{"id":79885,"date":"2021-06-29T17:43:26","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T17:43:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/?p=79885"},"modified":"2021-06-29T17:43:26","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T17:43:26","slug":"driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/","title":{"rendered":"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n <span><\/p>\n<p><span><br \/>\n <span>&#169; Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite<\/span><br \/>\n Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway<br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><br \/>\n Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Hiking the Fresno Dome before the fire <\/p>\n<style>\n<\/style>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/static-entertainment-wus-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/sc\/64\/a8a064.gif\" alt=\"Loading...\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Load Error<\/p>\n<p>Martinez dismissed the dream, although the scenario was all too likely. In 2015, the Corinne Lake Fire had halted 30 feet from her living room window. Fires were increasingly a reality of mountain life, but never on this scale. In its first 24 hours, the Creek Fire engulfed 45,000 acres. It would go on to become the largest single fire in California history.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That Labor Day weekend, as smoke and falling ash blotted out the sun, local police swooped down in helicopters, urging residents to leave. Martinez loaded her two children, three dogs (a pitbull, a dachshund, and a border collie), and her mom into her green Saturn, and headed to a hotel in Oakhurst. \u201cI left everything behind,\u201d she says. \u201cI didn\u2019t even take blankets with me; I just figured the hotel would have them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Creek Fire spared Martinez\u2019s house, and North Fork as a whole, but it wreaked havoc on the surrounding wilderness. In a matter of weeks, the blaze tore through 379,895 acres, or roughly a third of the Sierra National Forest. Amid the scramble to keep homes (and some unsuspecting hikers) safe, one of its casualties was a little-known driving route called the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>If you haven\u2019t heard of the byway, that\u2019s partly the idea. The 82-mile loop through the Sierra Nevada foothills is known as a \u201csecret Yosemite,\u201d and it shares similar features with its more celebrated neighbor to the north. There are plunging green valleys, granite peaks, and winding two-lane roads that can lead to waterfalls, giant sequoias, and boulder-strewn lakes. Mostly, it\u2019s a way for nonbackpackers (like me) to feel the exhilaration of being up in the mountains without actually climbing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For those reasons, plus the fact that you don\u2019t need a visitor\u2019s pass to see it, I decided I had to go. Then I found out that the road overlapped almost exactly with the epicenter of the Creek Fire. I wondered: Would there be anything left to see?\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Sierra National Forest\u2019s website announced a road closure that had been extended through June 2021, though it didn\u2019t specify which roads. The ranger\u2019s office wasn\u2019t much help, either. When I called asking if the route was still drivable, a tense voice answered: \u201cI wouldn\u2019t. For one thing, it looks like a moonscape.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The ranger was probably trying to spare me a disappointing trip. But I wasn\u2019t so easily deterred.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>On a recent Thursday, I drove up to North Fork to see the route for myself. It was a clear morning, in the high 70s, though the temperature began to drop as I climbed higher into the mountains. I chose Minarets Road, which runs up the eastern half of the byway\u2014partly because it was close to my Airbnb, and partly because this was the portion of the route hit hardest by the Creek Fire.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>My car hugged the curves of the road, which rimmed a gaping valley to my right. Alone at 5,000 feet, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. It would\u2019ve been a triumphant moment, but something was missing from the view: greenery. All around me, blackened trees reached up like charcoal spikes, branchless and leafless. The undulating hills were rendered on an epic scale, but everything was bald and bare. Typically, evergreens would be there to add richness and texture to the hills. But with the canopy decimated, there was nothing to break the uniform gray. It felt empty.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I had reached Mile High Vista, so named for its 5,400-foot perch over the San Joaquin River canyon. Here, you can see the snowy peaks of Mammoth and the deep cerulean where reservoirs formed like jewels in the mountains\u2019 crevices. All of that grandeur was there, and yet there was nothing to guide the eye. From where I stood, traces of the burn were everywhere.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>For decades, <\/strong>the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway has offered a more intimate view of the Sierras compared to Yosemite. That sense of privacy made it perfect for the kind of socially distant retreats that people craved last summer, when COVID fatigue was peaking. \u201cLast year, we were encouraging people to spend time on the byway,\u201d says Steve Montalto, the creative director at Visit Yosemite. \u201cWe said, \u2018Go up, enjoy, do the whole loop.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Video: Lava Fire Jumps Highway, Threatens Community Of Lake Shastina (CBS SF Bay Area)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul class=\"playlist\">\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people riding on the back of a truck\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALuelN.img\"><\/p>\n<p>San Francisco to Close COVID Mass Vaccination Sites<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a woman standing in front of it\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALu7UR.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Twin Marin Sisters Dominant in Separate Sports<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people standing in front of a crowd\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsRo4.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Battle of the Bay Opens With a Giants&#39; Win and Big Crowd at Oracle<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a young boy standing in front of a building\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsFWD.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Oaklanders React to Police Funding Cuts<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people wearing costumes\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsDJF.img\"><\/p>\n<p>No Parade But Pride Month Concludes With Plenty of Joy<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a statue in front of a building\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsp0w.img\"><\/p>\n<p>San Jose Police Pay Hike Raises Hackles of Other City Workers<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a circuit board\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsgtY.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Oracle Park Returns to Capacity Crowds for Battle of the Bay<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people posing for the camera\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALssjv.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Valley Fair Mall Billion-Dollar Makeover Coincides With Retail Rebound<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a stack of flyers on a table\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsvNr.img\"><\/p>\n<p>San Mateo County Sheriff Announces Massive Illegal Fireworks Bust<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man and a woman sitting at a table\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsfBb.img\"><\/p>\n<p>East Oakland Student and Activist Heads to UC Santa Barbara<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man holding a sign\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALs9X5.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Bill to Legalize Psychedelic Drugs Receives Pushback in Sacramento<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a screenshot of Michelle Griego\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALs9tv.img\"><\/p>\n<p>48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a man and a woman sitting at a table\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALrWV1.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Newsom, Lawmakers Reach Deal On Extending Eviction Moratorium<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Hiromi Goto et al. standing in front of a crowd posing for the camera\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALqqFj.img\"><\/p>\n<p>Oakland City Council Votes to Strip More Than $17 Million From OPD Budget<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a bus parked in front of a house\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALpMEy.img\"><\/p>\n<p>East Bay Startup Tackles Housing Crunch With 3-D Printing Technology<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a person in a blue shirt\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALpIQ8.img\"><\/p>\n<p>OPD Chief, Mayor React to Police Defunding Vote by Oakland City Council<\/p>\n<p><span><\/p>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><\/p>\n<p><span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul class=\"playlist\">\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people riding on the back of a truck\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALuelN.img\"><br \/>\n<span>San Francisco to Close COVID Mass Vaccination Sites<\/span><br \/>\n<span>As the Bay Area enters a new &#8212; perhaps final &#8212; phase in the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco is closing mass vaccination sites at City College and Moscone Center. Wilson Walker reports. (6-26-21)<\/span><br \/>\n<span><br \/>\n <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><br \/>\n<span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a woman standing in front of it\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALu7UR.img\"><br \/>\n<span>Twin Marin Sisters Dominant in Separate Sports<\/span><br \/>\n<span>Vern Glenn caught up with twin sisters whose athletic specialties differ although their competitive spirit is nearly identical. (6-26-21)<\/span><br \/>\n<span><br \/>\n <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><br \/>\n<span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p> <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"a group of people standing in front of a crowd\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AALsRo4.img\"><br \/>\n<span>Battle of the Bay Opens With a Giants&#39; Win and Big Crowd at Oracle<\/span><br \/>\n<span>The Bay Bridge series between the Giants and A&#39;s kicked off at Oracle Park in the first game for the teams without any attendance or distancing restrictions since the pandemic began. Andrea Nakano and Vern Glenn report. (6-25-21)<\/span><br \/>\n<span><br \/>\n <img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"CBS SF Bay Area Logo\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net\/tenant\/amp\/entityid\/AAyYwSi.img\"><br \/>\n<span>CBS SF Bay Area<\/span><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img alt=\"UP NEXT\" class=\"vid-image\"><\/p>\n<p>But as the fire ravaged the area, Montalto and his colleagues switched tack. They actively steered people away, while silently agonizing over the fate of the byway\u2019s most famous landmarks, like the Jones Store, Globe Rock, and Mammoth Pool. Luckily, those places survived. But in the aftermath of the fire, tourism on the byway remains a touchy subject.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf people are interested in [seeing it], we encourage it. But we\u2019re not going to really promote it,\u201d Montalto says. Driving the byway, I saw what he meant: The road had scorch marks from where burning trees melted the tarmac. Most of the campgrounds were closed, too, which gave the place a ghostly feel. \u201cFor some people, it may be more of an acquired taste,\u201d he admits.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s not to say it wasn\u2019t worth exploring. On my drive, I continued past Mile High Vista and ended up pulling over in a glade where orange pine needles littered the ground. The pine trunks were intact, but charred to a crisp. I walked past them, and squatted by a shallow brook, where grass rose thick and green against the copper mud. Trails of tiny bubbles rose to the surface, and the sun glinted off the edges of wet leaves.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I\u00a0 sat there for a while, watching blue dragonflies dart over the rocks and wide-legged water spiders straddle the stream. On the far bank, a magnificent row of ferns flourished in the shade. There was a light breeze, chirping birds, the sound of flowing water, and not much else.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChange is an inevitable part of living here,\u201d Montalto says. In many ways, driving through this burned stretch of the byway had an illuminating effect. All the things I love about forests\u2014the shade, the lovely wildlife, the deep sense of protection\u2014took on new meaning, once I saw them stripped away. I started to think about how precious these ecosystems really are.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Historically, controlled fires <\/strong>(otherwise known as \u201cprescribed burns\u201d) have been a healthy part of any forest\u2014Yosemite included. Without them, the forest floor fills with branches and dead trees, which can fuel worse fires later on. This is an important distinction to make for visitors, who might equate the sight of smoke with disaster. But, as Montalto points out, when the Forest Service identifies small fires within controlled perimeters, it\u2019s their job to allow them to burn.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The inevitability of fires\u2014both helpful and harmful\u2014is something I heard several locals talk about, including Mike Arechiga, 62, a climbing instructor and Airbnb owner. Reflecting on the recent Creek Fire, he says: \u201cIt\u2019s not the end, it\u2019s the beginning.\u201d Despite the significant loss of trees and the distorted landscape, fire events like these are simply a tool for regeneration.<\/p>\n<p>While Arechiga says he misses the greenery, he points out that future generations will benefit from the regrowth. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be sensitive for a while until the plants can root in again,\u201d he says. \u201cPeople have to be patient.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Arechiga likes to spend his off-time at the Jones Store, a charming roadside diner in Beasore Meadows that\u2019s been electricity-free since 1936. The freshly baked pie has made the store an essential stop for hikers and campers in need of a home-cooked meal. But last year, when its owners were forced to evacuate, Arechiga prepared himself for the worst. \u201cWhen I left here that night, I did not expect to come back and see the Jones Store standing,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>And yet, it stands. The Jones Store is in the western portion of the byway, which largely escaped the inferno. Driving here, along Beasore Road, you\u2019ll see tall, healthy-looking pines with moss on their trunks and enticing meadows with horses grazing. Arechiga calls it \u201cthe last remaining green strip.\u201d Here, all is pleasant, pastoral, and in bloom. In fact, without driving the byway\u2019s other half, you would never know a fire had touched the place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For travelers\u2019 sakes, I hope the Jones Store lives on for another 100 years. But I also wonder, how long will it be until the next blaze strikes? Arechiga pointed to the defunct logging industry as the reason why the forest has become so overgrown, and thus susceptible to volatile fires. (In the last seven years, two major fires have threatened the Sierras: the French Fire in 2014, and the Ferguson Fire in 2018.) He acknowledges that climate change is a factor, but he believes increased forest management\u2014like removing dead trees\u2014would keep catastrophes like the Creek Fire at bay.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>By some estimates, the state of California should be burning a million acres of forest every year, just to reduce the undergrowth that has accumulated. This doesn\u2019t spell great news for tourists, who expect a pristine wilderness to greet them. But without some kind of preventative measure, pretty soon there could be no wilderness left to enjoy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>In mid-October, <\/strong>forest engineer Antonio Cabrera joined a team of 20 hydrologists, archaeologists, and biologists to assess the damage from the Creek Fire. In his career, Cabrera has worked on the King Fire in El Dorado, as well as others in the Sierras. But he found the Creek Fire unsettling, not just because of its size, or the intensity of its heat, but also because of how it affected the main roads that link the different parts of the forest\u2014namely, the byway.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI haven\u2019t seen anything like this before,\u201d he says.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>As a transportation hub, the byway is simply too valuable to remain a disaster site for long. Last month, $4.125 million was allocated by the Great American Outdoors Act to make improvements on the byway\u2014a major step forward in protecting the future of this beloved route. (Another $5 million has been set aside to rebuild the campgrounds.) And in 2022, the Norris Creek Bridge, which perished in the fire, will reopen.<\/p>\n<p>It could be that Arechiga was right\u2014this isn\u2019t the end, but the beginning of a new chapter in the byway\u2019s history. Before the Creek Fire hit, visitation to the byway was up twofold, according to traffic data shared by Cabrera. The fire may have threatened an already fragile ecosystem but didn\u2019t erase it entirely. Charred or not, there\u2019s still plenty to see.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For residents like Ariana Martinez, the uncertainty of another fire season weighs heavy. After she returned from her evacuation in Oakhurst last year, her coffeeshop was a shambles. Ash had swept in under the door, and it covered the espresso machine and syrup bottles. It took her two days to clean, but then, slowly, things went back to normal. The roads reopened, and customers returned.<\/p>\n<p><strong>>> Next:\u00a07 Classic California Road Trips to Drive in Your Lifetime<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msn.com\/en-us\/travel\/tripideas\/driving-the-%e2%80%9csecret-yosemite%e2%80%9d-byway\/ar-AALApXC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#169; Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Hiking the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":79884,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"&#169; Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Hiking the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"My Travel Leader\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kimberlee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Driving-the-Secret-Yosemite-Byway.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kimberlee\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/\",\"name\":\"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5da6b91885b3cc7eb7d8e87fa70f79e5\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Travel\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/category\/travel\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/\",\"name\":\"My Travel Leader\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5da6b91885b3cc7eb7d8e87fa70f79e5\",\"name\":\"Kimberlee\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kimberlee\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader","og_description":"&#169; Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway Photo by Kim Lawson\/courtesy Visit Yosemite Hiking the","og_url":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/","og_site_name":"My Travel Leader","article_published_time":"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00","author":"Kimberlee","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Driving-the-Secret-Yosemite-Byway.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kimberlee","Est. reading time":"11 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/","url":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/","name":"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway - My Travel Leader","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00","dateModified":"2021-06-29T17:43:26+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5da6b91885b3cc7eb7d8e87fa70f79e5"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/driving-the-secret-yosemite-byway\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Travel","item":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/category\/travel\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Driving the \u201cSecret Yosemite\u201d Byway"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/","name":"My Travel Leader","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5da6b91885b3cc7eb7d8e87fa70f79e5","name":"Kimberlee","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d7cef2e0d8d634cb49d54f7c48b549a1?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kimberlee"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79885"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79885"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79885\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79885"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79885"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79885"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}