RV trip: San Francisco - Yosemite - Great Canyon - Las Vegas

Hi everyone! I'm a spanish traveller which some days ago discovered roadtripamerica. I've been reading lots of posts! Usually I take part in forums in my mother tongue for planning trips, but concerning roadtrips and California, this one is huge and gorgeus... and I cannot think about any better place to ask for advice.

I'm well aware that this topic is the most popular, but since I have many issues in mind, I've decided to post the whole thing.

We are flying this summer (july) from Spain, half-the-word-away, to San Francisco. 17 nights, and fliying back from Las Vegas (we have plane tickets alreday). We are 5 people, cannot rent only one car, and we'd love to rent a recreational vehicle... it will solve problems of space, accomodation and cooking in one fell swoop. So many of the issues will concern RVs.
Must see places for us (apart from SF and LV): Highway 1 from monterrey to hearst castle; Yosemite; Grand Canyon.

Our innitial planning
- 4 nights on SF, which leaves us 3 full days in the city.
- 10 nights on the road, sleeping on campgrounds prepared for RVs.
- 3 nights on Las Vegas

Road planning:
Day 1.- Leave SF, drive Hway 1, Santa Cruz, Monterrey and Carmel, sleeping arround Big Sur.
Day 2.- Hearst Castle, Piedras Blancas lighthouse, and take CA-41 up to Yosemite.
Day 3.- Yosemite.
Day 4.- Sequoia National Park.
Day 5.- From Sequoia to Death Valley (¿Shermann pass is recomended for RVs?)
Day 6.- Death Valley and Sleep around Barstow, or another eastern location on route 66.
Day 7.- Old route 66 from barstow and sleep in AZ.
Day 8.- Old route 66 up to flagstaff, or other western location.
Day 9.- Reach grand Canyon.
Day 10.- Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, sleep somewhere close to Las vegas.
Day 11.- Delivering the RV to Las vegas (early, before noon)
Map of the route (around 1800 miles):

This is the most ambitious planning we have conceived. But may be lots of miles, loooots if we are traveling by RV.

Some alternatives:
- Alternative 1: From SF heading to Yosemite. From Yosemite back to Carmel Peninsula, San Simeón. Death Valley and keep going as previously planned. We will be missing Sequoia National Park. (1700 miles) MAP
- Alternative 2: From SF to San Simeon, then to Sequoia Natl Park and up to Yosemite. Taking Tioga pass to Hwy 395, we'll include Bodie and drive down to the Death Valley. (Around 1750 miles). Sequoia park could be missed to save miles. MAP
- Alternative 3: instead of Death Valley, we will visit the mojave national preserve = less miles. ¿Is this sacrifice worth to save miles?
To cut more miles some ideas will be skipping Barstow and Flagstaff.

What do you think about the possible planning. ¿Maybe too ambitious? ¿Not compatible with RVs?
-Concerning Sequoia National Park/Kings Canyon. ¿After Yosemite is really worth seeing these other national parks?

Thanks in advance from Madrid (Spain).

Sherman Pass is not recommended for RV's, but Walker Pass is no problem.

Thanks!
Will I have problems with the RV if I finally intend to cross Tioga pass?
Are the major spots in Yosemite/Sequoia parks compatible with RVs?

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Its been a number of years since I drove Sherman Pass, but I don't remember anything specific that would have prevented an RV from taking that route. Certainly it is a slow going mountain route, and would be a bit of a challenge, but I think it could be done without issue. However, because it is such a slow going route it would make for an extremely long day trying to get from Sequoia National Park to Death Valley by this route. If you want to do this in one day, I'd take CA-178 or CA-58.

However, having said that, I actually wouldn't do either, and instead go from the Coast, to Sequoia, and then to Yosemite, as you proposed in Alternative 2. I think that would be an easier and more enjoyable trip overall.

I wouldn't skip Death Valley, but including the Mojave Preserve certainly would still be an option. One thing I wouldn't do is go from Death Valley all the way back west to Barstow. You could head down through Baker, and hit I-40 south of the perserve. Most of route 66 in California simply doesn't exist anymore. Your best bet for enjoying the old road is the section in Arizona east of Kingman.

The Tioga pass will be fine with the RV, it's a little narrow and twisty at the start when you head up from the valley floor and then not to bad at all. I like option 2 but I am not sure if you might be under estimating the drive times in an RV and how big and wonderful some of these places are. For example from Big Sur to Sequoia with a visit to Hearst castle will be a long day. By the time you have driven through Sequoia to Yosemite and then headed over Tioga next day to DV you will have little time to truly experience either.

I would consider dropping a day in Vegas and SF to get more from your experience on the road or, as you suggested drop something from the itinerary like Sequoia. Another option that comes to mind is to rent a car in LV for a day [budget permitting] and do Death valley as a day trip from your time in Vegas and drop Sequoia NP.

Option 4 would look something like this SF > Yosemite [day 1& 2]> Yosemite >Sequoia > Monterey [ day 3/ 4 /5] San Simeon [day 6] On route to Grand canyon [day 7] Grand canyon [day 8/9] Route 66/ Hoover dam [day 10]
Vegas [11] and a day trip to DV.

When driving an RV on 2 lane roads it is customary to use the pull outs to let cars that are caught behind you through, it will take any pressure from you and you will normally be rewarded with a wave and a smile.

For camping in the National parks [recommended] you will need to book as soon as possible, if it isn't to late already., go to >nps.gov< for the info.

Thanks for your advice!! I really apreciate your help.

Concerning driving times I think we have to drop some things as suggested... such as Sequoia, Barstow or Flagstaff. The final itinerary that I'm considering will not exceed 1600 miles... which leaves us an average of 160 miles/day... some days less, some others more. Concerning a road trip around california-grand canyon, I think it would be ok (with less miles we'll be missing things that, simply, cannot be missed). Now, we are talking about an RV trip, assuming that our cruise speed should not exceed 55 mph, I think that It leaves an average of 3-4 hours/day on the road (summer days are long, and we're 4 potential drivers). Maybe I'm being a a bit pretentious and foolish, so please let me know.

- 4 nights on San Francisco is almost a must, as we arrive late in the evening the first day. We're really excited about exploring this city, and it will be the only big city (LV apart) in our trip... 2 full days instead of 3, I think won't be enough.
- 3 nights in Las Vegas is a must, as we will be dropping the RV on saturday... cutting 1 night on LV wont be such a sacrifice as in SF, but can't drop on Sunday.
So it leaves again 10 days for our road trip (drop on 11th day). This is what I'm now thinking about.

Day 1.- Leaving SF, driving southwards: Santa Cruz, Monterrey. Pass the night around Monterrey. (not more than 110 miles on our first day, as the departure maybe not as early as we would like to).
Day 2.- All the day spent on Hwy 1 from Carmel to San Simeon, visit Hearst castle, and pass the night near CA-40. (arround 100 miles).
Day 3.- Head north to Yosemite. From San Simeon to mariposa groove we are facing 205 miles. Our first stop would be the in the southern part of the park, Mariposa Groove (as we are dropping Sequoia Natl Park, mariposa groove is a must). Visit the groove during the evening and pass the night on Mariposa Groove RV park under the charm of sky-reaching sequoias.
Day 4.- Get into the heart of yosemite, one night there.
Day 5.- Finishing with yosemite, cross Tiaga pass to Hwy 395, and visit Bodie. Night around Mono Lake or southwards to cut miles for next day.
Day 6.- Road day, 220 miles between Mono lake and Death valley, stopping on attractions along Hwy 395. Sleep on Death Valley National Park.
Day 7. Visit Death Valley on the way to Mojave. Pass the night on mojave. (Almost 200 miles between death valley and Kelso, in Mojave Natl Preserve).
Day 8.- On the way to I-40, driving until Kingman, AZ or further (Kelso CA, to Kingman AZ 150 miles)
Day 9.- Starting arround Kingman to Reach Colorado Canyon park (175 miles of old route 66 to enyoy during the day).
Day 10.- Wake up in Colorado Canyon Natl Park, visit the canyon and get onto the road by late afternoon until Las Vegas halfway or further (240 miles between canyon and LV).
Day 11.- Our last day on the road. RV has to be delivered in Las Vegas before noon. Early wake up to reach Hoover Dam by 9 am, and once visited, get into Las Vegas for delivery.
Map of the route

This is the best I've come up with. Miles are concentrated on last part of the trip, but I think that this is normal driving westwards, as major attractions keep geting further from each other as we get into the vast desert regions towards Great Canyon National Park.

Thanks again, I would love each critic or advice. Global itinerary or any place we could be missing on the way.

The last 3 miles of road to Bodie is unpaved and not only will it be slow going with the risk of breaking the crockery, it could also be in violation of your rental agreement that normally requests you stay on paved roads.

This has also reminded me that a lot of RV companies will not allow RV'S through Death valley in the summer months so you will also have to check this as well with the renter before settling on an itinerary.

I think your current plans are very easy to achieve, and there are a few areas you really could speed up if you'd like.

The one area that I really think you could push yourselves a little bit is day 8. You really should be able to get much farther than kingman that day, since really you're just looking at a stretch of interstate highway. I'd think you could easily get to Williams, even if you spend a good chunk of time around Route 66. You could push up your time in Yosemite a little bit, so if you wanted to fit Sequoia into your plans, its still very possible.

But, really, if you left everything as is, you wouldn't have any problems at all - except for the couple of issues Dave brought up.

Ok, we have to really take in consideration those issues raised by Dave about possible limitations for our RV.

Concerning Day 8, to reach Williams AZ, from Mojave Ntl Preserve, there is a distance of almost 250 miles... we will be spending the day on the road. I think that along route 66 there are many interesting places, but maybe each of them not very time-consuming. I think that your point is good, step by step we could reach Willams on the day.

On the other hand, I would leave us the oportunity of start day 9 closer to Grand Canyon Village. Maybe we could spend this day with a slight detour, taking Hwy 89 and visiting Sunset Crater, Wupatki and head to Great canyon village taking AZ-64, which I believe that pass close to great viewing points of the Great Canyon. ¿Is this detour worth?

Thanks again!

There are many viewpoints along 64, otherwise known as "Desert view drive" and in my opinion is the best way to enter the Grand canyon as you see the canyon develop along the way. The Old Watchtower is the first stop just inside the entrance with wide open views of the Colorado entering the canyon area and then you follow the rim into the village area stopping at other points of interest, highly recommended !

Mather campground near to the village is a great place to stay but as I said earlier they get booked up real quick, as does Yosemite valley [ Lower, middle, North pines campgrounds].

Apart from Cruiseamerica and El Monte RV, there are lots of companies that rents RV.
Our plan is to pick up in San Francisco and drop in Las Vegas 10 days later. (Peak season, last days of july).

On the peak season, prices are high everywhere... for one-way rental RV up to 5 people we are facing... (aprox quotes, aprox 2000 miles, and all fees included)
- El monte RV: 4000$
- Cruiseamerica: >3000$

Some other companies offer lower prices, although I can hadly find anything about them in these forums:
- Camper Rentals USA: 2500-3000$
- Through familymotorhomes.com, you can find quotes for companies like "Cheapa Campa RV USA" or "Real Value RV Rent": that are simmilar for a 25ft RV with around 2000 miles and fees included: 3000$.

The fact is, ¿anyone knows about thesese companies?
Thanks a lot!

Regretfully, we have not been able to rent an RV for our trip (on peak season most of the companies have very high rental rates or have no availability). So we finally have rented a minivan for our trip (5 in our group). One one hand, we can make more miles, but on the other, we now depend on motels most of the time. Now we've planned a new route, I would like to know what you think about it, I would be grateful for any advice or comments about our plans.

We start on San Francisco, and 10 days later, we drop the minivan into Las Vegas.

The map of the aprox route is here, aprox 2250 miles... (4-4h30 hours a day driving)

Day 1.- We leave SF northwards, and head to South Late Tahoe (3h). We arrive there by the afternoon, with time enought for a trip, take a look at the lake, and enyoy the village.
Day 2.- From South Lake Tahoe we can easily reach Hwy 395 and head south to Yosemite. Halfway, we visit Bodie (2h from Tahoe), and then enter the park through Tioga Pass (surely open by mid-July). From this point we can see most of the spots of Yosemite and enjoy a beautiful drive from East to West (Tolummne meadows, views from Olmsted Point), and then head to the Yosemite Village area to see the "must see spots". By the evening we head south to Mariposa groove, to see the giant seqouias. We plan to camp around there.
Day 3.- From Yosemite we turn back again to the Pacific coast. Monterrey is 3h30 drive away. In this day we visit Monterrey, if we have time we can make the "17-miles drive" from Pacific groove and Carmel, ending the day near San Simeon in a motel by the area.
Day 4.- We visit Piedras Blancas Lighthouse, Hearst Castle, and slow-going through Hwy-1 we reach Santa Barbara by the afternoon, overnight there.
Day 5.- All the day spent in LA, only time for some spots (Santa Monica, Hollywood).
Day 6.- We leave LA driving southwards, maybe we should stop by Laguna Beach, and continue to San Diego, where we pass most of the day, sleeping there.
Day 7.- On this day we plan to reach the Death Valley by the afternoon, we have 5h of drive, plus stops and meals, and anyway, I believe is not a good idea to visit the park at noon by late July. We have some hours for some spots, and we plan to camp there, arround Furnace Creek if possible. (I believe that Death Valley is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing, and specially during Perseids meteor shower by late July)
Day 8.- Going out of the national park, maybe with a time to visit another spot (Badwater), we head to route 66. We can go directly to Kingman (almost 4h), or take a little detour and hit route 66 via Hwy 95, instead of Hwy 93. In this case we can see Oatman, AZ. This will take us about +1h of drive to reach Kingman. Do you think is worth to see Oatman? Any other interesting place this way? Then, I'm not sure which point will be the best for overnight, but I think there are plenty of motels from Kingman to Flagstaff, and we could improvise (Wednesday night, hope we will find vacancy).
Day 9.- In this day we can visit either Meteor crater or Wutkapi/Sunset crater or both, depending where do we wake up. By the evening we should enter Grand Canyon Village, from Hwy89 and "Desert view drive" AZ-64.
Day 10.- Hike around the Grand Canyon. When finished, we take AZ-64 down and get on I-40 again to return to Las Vegas. We sleep halfway, around Kingman.
Day 11.- We have to drop in LV by noon. But we still have time to visit Hoover Dam on the way. We spend the next 3 nights in LV before flying back home.

Here is the map for the route

Just let me know any recommendations for our trip. Maybe we have a day with too many things to see or vice-versa.

Thaks a lot!

You can cover the ground in the time you have but I think you are underestimating the time you could spend in places and the driving times on any mapping program are wildly optimistic, you generally need to add at least 20% to those drive times and more when sightseeing.

Day 2 for instance, you want to cover 250 miles and see Bodie and "see most of the spots of Yosemite". Bodie could easily take up half a day and is on an unpaved road for a few miles, which in actual fact could breach the terms of your rental. You could then quite easily spend 3 or 4 hours sight seeing over the Tioga pass into Yosemite and then you still have the Valley floor, Glacier point and the Giant Sequoia's to visit to see just a few of the spots.

The rest of your trip is going to be very busy as well and you probably won't have as much free time as you might think, but if you are happy keeping on the move and getting an overview of these places it should work out. Personally I think you would have more fun cutting back a little [like in your earlier map] and enjoy the place you visit.

I'm very much in agreement with Dave, and I think you've overestimated the difference in extra miles you'll be able to cover by taking a van rather than an RV.

Your "Day 2" stands out as really being the most impossible day of your bunch, but you've got a lot of days where you'll have to hit everything just right for your plan to work. It seems like you've added a lot of extra time in LA/San Diego that you hadn't included before, really without dropping anything else, so you've gone from a very comfortable pace to a pretty frantic one.

I agree with you, I was pretty sure that it was too much.

Concerning "Day 2", now I think that a better option would be to camp around Yosemite Village. If we cannot see the spots around, we leave some of them for the next day. Then we visit Mariposa Groove on day 3, and head to Monterrey by the afternoon. By the end of day 4 we would reach Santa Barbara if we sacrifice some spots around Hwy 1.

On the other hand, If we make a major sacrifice, we can enjoy a more comfortable trip, as you suggest. Now I'm thinking about 3 possible sacrifices, each one of them saves us a complete day (from the previous planning).
- Sacrifice nº1: South Lake Tahoe, Bodie, and Yosemite spots around Tioga pass. This way we would enter Yosemite directly from SF.
- Sacrifice nº2: Pacific coast from LA to San Diego, and the night stay on San Diego. This way we would head to Death Valley from LA.
- Sacrifice nº3: Miss the Death Valley. (Which is a drive away from some other spots)

What you guys think about it? What would you personally recommend?

Thanks again

Of course the wonder of the road trip is the freedom to make your own choices and visit those places that appeal to you as an individual.

As you ask my personal choice would be to "sacrifice" Tahoe, Bodie, [maybe still possible?] LA and San Diego. Instead I would head form SF down the coast to the Morro bay area and then head inland to Yosemite [Possibly Sequoia NP first] over the Tioga pass and through Death valley and to the Grand canyon and back to Vegas.

I am not a City person but love San Fran and Vegas, well you just have too ! The rest is some of the most amazing and diverse scenery to be found anywhere.

I'm really thankful about your great advice Dave, and Michael's too.

All the route from SF to LV is still provisional.

I think that without San Diego, we could spend the day between Yosemite and the pacific coast. I know that LA is maybe not a very atractive city, but it's maybe worth a glance... just one day for some spots.
Then from LA we are closer to Death Valley. I think this way we cut miles and gain 24h for the first time of the trip, which was too ambitious.

Thanks again for opening my eyes!

Now we have decided to drop San Diego, and have more time for Yosemite and the pacific coast between Monterey and LA.

But we are facing a new problem.... on day 2

Day 2.- From South Lake Tahoe we can easily reach Hwy 395 and head south to Yosemite. Halfway, we visit Bodie (2h from Tahoe), and then enter the park through Tioga Pass. From this point we can see most of the spots of Yosemite and enjoy a beautiful drive from East to West (Tolummne meadows, views from Olmsted Point), and then head to the Yosemite Village area to see the "must see spots".

We planned to sleep around Yosemite Village, but unfortunately, there is no camping availability for that date (Thu night). Yosemite has 13 campings, 5 of them arround Yosemite village. Out of the 13 campings, 6 are "comulsory reservation" and they are full probably from the very moment they were available. The other 7, are "first come first served", but they announce that they get full really quick in summer. So even rushing from tahoe, skipping Bodie or other spots, we cant be sure of having place in one of them. (And I would really regret to miss Bodie).

We are probably facing the end of the afternoon around Yosemite Village... but... what would you recomend for us? is really that impossible to camp around yosemite village w/o reservation? I assume that that's it. Do you know any other facility which could let us visit mariposa groove by the next morning?
We can try and see if we get a "first come first served site", but I doubt we are able do it. Even try to get a place from a cancelled trip... but is very risky.

Again, what would you do in my place.
Thanks a lot.

You could have problems all around the Yosemite area but the best you can do is google for campsites around places like Fishcamp, Wawona and Mariposa all close to the South entrance, a little further afield is Oakhurst where we have stayed at this place before.

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Again, what would you do in my place.

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As earlier, I still think you are biting off more than you can chew on day 2, but in your place I would book somewhere as close as I could to the park, and forfeit it if I could get a first come first served site in Yosemite.

Ideally, I would be thinking of camping around Mono lake or on the Tioga pass [if available] and then spending the day going into, and exploring Yosemite before staying just out the other side and continuing next day, but if you haven't the time you haven't the time.

We've been lucky this time and I've been able to book the last tent site on Dry Gulch camp (30 mins away from yosemite village)

I think you are right about day 2. So that's what we should do:
- Day 2: From Tahoe -> Bodie -> Spots around tioga pass -> Some spots around Yosemite Village (if time enough).
- Day 3: From Dry Gulch camp (on CA-40) we have to pass around Yosemite village again get the CA-41 and head south to mariposa groove. We'll have time on day 3, to finish with spots around yosemite village. After Mariposa groove, we head to Monterey, where we pass the night.

thanks again!

I am pleased to hear that you have found somewhere for the night !

Try and find the time to head up the Glacier point Rd between the Valley and Mariposa grove. You will need 2 or 3 hours but it is one of the loveliest views you are likely to see.

I sure hope you will drop in after your trip and share your highlights and thoughts with us !

We definitely have to go up to Glacier point!

Just a couple of questions (surely wont be the last ones):

- From Death Valley, we are heading to Arizona and Grand Canyon. We have to pass close Las Vegas, and from here we have to take either Hwy-93 to Kingman, or Hwy-95 to hit old route 66. In case we take Hwy-95 we'll see Oatman, AZ, but it adds 1+ hour of driving to reach Kingman in the end. Do you think the detour is worth?

- We plan to visit Hearst castle by the afternoon, and then sleep somewhere in the area (southwards). What would you recommend: Cambria, Morro bay, san luis obispo?

Thanks! and be sure I'll be posting all the experience once we get back (by mid-Aug)

The detour to Oatman is very worth it, but it's going to be more than just one hour.

If you do not want to go through Las Vegas, the best way to go from Death Valley is this:

Take CA-127 south to Baker. Take I-15 north to Nipton Rd. This becomes NV-164, take it to Searchlight. Take US-95 south to NV-163 and take that through Laughlin. Cross the river and continue straight on Bullhead Pkwy. It will end at AZ-95, turn left. Go exactly 6.3 miles and turn left on Boundary Cone Rd (County 153) and follow the signs into Oatman. Plan on spending at least an hour walking around town. Leave town going north and go over Sitgreaves Pass and follow the signs to Kingman.

I'm not familiar with RV parks on CA-1, sorry.

Just thought of something - most rental RV companies do not permit them to be driven in Death Valley in the summer.

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Originally Posted by glc

I'm not familiar with RV parks on CA-1, sorry.

Just thought of something - most rental RV companies do not permit them to be driven in Death Valley in the summer.

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This is no longer applicable glc, the OP has opted out from travelling by RV.

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- We plan to visit Hearst castle by the afternoon, and then sleep somewhere in the area (southwards). What would you recommend: Cambria, Morro bay, san luis obispo?

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If you are camping this night the State parks like this one at San Simeon could be handy, if they are not already booked up. I can't help with any first hand experience of places in this area.

If you are looking for a hotel, Cambria and Cayucos are going to be pricey. San Simeon, Morro Bay, and SLO have some reasonably priced hotels.

Splatino, saludos desde Colombia.
Necesito tu ayuda!!! Es mi primera vez en un RV y tu estas planeando hacer un recorrido similar.
Te escribí un email, no se si lo recibiste.
Saludos y espero que podamos compartir información del viaje.
Jose