vegas to yosemite best route mid october

[imported_john]

Three Aussies travelling from san diego to grand canyon, lake powell, bryce canyon and las vegas mid october then onto yosemite and san francisco over approx 7-8 nights. Want some advice as to where to stay at reasonable cost, which is best route to go and what are sights we should not miss. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance John

You asking a lot of 7 or 8 days because you will be covering over 1700 miles. You looking at least 32 hours of just driving and the days will be a little shorter because Mid-October is our fall season

San Diego to Grand Canyon is 550 miles which will eat up most of a day of driving. Grand Canyon to Lake Powell is 145 miles and about 3 hours of driving. Lake Powell to Bryce via Hwy 89 is 150 miles and another 3 hours of driving. Bryce to Las Vegas is 260 miles and about 4 or 5 hours of driving and I highly recommend driving though Zion National Park on Hwy 9 on your way between Bryce and Las Vegas.


The shortest and most scenic route from Las Vegas to Yosemite would be Hwy 95 to Tonopah, NV. Then Hwy 6 to Benton, CA and then Hwy 120 into Yosemite. BEFORE YOU LEAVE LAS VEGAS MAKE SURE THAT HWY 120 (TIOGA PASS) IS OPEN! Hwy 120 closes after the first big snow of the year and that can happen in mid-October so PLEASE CHECK!

If Tioga Pass is closed, then take I-15 to Barstow. Hwy 58 to Bakersfield, Hwy 99 to Fresno and Hwy 41 into Yosemite. This is about 75 miles farther and not as scenic.