
[[Category:Transportation in Mono County, California]]
[[Category:Transportation in Tuolumne County, California]]
[[Category:Inyo National Forest]]