Fort Monroe Virtual Cache
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George F. Monroe was a black man who drove stage and worked as a guide for the Washburn brothers from 1868 to 1886. The “fort” named for him was a stage station on the old Wawona Road, one of the three early roads into Yosemite National Park. This 3-mile roundtrip climbs 1200 feet above the valley from the start of the Pohono Trail.
Fort Monroe appears on maps of Yosemite, including the 30’ topographic series from 1897-1951. It was also named on U.S.G.S. Yosemite Valley maps from 1907-1970. Our copy of the Yosemite Valley map happens to be the 1970 edition, the last to identify this site.
According to sources in the Yosemite Research Library, the name Fort Monroe came about because “It is reported that George Monroe had a flair for army life and was always talking about it.”
One published account indicated:
“Our driver was a colored man, raised in the country, had never been outside of the State and had been with the Yosemite Stage Co. some twelve years. His gentleness and kindness were only exceeded by his skill, of which we soon became both proud and grateful.”
His obituary in the November 27, 1886 Mariposa Gazette reported:
“Monroe’s employers said of him that he never met with any accident, never failed to be on time and never cost the company a quarter of a dollar for damages to passengers, horse, or vehicles. Whenever George was on the box and held the lines, we knew everything was all right. He always did his duty.”
The Pohono trail starts at N 37 42.925, W 119 40.625, adjacent to the small overflow parking area across the street from the main Tunnel View lot. You can hike all the way to Glacier Point on this trail but most visitors only go as far as Inspiration Point, a little over two miles roundtrip. This Inspiration Point is one of four that have been so designated in the park. The so-called New Inspiration Point provided a first dramatic glimpse of the valley for folks approaching the valley from the south before the mile-long Wawona Tunnel was blasted and drilled in the late 1930s.
Gecko Dad recently explored the Pohono Trail in search of an even earlier Inspiration Point that the very earliest visitors to Yosemite reached on horseback and foot. Long abandoned and now difficult to reach due to the thick brush, he settled for the spectacular views available higher up the ridge from Old Inspiration Point, a short distance west of Silver Strand Falls and Stanford Point.
On the walk back downhill, the Fort Monroe icon appeared on the Gecko Meridian GPSr screen, prompting an exploratory side trip off the main trail. Apparently mismarked on the 1970 Yosemite Valley map, Fort Monroe is located outside, not inside, the westernmost bend of the current Pohono Trail. The site features a small seasonal creek, wildflowers, and a man-made structure that represents the virtual cache destination. This creek flows down to a small pool along the old Wawona Road. In one direction, you can follow the path of the old road from here all the way back to Inspiration Point and the valley floor. Heading the other way, you can explore other, more overgrown remnants in the direction of Wawona. The bear photo was taken along this stretch within .2 miles of the creek crossing.
To confirm your find, please answer the following questions by email:
1. How many timbers wide is the structure?
2. How many timbers high is it?
3. How many rods hold it together?
4. What function did it serve?
We hope you enjoy your hike and visit to old Fort Monroe.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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