MOUNTAIN AREA — It’s that time of year again (if perhaps a little later than usual) when local ranchers start moving their cattle up to the high country and summer pasture.
This weekend, crews will be driving about 350 head of cattle through the Ahwahnee area, on through Fish Camp and up to the Long Meadow area where they’ll enjoy the summer grasses for about three months.
You’ll want to know this for two reasons: first, if you’re traveling Highway 49 or 41 during these short windows of time, you may be delayed as the cattle drive crosses the roadway.
Second, it’s something you don’t see very often any more and you may want to “set a spell” and watch the cowboys and cowgirls at work.
Oakhurst CHP says they are expecting the cattle drive to cross our highways and — for what it’s worth — they’ve posted specific times.
- Saturday, July 6 between 6:30 – 7 a.m. cattle will be crossing Highway 49 as the drive moves up Road 619 in the early morning crosses around the Hitching Post before heading north on Road 628.
- Sunday, July 7 between 11 a.m. – noon they’ll arrive in the Fish Camp area and cross Highway 41 near the Tenaya Lodge.
Both crossings are expected to take 20 minutes, according to CHP. Please use caution while in these areas and be mindful of slowing or stopped traffic.
