My husband and I would like to openly thank Mark Butler of the National Park Service for his efforts to put “Mariposa on the map.” Since the creation of the National Park Service’s Web site, it has directed people traveling from the airports in the Bay Area to Yosemite, to travel via Highway 120 and the Big Oak Flat entrance. There has been no mention of an alternative route from the Bay Area airports using Highway 140 and the Arch Rock entrance until now. No wonder the Big Oak Flat entrance typically beats out the Arch Rock entrance for admittance. Hopefully the businesses in Mariposa County will get a little boost due to this change now that Mariposa is not being bypassed for those traveling from the Bay Area airports. Now, if we could only get Delaware North Companies to also make the change to their Web site.

My husband and I used to live in the Bay Area and traveled all routes getting to the Park. Yes, the Big Oak Flat entrance is the closest entrance to San Francisco. But if Yosemite Valley is the destination, it is toss up whether to use the Big Oak Flat entrance via Highway 120 or the Arch Rock entrance via Highway 140. Before the rockslide, it took only 10 to 15 minutes more to get to the Valley using the Arch Rock entrance. We typically chose the Arch Rock entrance because of the beauty along the Merced River Canyon, not to mention that it is the all-weather route. But we know that air-travelers, both foreigners and visitors from other states, will typically choose what is posted on the Park’s website rather than take it upon themselves to find alternate routes. Now they will have options thanks to Mark Butler.
Barbara Robinson
Indian Peak Ranch
MountainTop Hideaway