road trip from Bryce Canyon to Yosemite across Nevada

[Joan Lomas]

can anyone advise on best route between Bryce Canyon in Utah to north entrance of Yosemite, driving across Nevada. Also, availability of gas, and one overnight stay enroute to, in June time.

[Mark Sedenquist]

North Entrance of Yosemite -- Do you mean Tioga Pass? If so, the opening of the pass is entirely dependent upon how much snow we get in the Spring. It usually is opened by the end of May, but there is no way to predict until the NPS makes their assessments in April. If it is open, it will be gorgeous!

The fastest route is via Las Vegas along I-15 and north on US-395. But you could also go there via US-95 and Lida Pass or through Death Valley.

[Robert Schaller]

My first thought was to go directly over the mountain on SR14 to Cedar City, then west from there through Caliente, Nevada, then Tonopah and finally to Tioga Pass via SR120 from Benton, California. I've driven most of these roads and found them to be beautiful, if a bit stark. It's not necessary to spend the night enroute, but you could I suppose -- the most likely candidate would be Tonopah. Gasoline will not be a problem, it's available at quite a few places along these routes (Cedar City, Caliente, Tonopah and Lee Vining, probably others too). Bob

[Mark Sedenquist]

If you do stay in Tonopah -- be sure to stay at the Jim Butler motel! Each room is decorated in its own style and there is a binder in each room with all kinds of local lore. Plus the inn keepers are incredibly knowledgable about the area. Plus, the room is clean, neat and quite fun.

Mark

I like this route. Hwy 14 or go to Panquitch and take Hwy 20 if time is a factor. I-15 south to Cedar City, Utah. Hwy 56 & Hwy 319 to Panaca, NV, Hwy 93 to Calienta & Crystal Springs and THEN Hwy 375 <a href = "http://www.roadtripamerica.com/drives/Extraterrestrial-Highway.htm">The Extraterrestrial Highway<a/> where you will find the "Little A'Le'Inn" in the little town of Rachel, NV (NO GAS in Rachel the last time we stopped!) At warm springs take Hwy 6 and then in Benson take Hwy 120 to Yosemite. From Bryce to Yosemite Valley is almost 600 miles and I would stop either in Tonopah, NV or Lee Vining, California. Everything in Lee Vining is EXPENSIVE!

http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2029/

http://www.americansouthwest.net/nevada/scenic_drives/nv375.html

Utahtea

[Robert Schaller]

I stopped at the Mobil Snack shop/gas station there a few weeks back (at the jct of SR120 and US395) -- they wanted something like $10 just for sandwiches! I said NUTS to that and ate peanut butter and jelly out of my ice chest! They also had the highest price for gasoline I have ever paid, anywhere (in the US anyway) -- I think it was $2.64 per gallon! Bob