When entering the Yosemite park from east, you will enter it via the Tioga Pass. The elevation of the pass is 9943ft/3031m at its highest point. Be aware that the pass sometime doesn´t open before June - we were lucky that it opened in May in 2013, but this is not a given. Along the way, there are lots of places that are suitable for a short stop. You can easily walk some steps into the area and you have nice views all over the place, like here at the Dana Fork.