Road-trip San Francisco - Yosemite - Las Vegas - Grand Canyon

Hi!! I'm a Spanish girl, who is now in DC working for 3 months. To finish my short stay i'm planning to make a road trip with a friend. We already booked plane tickets to San Francisco (will arrived 7th January) and rent a car. It will be a round trip because we have to go back to Europe from there too. So, this is the plan:

7,8 San Francisco
9 Muir Wood, Sonoma Valley, sleep in Sonora
10 Go to Yosemite and sleep there
11 Yosemite, go to Sequoia National Park and sleep there
12 Visit Sequoias and then start with the road to Death Valley, sleeping on the road
13 Death Valley
14 Something between
15 Arrived to Las Vegas
16 Visit Las Vegas and left early to Grand Canyon, sleep there
17, 18 Grand Canyon
Then we should start the "going home"
19 Flagstaff
20 Mojave
21 Sleep in San Francisco
22 10:00 am, leave :(

So, I have the typical doubts: don't know if is too much for the days we have. We don't want to spend lot of hours driving, we want to take it easy. And besides is winter, so some roads could be closed, and dangerous, snow, rain, fog...

I will appreciate (a lot) any tips that you could give me, about the days, weather, roads...

Thank you very much and Happy Holidays!!

Hello and welcome to the RTA forums !

Your plan looks to be quite solid and well thought out. You are right in thinking that winter weather can bring it's own problems, especially in the Sierras. You have chain laws in Yosemite where you will have to carry snowchains and be prepared to use them if required. You can purchase a set or check with your rental company, but it will be best to practice putting them on [just in case] in the relative calm of a hotel parking lot or the like rather than trying to learn on a mountain in a blizzard !

You really don't need to stop somewhere between Death valley and Vegas as they are fairly close and there is not much between the two for lodgings available. I would perhaps spend that 'extra' night between Mojave and San Fran, perhaps cutting across to the coast and spending a night around Cambria and take the scenic coastal drive around Big Sur to Monterey on the way to SF. You could also create a cushion on time by not stopping in Flagstaff, or stay there on the 18th. You have 3 nights at the canyon and Flagstaff is only a couple of hours away.

Thank you very much for the fast answer!! And yes, I'm little afraid of the weather, we will practice for sure with the snowchains before starting the trip.

You solved my principal doubt, knowing if the schedule was ok, real and reliable. Reading other post it seems that it is, as you said, an easy and typical trip. I will continue checking for more information about winter season.

Have a nice Christmas!!

I read this in some post:


I wouldn't head to Yosemite at that time of year. It will be mostly snowed in and you could easily get yourself snowbound for a while if the weather turns nasty.

any advices? Do you think i should avoid Yosemite? I really want to see it...but i don't want to get stack two days in the middle of anywhere :D

Thanks!!!

As with everywhere the weather is totally unpredictable. The best way to ge a clear picture of what to expect is to visit Yosemite NP site. Of course the 'normal' will have no bearing on what he weather is doing at the exact time you visit, and the weather has the final say. Whereas the highground will be closed off to vehicles, the valley is open year round and is a big part of the Yosemite experience, although the area can see temporary road closures. Using your common sense and keeping up to date with the latest conditions will keep you out of harms way, and you should be able to avoid becoming 'stranded,' the park Rangers will be around and are most helpful. Yosemite is an amazing place and although I have yet to visit in winter, it truly is a winter wonderland !

You should expect the same type of possible issues in Sequoia NP, but I would not give up on either just yet.