Just to the east of Bass Lake (roughly 40 miles northeast of Fresno), the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway rises and falls through the Sierra National Forest . June through October is your only window to drive this 90-mile circuit, swept by pine forest and pocked by the majestic peaks of the High Sierra; earlier and later in the year the road is often made impassable by snow. You can start in North Fork, a tiny hamlet at the southern end of Bass Lake (get a map from the Bass Lake Ranger District office). From there, the Byway takes a curving, loopy route through the national forest, finishing 90 miles later, and rejoining more civilized environs when it intersects Highway 41 near the town of Nelder. If you don’t stop, the drive takes about five hours (some of the roads are rough dirt, through easily passable by car); but you should stop, so plan for longer.

From the Redinger Overlook , admire sparkling Redinger Lake and the ribbon of the San Joaquin River. Pull over too at the aptly named Mile High Vista for an unforgettable sweep of jagged blue-hued mountain peaks: the Minarets, Mammoth Mountain, Balloon Dome, Fuller Buttes, great pregnant swells of granite etched with stands of pine. Spend some time wandering the Nelder Grove Historical Area; more than 100 giant sequoias are scattered through the forest here. This may be the least-crowded place in all of California to commune with sequoias. The mile-long Shadow of the Giants interpretive walk helps explain the life and death of the enormous stumps you’ll see. From here it’s less than 10 miles to Highway 41.

Tip: Gas up before you start. There’s only one place to get gas along the route (Wagner’s Store at Mammoth Pool) and the prices reflect this.

The Abraham Lincoln: Self Made in America Learning Station exhibit is provided by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in collaboration with the American Library. In this learning station exhibit, the journey taken by Abraham Lincoln from frontier obscurity to our nation’s presidency will be documented through a combination of images, objects and the written word. You will enjoy the rich history of our 16th President as you explore his life as a Self Made man – Father, Husband, Lawyer, Politician, Commander-in-Chief and much more. Numerous community events are scheduled to coordinate with the exhibition including an "Abraham Lincoln Assassination" Melodrama at the Golden Chain Theatre each weekend, a Civil War Living History at Oakhurst Community Park, and much more.