help for an aussie

[mary99]

I envy all those of you with time....

I have only 2 days to get from Las vegas to SF.Late May (work trip)

I did an amazing trip a few years ago over the back of Yosemite (best road trip ever and i have done a lot..e.g. 20,000k around half of australia) BUT it will be closed.

I am a scenery buff....any suggestions...I accept long days driving.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Usually you would be right to assume that Tioga Pass through Yosemite would still be closed in Late May. However, there has been very little snow in the Sierra this year, so there is at least a chance that the pass could be open by then.

If its a route you would really like to do, then I would keep checking to see if the pass is actually closed as you approach your travel date.

Otherwise, I would be looking at either going straight over to the California coast and then up through Big Sur/Monterey, or Taking a trip through the desert to Lake Tahoe, and then across to SF.

[mary99]

will do a two dayer to get back to the plane in LA from SF and fully intend to go down the coast (not so rushed!)

I love the US desert (australian deserts are very different) .How long to go up the lake tahoe way...

where is the ideal overnight stop?
how many hours driving each day...must stop and see's???

[Midwest Michael]

I think you should be able to take a nice drive through Death Valley and then make it up to Tahoe for the night. It would be a pretty long day, but its feasable.

Then you could spend some time at Tahoe on day 2 before making the final easy push over to SF.

[mary99]

Will be in Las Vegas for a conference in mid May. We have 4 full days (one because of the long weekend) to get to San Francisco.We then go down the coast back to LA

I have been to death Valley before (was great) and was lucky enough another time to do Tioga Pass into yosemite (WOW!) but wonder if there is something different to see on this trip.

Is Zion NP feasible (or too far)? any other great National Parks ? Any Indian ruin NP....?? Big trees are good too!...
What is the impact of the long weekend (have to book in advance??)

[Mark Sedenquist]

Is Zion NP feasible (or too far)?

We consider Zion to be in our "backyard" and have done several day trips there -- but if you can, it is great to stay overnight and wake-up in that magnificent valley. Alternatively, I would stay overnight in St. George and make a point of driving the loop in time for sunset at Snow Canyon state park. Another place, nearby is the Tuachan Amphitheater -- nothing like seeing a live performance under the stars in a red rock canyon. (Oops, I just checked and the season is not open yet -- maybe next time?)

But you could go north on UT-18 and then west on UT-56 to NV-319 to US-93 and follow this route that I call "Old Nevada" before cutting west on US-6 to Tonopah (check out the mining musuem) and then over Sonora Pass (it if opens by then) (you have seen Tioga) and thence on to San Francisco!

Mark