short scenic drive to Irvine, CA

I live in Nashville and have always wanted to drive in the west. I love scenic drives on back roads. I have a convention in San Diego coming up next week and I thought about flying to a city out west a couple days early and then taking my time driving down. I don't have time to stop and see much just looking for a pretty drive. Right now I am considering flying into Reno and working my way down to Irvine to see some friends prior to heading to San Diego. Probably could take 2 days to make it happen. Any quick suggestions???

If you've got 2 days to do it, you could almost do the entire route without getting on a major highway. It depends what you want to see, and how many hours you want to drive a day. I'll try and post a more detailed route when i have time.

Thanks for the reply. I have nothing specific I want to see. I just love to drive and would enjoy a scenic one. The entire route without a major highway would be fantastic. 8 hours a day would be ideal. Thanks!

I'm curious what LA Native will recommend -- US395 maybe?

I would use US395 with stops at Virginia City NV, Manzanar, and Death Valley -- and lots of other places that caught my eye, like some hot springs -- I KNOW there's some along this road somewhere! Then I'd go CA 2 across the mountains north of LA (very twisty road, slow going I'll bet), then south through the city to Irvine maybe using CA 19 (from East Pasadena), CA 72 (through Whittier) and CA 39.

This supposedly is about a ten hour drive, total, not counting stops. Bob

Ok, wrote a long post but lost it, I'll try and summarize. 2 days might not be enough, I spent 16 hours driving from the Bay Area to LA without taking a major freeway, and that was straight driving, almost no stops. So I think you'd have to take a few freeways to get there in two days. I'm more partial to the coast or mountains, rather than desert, but there are some nice desert roads. I'll just name a few roads that I can remmeber right now.

Coming down, you cut across 108 across the Sonora Pass. Great mountain road with great scenery. This is an alternative to the 120 through yosemite which might be closed or crowded. 395 isn't bad, but definitely more travelled and faster. If you come down 395 make a stop at Bodie and Mono Lake, well worth a visit.

Going further south you could pass through sequoia/kings canyon roads, I can't remember exactly which roads to take, but a map should take you there. On the south side of sequoia there is a road, I think it's the 107, but I can't remeber exactly which one I was on. this will lead to lake isabella, down the 483, to intersect wtih sherman pass/breckenridge road. From here you'd have to cut down through the 14 (although there are smaller roads that would get you through here too, but I can't remember exactly which ones) and hit the Angeles Crest. I'd take it east to the intersection of the 15. Head down the 15 into traffic, but instead of coming into Irvine through the 5 or 91, take the back way in by coming down the 15, cut across a short section of Route 66, then come down one of the larger streets down through the Anaheim hills. There is a road that will intersect with Santiago canyon and take that all the way down to south irvine.

There are a lot of gaps in this route that I would need a map to fill in, but it will give you a general direction. I think doing this route would take at least 2 days, so you might have to skip some parts. Anyway, here are a couple of links to give you an idea

http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/Highway108.htm
http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/AngelsCrest.htm
http://www.pashnit.com/roads/cal/Highway190.htm

I don't ride motorcycles, but those guys always have the best road pages. I apologize if there are any errors, I didn't double check the route. What I normally do is just start heading in a general direction, then keep going until I feel like turning. You'll eventually find ways of getting to where you're going. As long as you have plenty of time, getting lost is a lot of fun.

Thanks! This is a huge help. I will have 2 full days so I won't mind if it takes a little longer. . . I'm looking forward to it. Sounds like some great scenery.

Thanks, again.

these posts have been so helpful. I am really looking forward to this trip. I am working my way to Bakersfield where I am going to take 58 east over to 15 and then down to CA 2 in to Los Angeles. I'm a little bit torn between whether I should take 395 from Reno all the way down to to 58 in Mojave or take 108 across the Senora Pass to 49/41 to the south of Yosemite into Fresno then take 180 through the western tip of Sequoia into Visalia catch the 99 from there into Bakersfield then hit 58 east and catch the 15.

Do you think the latter route is going to take a really long time??? I would like to see the parks and I'm afraid 395 won't allow that. I guess my question is, am I missing a lot of scenery by just going 395 the whole way. Because if I'm not, then I would prefer 395.

BTW, I can't believe this website and forum. It is really is incredible.

Bill,

First of all, I never tire of driving US-395. If you are interested in hot springs en route consider the <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/lat/981011.htm">Whitman Tubs<a/> near Convict Lake.

The route over Sonora Pass is beautiful any time of the year, but your indicated route would be nigh impossible to do in one day -- I doubt it could be done in less than 18 hours of on the road time (not all driving, but still on the road). However, since you have two days to do it, a night in Murphys and then an exploration of the <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drives/ca49.htm">Gold Rush Trail<a/> would be a fun two-day trip.

Mark

You won't miss any scenery, it's always outside your window. It just depends on what you prefer. Like I said, I'm more partial to mountains and coastal areas, but a lot of people prefer the desert. I would definitely classify the 108 as mountain scenery, windy road, very green, and different around every turn. The 395 is more straight forward, more flat, but beautiful in a different way, and a LOT quicker. You're driving between mountains, as opposed to the 108 where you're actually driving IN the mountains. I have pictures from driving on both of them, I just havne't had time to post them up, but I'm sure you can find a lot of pictures on the web. But like I said, it depends on what you like.

Going the 395 is probably the quickest way down, you can make it down in one day. The other route is definitely much longer, more roundabout, and IMO, more fun. the 49 is really interesting, you feel like you've stepped back in time 100 years when going through some of those small towns. Somewhere in Calaveras county they have a recreation of Mark Twains cabin, I probably couldn't find it again because I was lost when I found it. They also have a lot of caves around the area. But it will be a lot slower because in some places it's more of a street than a highway. And if you go through bakersfied, it's a little out of the way to cut all the way across the 58 to the 15. You could save a lot of time by keep going down the 99 all the way down to the 5.

Bill,

Since you are flying into Reno -- might I suggest a visit to Virginia City? It is a totally cool town -- yes, it is touristy, but still one of our <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/people/vcbeards.htm">favorite places<a/> to grab a tall one and listen to the yarns spun by the locals.

For that matter, the state capital -- Carson City has to be seen to be believed.

Mono Lake (at Lee Vining) is worth checking out -- the Tufa is very other worldly. Mammoth Lakes is a fun place to stop over-night.

When you get to Bishop -- if you like jerky at all -- YOU MUST STOP at Mahogany Meats and don't forget the unbelievable fresh bread available at Schat's Bakery.

When you get to Lone Pine -- veer to the right (sorta) and take the Whitney Portal Road to the road's end/campground. Just make sure you got good brakes -- the road climbs from ~ 3733 at US-395 to ~8,000 feet (actually I can't remember how tall it is ) but it is steep!

Farther south, near Little Lake is the Fossil Falls recreation site -- very cool lava tubes.

...and so it goes

Very cool. I am going to check all of this out. Thanks!

I made this trip last year in the other direction.
Go into Alabama Hills just West of Lone Pine. It leads up to the access to Mt Whitney. Mt Whitney is the highest point in lower 48 states. On the way up stop and read the plaque dedicated to all the gteat "B" cowboy stars that made countless movies here,aslo movie "Gunga Din". I think Roy Rogers made the presentation. Back in Lone Pine there is an old motel with cowboy actors carved their in the walls, including the greatone - John Wayne.

I have not visited Bodie Ca just North of MonoLake. Represented to be the largest.

So much to see.I envy you.

J Graham

Bodie is a ghost town. I'm a terrible typist
J Graham

Bodie, may not be the "largest" ghost town -- but it is one of the best preserved. It also has the absolute worst washboard you will ever find on the drive in. I am a firm believer in the notion that no speed is too fast when it comes to driving on washboard (anthing to get over that axle-pounding) -- Bodie is CERTAINLY worth a stop. It is also very cool in the winter when the washboard is covered in ice...

One of our road trip friends is now doing tours to Bodie, for more infomation check out <a href = "http://www.terrishistorictours.com/">Terri Geissinger's<a/> site.

Excellent catch on the Alabama Hills drive -- it really looks like just about every Western movie you have ever seen was shot there!

Mark

The road to bodie isn't that bad. Any passenger car can do it. They must've graded it recently, because I didn't even think much about it. I was there about this time last year, very nice weather, but i heard it can get really bad when it snows (4wd w/chains required). Mono lake is also worth a visit, and not that far off the 395.

True, they grade it at least once every season. Glad to know that it was smooth for you. Passenger cars are fine -- but in my experience, it has been remarkably washboard rough every time I have been there. I would actually choose the 4-WD road in to avoid that graded washboard.

I cannot tell you how helpful this forum was. I left Reno bright and early Sunday morning. . went over to Lake Tahoe and had breakfast and then headed to 395S into Bodie. Bodie was absolutely the favorite part of my trip. I spent 2 hours there and could have spent the whole day. It was incredible. I got back on 395 and headed to Mono Lake. . Very cool place. On my way to Bishop I passed 120 and Tioga Pass. . . I couldn't pass it up. This completely took me off my planned route but I had to drive it. I've not seen a lot but Yosemite was absolutely the prettiest thing I've ever seen. The drive was gorgeous the problem was it dumped me out in the middle of the state. Cotton fields and Olive trees for 3 hours. I decided to head to the coast and spent the night in King City. Early Monday morning I headed to Monterey, had breakfast in Big Sur and then drove PCH all the way to Santa Barbara.

1000 miles and 26 hours later I had seen a ton of California. It was gorgeous. I will be back and will stay with the desert drive next time.

Thanks for all the help.

Bill,

1000 miles in 26 hours -- very impressive! Sounds like another perfect road trip experience. Thanks for touching base with us.

The next time you visit the western slope of the Sierras -- you really need to drive the <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drives/ca49.htm">Gold Rush Trail<a/> (you can still see those cotton fields -- but from afar and there is still plenty of gold in them fer hills.

When you get home... we would love to have road trip field trip from the Tennessee hill country. Also, one of our favorite hunting areas for <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/signs/signs.htm">Funny Road Signs!<a/> Although, we haven't published one yet from Nashville -- maybe you can find us one!

Thanks again,

Mark

How was the road into Bodie this time of year? I was talking to my friend about it, he also mentioned how bad of a washboard road it was. I must've gotten really lucky last time and come right after they graded it, it was pretty smooth the whole way in. It was also relatively busy too, with the parking lots almost full.

Did you walk around Mono lake? And see the carpet of flies on the shore?