Yosemite’s Hidden South Gate
Oakhurst and Bass Lake are most known as the main jumping off point for tourists heading into Yosemite Valley, but the trails and terrain outside of the park and nearer to town are destination-worthy in their own right.
Oakhurst was a pleasant place to recoup from an intense few weeks on the road. The local trail group, South Gate Trails, has been gaining momentum in recent years and we joined them to work on the infamous 007 Trail as it had just melted out the week prior. Several of the South Gate crew, Jorge and Mike, also run the Pedal Forward bike shop and are spearheading a trails-to-towns visioning project with the local chamber of commerce. Inspiring stuff, but the riding itself is an undiscovered gem of California too. I’m excited to return when some of the more legendary high country granite slab trails open up—Blind Squirrel, Shuteye Pass, Skyfall, and Shaver Lake.
Another key Orogenesis connection was destroyed here in the 2017 Railroad Fire—Nelder Grove. The Sierra National Forest is working restoring the interpretive sites, and with any luck we can collaborate on the trail restoration in 2024.
Home of the Mono and Miwok people.
Goat Mtn, 007, & Willow Creek Trail on Trailforks.