Tuolumne Meadows Photos


As you make your way up the scenic, alpine wonderland that is Tioga Road, you’ll reach this beautiful sprawling meadow about 15 minutes after Tenaya Lake, on your left. Here are some select Tuolumne Meadows photos…

Green Tuolumne Meadows, along Tioga Road
Green Tuolumne Meadows

Here, the mighty Tuolumne river meanders through a grassy plain, and you may spot deer in the late summer afternoons.

Highway 120 (Tioga Road), looking east
Tioga Road, looking east

You’ll find parking on the sides of Tioga Road in this location, and note this is also the jump off point for incredible hikes like Cathedral Lakes

Tourist cars parked at the meadow, on 120 - Tuolumne Meadows photos
Cars parked at the meadow

Tuolumne Meadows features a few Tioga icons in the distance as well. You’ll see one of the highest peaks in the park, Mt. Dan (pictured below)

Patchy snow on Mt. Dana
Patchy snow on Mt. Dana

Also granite formations such as Lembert Dome (in the distance below), which lies overlooking the meadows edge.

Boulders & pool, with Lembert Dome - Tuolumne Meadows photos
Tuolumne Meadows boulders, with Lembert Dome

Nearby here you can also find Tuolumne Meadows campground, which is used as a base for many high Sierra rock climbers.

Many times I’ve also noticed backpackers trying to hitch a ride from this location. They seem to be heading east, and I can’t help but wonder where exactly they’re trying to go. Perhaps they want to leave their cars at the campground and get a ride to the trailhead at Mt. Dana or something.

Green grass in summer
Green grass in summer

Anyhow, I still trying to figure out when Tuolumne Meadows is at it’s most green – its most beautiful, in my opinion. I suspect that, due to the high elevation, it’s likely around mid to late summer. Of course, the meadows in Yosemite Valley’s 4,000ft elevation have already long turned brown by this time. 

In closing, I should say that Tuolumne Meadows is a seasonal Yosemite destination – the access road (Tioga) closes each year around November. It usually open back up in late May to mid June, but if there was a heavy, snowy winter, it could be as late as early July!

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About My Photos

The images on this website are available for licensing and/or sale as framed prints. If you’d like to purchase them for a blog, news article, or gift, feel free to contact me with the specifics. This way you’re supporting photographers such as me directly (as opposed to buying from a faceless stock photo corporation).

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– Nathan Allen

About Me

Photographer Nathan Allen

I’m Nathan Allen, photographer / creator of YosemiteParkPhotos.com (Yosemite Photos) and international travel site I Dreamed Of This. In truth, I lived in San Francisco, New York, & Singapore…but nothing compares to life in the mountains. I share my experiences HERE.