Somewhere around Dardanelle, Highway 108 leaves the busy resort country behind and enters a deep, quiet canyon along the Middle Fork of the Stanislaus River. It is one of the most peaceful stretches of the whole crossing.
The geology here is remarkable. The Dardanelles, the long volcanic ridge to the south, are remnants of an ancient lava flow that once filled a river channel and now stands high above the surrounding land because it was harder than the rock around it, a classic inverted landscape. Just off the road, a short walk from the Pigeon Flat campground, are the Columns of the Giants, a wall of hexagonal basalt columns similar to the famous Devils Postpile, formed when a thick lava flow cooled and cracked into regular shapes. It takes only a few minutes to walk there and is well worth the stop.
The riding is a pleasant mix of long straights and gentle curves following the river through forest of pine and fir. The road is generally in good condition, but there are some rough patches where the canyon walls shed rocks. Watch for cattle near Kennedy Meadows, where the road branches off to a pack station, and for cyclists climbing toward the pass. Traffic is light on weekdays, but summer weekends can be busy with campers and fishermen.
This is also bear country, and the campgrounds along the river have bear boxes for food. In the evening the canyon fills with the smell of pine resin and wood smoke, and the river becomes louder as the air cools.
Services are limited beyond Strawberry and Pinecrest, which lie a little further west. The small store at Dardanelle and the Kennedy Meadows resort are seasonal, and you should not count on fuel. Fill up in Sonora or in the Twain Harte area before climbing. On the eastern side, the nearest reliable fuel is in Bridgeport or in the Carson Valley around Gardnerville, both long rides away. The road beyond this point climbs steeply to Sonora Pass, and the gradients ahead are among the steepest in the Sierra.