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I will be leaving San Francisco on a Friday and need to make it to Las Vegas by early Sunday evening. This gives me two nights and nearly three days to take in some scenery on the way. I would like to see some of the national parks but have no idea which one/s would be best to fit into the tight time frame. Can anyone give me some advice on which ones are a 'must see'. Names of parks and hotels, routes, and any other advice to a Brit with a lot to learn would be very welcome !!!! Thanks
#5 to #58 to Bakersfield to #65 to SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, California. (420 miles / 8 hrs)
Back on #65 to #155 (east) to #178 to DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, California (300 miles / 7-8 hrs)
#95 to LAS VEGAS (4 hrs)
OR
#580 to #108 to YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, California (200 miles / 4 hrs) (still great scenery & cliff walls but the waterfalls will be dried up or not at their peak like in the springtime)
#120 to #41 to #99 to #198 to SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK (230 miles / 5 hrs)
#198 to #65 to #58 to #I-15 to LAS VEGAS (405 miles / 8 hrs)
The 2nd option gives you more time in the national parks. See www.nps.gov/parks.html to read the details about each national park. All are great.
Sorry - I misread "leaving Friday" as THIS Friday, not next July.
In that case, I would do option #2 - Yosemite & Sequoia.
Death Valley will be over 100 degrees in July.
It's a DRY heat!
Thanks for the advice people. I'll heed the warning about the 100 degree heat in Death Valley. It relly is difficult trying to judge such vast spaces and distances when you come from such a tiny island. I'm assuming by the replies that Yosemite and Sequoia are the ones to really see. I dare say that I'd only scratch the surface of what there is to see so maybe I could visit these a for a bit longer and then see Death Valley after travelling west from Grand Canyon straight over to LA??? Any thoughts?
Rob,
Normal day-time temps in July for the lower elevations in Death Valley are closer to 113 to 116 degrees. 100 degrees would be a chilly day in July for the Furnace Creek area.