The Tioga Road began as a rough track up the western slope of the Sierra to the mining town of Bennettville near Tioga Pass. Built to promote mining in the wild high country, it never served its intended purpose because by the time it was finished in 1883 the mining boom was over, and the route fell into disrepair. A few decades later, interest in the road revived as people began visiting the Sierra for reasons other than extracting resources. The push to blast the road through Lee Vining Canyon came from sightseers drawn to the high country by its wild beauty, and construction crews completed this portion of the road around 1910. Drill holes for the dynamite used during construction can still be seen across the road.