Sierra Nevada

It's no surprise that the Sierra Nevada region - defined by the immense Sierra Nevada and dominated by Mount Whitney--the highest peak in the continental United States--poses something of a challenge to would-be skaters; gentle paved Slopes aren't exactly plentiful in such dramatic terrain. But in-liners of all abilities, have no fear: What you can find in abundance are the byways and trails of two unforgettable valleys plus a world-class lake. In fact, at Tahoe, Yosemite, or Mammoth, you can spend a full day skating amid some of the most gorgeous landscape in the state.

In crowded Yosemite Valley, skating is actually the best way to get around, thanks to eight miles of bike paths. The scenery is incredible at every turn! For navigating, make sure to accept the free map at the entrance gate to use in tandem with the directions in this book. Parking is at a premium here, so even though most of the skating trails begin from public lots, you may need to leave the car at your campsite and use the free shuttle system to get to the starting point

In the Mammoth Lakes area, road skating is much more the order of the day. Car traffic is usually light enough so that the Mammoth locals, many of them expert-skiers, are now actually spoiled by the option of skating road-width slaloms at will.

All around Lake Tahoe, skating opportunities abound: Bike paths stretch for miles along the shimmering water. On the western shore, quiet roads lead to sloped, tree-filled mountain canyons. North of the lake, enjoy scenic rolls on the banks of the Truckee River or through the grassy meadows of Squaw Valley.

Trail	City	Distance
North Tahoe Regional Park Bike Path	Kings Beach	2.5 mi
Benton Crossing Road	Mammoth Lakes	9 mi
Fairway Drive	Mammoth Lakes	1.5 mi
Lake Mary Loop	Mammoth Lakes	3.75 mi
Main Path / Meridian Trail Loop	Mammoth Lakes	3.25 mi
Minaret Road	Mammoth Lakes	8 mi
Ranch Road	Mammoth Lakes	3 mi
The Ghetto	Mammoth Lakes	2.5 mi
Camp Richardson Trail	South Lake Tahoe	4.5 mi
College Bike Path	South Lake Tahoe	4 mi
El Dorado Trail	South Lake Tahoe	4 mi
Pat Lowe Memorial Bike Trail	South Lake Tahoe	1.5 mi
Alpine Meadows Road	Tahoe City	6 mi
Blackwood Canyon	Tahoe City	5 mi
North Lake Boulevard Bike Path	Tahoe City	4.6 mi
Squaw Valley Trails	Tahoe City	3 mi
Truckee River Bike Trail	Tahoe City	9 mi
West Shore Bike Path	Tahoe City	10 mi
Martis Creek Lake Road	Truckee	3 mi
Sugar Pine Point Trail	West Lake Tahoe	4 mi
Mirror Lake Road	Yosemite Valley	5.5 mi
Swinging Bridge Loop	Yosemite Valley	1.75 mi
Upper Pines Loop	Yosemite Valley	2.25 mi
Yosemite Falls to Curry Village	Yosemite Valley	3 mi