Las Vegas to Yosemite route?

[spdtrpl]

On my way to the USGP I'm spending a night in Vegas then the next night in Yosemite. It looks like I can either go a short route through Death Valley, or take a longer Southerly route.
Any suggestions to a good route would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

[ClayPigion]

I would recomend the Death Valley route and then via 395 and over the pass into Yosemite! However, Death Valley this time of year is very very hot.

If you go the southern route it wont have the views and the traffic can be a bit more to deal with.

[irone10]

another option is take 95 north 170 miles to 166 up westgard pass, to big pine then north on 396 beautiful route. just make sure to fuel at Beatty next fuel is 120 miles in big pine.

[Donkey Hotey]

Originally Posted by irone10

another option is take 95 north 170 miles to 166 up westgard pass, to big pine then north on 396 beautiful route. just make sure to fuel at Beatty next fuel is 120 miles in big pine.

+1
It'll be hot but Westgard pass is the way to go. You're not just planning to 'drop in' and camp in Yosemite are you? You won't find anything unless you have reservations (if you don't already, don't bother--you won't get them now).

[spdtrpl]

Sounds good - thanks for the advice.
And yes, I reserved Yosemite months ago.

Mike

[joesimpsonpc]

i was in death valley on july 1st and it was 120°F (49°C)

[spdtrpl]

Just got back. Westgard pass was brilliant, set off from Vegas at 4.00 am. so not too hot.
Many thanks for the route.

Mike

[LucasUSAF]

There are a couple of shortcuts through DV if you're not going to go to Yosimite. I've been looking for as a direct route as possible heading to Monteray. Looks like I'll have to loop up at some point through Ridgecrest and Trona but I'd definatly going to use these advised routes going and on the way back. I hear the gold road "49" is awesome. For direct routes, there is a road called Randenburg (sp) road through Fort Irwin and China Lake, but I don't know the restrictions on travelling across (even with a military ID) nor the road conditions. From sattelite and an MSFT program it looks doable..but who knows.

[Donkey Hotey]

I'm gonna' save you a bunch of headaches. Hwy 120 through Yosemite is closed and will remain so until Memorial Day (usually). Your only way across the Sierra Nevada mountains right now is Interstate 80 up by Lake Tahoe or Hwy 178 past Lake Isabella.

This is nothing unusual--just the seasonal closures of those roads.

edit: do you have a decent California map or are you using one of those goofy USA atlas things?

There are a dozen ways across that desert. Fort Irwin and China Lake Weapons Center don't have public roads across them so I'm suspicious of whatever you're using for routing. All of the proper roads out there are do-able on my ZX11--at warp speed. No surprises there.

Your only issues are the passes over the Sierras and your maps getting you lost on old wagon trails that don't exist anymore.

[edgarop]

Hwy 120 is most likely open now. Very light snow this year so i don t think its closed. try calling caltrans. for hwy info and conditions. 1-800-427-7623

[Twohondas]

Originally Posted by edgarop

Hwy 120 is most likely open now. Very light snow this year so i don t think its closed. try calling caltrans. for hwy info and conditions. 1-800-427-7623

Tioga still closed but plowed - should open soon. Which is great! Better than late June for sure!

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm

[Asphalt Assault]

Can anyone give suggestions on routes for a weekend trip to Death Valley from Orange County, CA?

Looking to camp and see the majority of the park on a weekend...any thoughts on routes?

[Stonewall]

Originally Posted by Asphalt Assault

Can anyone give suggestions on routes for a weekend trip to Death Valley from Orange County, CA?

Looking to camp and see the majority of the park on a weekend...any thoughts on routes?

You might want to make this a seperate thread in the West

[Countdown]

http://www.district37ama.org/dualspo...eathValley.pdf

But it is full.