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7509 Henness Circle, , California, 95389, United States
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Mike, Jeff, Nancy & Josh at Yosemite Valley 2008
One of the Waterfalls
The View Through the Trees
Magnificent El Capitan
I will be driving from mammoth to yosemite and then on to reno. Which Road do i take from mammoth and then from yosemite? In what order would i see the major sights if i am coming from the direction of mammoth and leaving heading for reno?
You would take Highway 395 to CA 120 to Yosemite; however, I think your previous post said that you would be visiting Mammoth in April? Highway 120 is seasonally closed and I don't know if it would be open in April--I doubt it. Maybe other VT'er's know if it's ever been open that early? If it's open it's about a 2 hour ride from Mammoth. Turn left onto 120 and just follow the signs. There is a ski area near Yosemite--Badger Pass. You may be better off planning to skip Yosemite and do the Lake Tahoe area instead, because Highway 50 and I-80 to Lake Tahoe from 395 are almost always open. To get from Yosemite to Reno you would just retrace your journey along 120 back to Hwy 395 and continue north. Sights you would see along 395 besides Yosemite: June Lake (pretty ski area), Mono Lake (Google it--very interesting), Bodie ghost town (road is probably not open in April), Topaz Lake, Carson City (capital of Nevada), then the Lake Tahoe area (there's tons of stuff to do in Tahoe!) Lake Tahoe is about 35 mins from Carson City or Reno. All along 395 the Sierra scenery is gorgeous! While in Reno you could visit Virginia City--an old silver mining town. Hope this helps!
It depends upon whether you are driving between now and late May, or thereafter. The Tioga Pass road from Lee Vining through Tuolumne Meadows will be closed for several months, and some all weather highways crossing the sierras, like 50 and 88, are either very difficult to drive over right now due to snow storms. If you are going right now, you'll need to back track from Mammoth down CA395 to CA58 through to Bakersfield, then head north on CA99 to Merced. At Merced, take CA 140 east. After enjoying Yosemite, return to Merced, and continue on CA99 through to Sacramento, then follow the signs for I-80 east to Reno. Good luck...
As a follow-up, no Tioga Pass Route from Lee Vining, which would be a preferred route in summer, will not be open in April. Traditionally, it opens in June, although it has often opened in late May too.
Alan's suggestion is an alternative route but it would take you about 9 hours of driving to get to Yosemite from Mammoth since Hwy 120 will most likely be closed. You could also go north and cross the Sierras on Hwy 50 to Hwy 99 south to Merced and then hwy 140 to Yosemite, but that would also be about 9 hours. It would then be about a 6 hour drive back to Reno from Yosemite, crossing the Sierra's on I-80 or 50. It's just so hard to get to Yosemite from Mammoth in the winter! I still think your best bet would be to skip Yosemite and stay in Lake Tahoe. There are so many ski resorts in the area, so Hwy 50 and I-80 are kept well-plowed and only close during major blizzards when you wouldn't want to be on the road anyway.
Where is the other half? That´s a very popular question among visitors! Actually, scientists say that Half Dome probably never HAD a proper half. The valley itself was carved by glaciers which also modelled the mountains on the sides as well as the high back country.
As you near the rim of Yosemite Valley, at the first "scenic view," you must pull off the road and take a look. Off in the distance you see Halfdome and all the grandeur that is Yosemite. You get to let the impending feelings of peacefulness start to seep in, and you get a chance to stretch your legs after a long drive.
My trip to Yosemite wasn't as sunny as the first picture makes you think. I was out of luck with the weather when I arrived in Yosemite National Park. It was raining and very clouded as you can see in this picture. This magnificent rock is called 'El Captain'
Yosemite National Park quick facts:
Annual Budget is $20,674,000.00 (FY 1999)
Annual Visitation is 3,648,384 (1999)
Park Covers 761,266 Acres
Designations:
Federal Grant - June 30, 1864
National Park - October 1, 1890
Wilderness (93% of the park) - September 28, 1984
Sometimes you get a glimpse of the local wildlife -- from a safe distance.
We were in the Yosemite Shuttle, leaving the village, when the driver announced, "Coyote in the road!" And indeed there was a small, perplexed coyote standing in the intersection, blocking traffic.
Just as I was about to click the shutter of my camera, a car drove between the bus and the coyote, so all I got was a photo of its tail.
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Q: Suggestion for daytrip itinerary for Yosemite from SFO "Hi We are a family of four with two children and would like to do a day trip to Yosemite from San Francisco.We would like to do..."
A: "Having only driven through the park and not even stopped, I can only say you'll need the advice of more VTers that have stayed. For a 1-day drive through FROM SF and..."
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