VEGAS to SEQUOIA on onwards

[markUK]

Hi

I've read most of the posts covering this topic but I would appriciate more advice.

I'm heading to CA for a road trip in JULY starting in LA and ending in SF. I've planned most of it but I'm having trouble deciding on one bit.

From LV in want to go to Sequoia (1 night stop) then Yosemite (1 night stop) then on to SF.

Does anyone have any suggestions for the best route to take from LV to Sequoia - I'll be doing it in one day but I've got someone to share the driving.

All the maps websites suggest through Barstow and Bakersfield etc but that looks like it's all motorway (as we call it here) and could be a bit dull. Please correct me if i'm wrong.

While i'm asking what's any suggestions for routes from Sequoia to Yosemite??

THANKS

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

I've read most of the posts covering this topic but I would appriciate more advice.

Be sure to always look at the bottom of any thread page you are viewing. We have listed those threads that are most similar to the thread being discussed at the moment and these "similar" threads can often lead to other information (that can be sometimes hard to find).

I'm heading to CA for a road trip in JULY starting in LA and ending in SF. I've planned most of it but I'm having trouble deciding on one bit. From LV in want to go to Sequoia (1 night stop) then Yosemite (1 night stop) then on to SF. Does anyone have any suggestions for the best route to take from LV to Sequoia

Unfortunately there is no direct route from Las Vegas to Sequoia NP (there are some SERIOUS mountains in the way). You could hike a more-or-less direct route, but that would require a year or two of effort. ACTUALLY, there is a more direct motoring route. it is the Kennedy Meadows Road (CA-J41) but I don't think it is open quite yet. OK. What I would do is this: Las Vegas to Pahrump via NV-160 and then take State Line Road (north of Town) to Death Valley Junction and then CA-190 through Death Valley NP (tarry as long as you can in my most favorite national park). Then follow CA-190 over the pass into teh Panamint Valley and go south on the Trona-Wildrose Road (route 178)

Just past the IMC Chemical plant take the dirt road to the Trona Pinnacles National Monument. Very odd and alien-like formations.
After that little diversion, if you have time and want to see some still partially alive ghost towns continue south on Trona Road to Johannesburg and Randsburg. This would be a bit of a detour and given how far you want to go on one day -- I would suggest that from Trona you continue on west on Route 178 through Ridgecrest zag south on CA-14 and follow CA-178 up into the foothills that follow the South fork of the Kern River. Very nice views. Continue past the town of Lake Isabella and then follow the main Kern river down the mountain (you do like mountain driving?). Eventually reaching Bakersfield, where I suggest you jump on CA-65 and make some tracks for a little while north. When you reach Porterville, pick up the extension of CA-190 (remember it from Death Valley?) and head east past Lake Success and up the Tule River gorge to Sequoia. If you don't want to take the time to see this southern section of the park stay on CA-65 until you reach CA-198 and follow it into the main section of the park. The main drag, so to speak, is route 180 which you can follow all the way up to Kings Canyon NP and the Sequoia National Monument area.

While i'm asking what's any suggestions for routes from Sequoia to Yosemite??

Since you don't want to short-change your time in Yosemite. I would suggest following CA-180 back west to Fresno and then go north on CA-41 past Coarsegold and Oakhurst and into the park at Wawona. After you leave Yosemite -- follow CA-120 west to the I-5 at Modesto and then west on I-205 to the San Francisco bay area.

Hope this helps!

Mark

[markUK]

Thanks very much for the advice - now I've got a few more questions:-

The Kennedy Meadows Road you mentioned - how do you get to it (can't find it on my map) I won't be doing this part of the route until Jul 20TH do you think it'll be open. If so what's the driving like?

The route you've suggested sounds great - I really want to see Death Valley but thought it might take too long to do that route in one day. How long do you think your route would take - is it reallistic to do it in one day or am I going to be driving for 12 HOURS?

Your route from Sequoia to Yosemite sounds good to - i'll be doing that one.

Lastly, The drive around Lake Isabella - I don't mind mountain driving but how hard going is it?

Thanks again for the advice. I've never been to the west coast before and it's all very well looking at a map but the advice of someone that has driven the roads themselves really helps.

Mark

[Mark Sedenquist]

The Kennedy Meadows Road you mentioned - how do you get to it (can't find it on my map) I won't be doing this part of the route until Jul 20TH do you think it'll be open. If so what's the driving like?

It might be open -- most of the route is paved -- lots of tight, hairpin curves and steep cliffs -- in short -- Mountain Driving at its finest! This link goes to a very good page used by motorcyclists and provides access information.

There is a brand new book -- Backroads of Southern California that has an extensive field report about this route. The author refers to this as "The Last Road Across the Kern Plateau" and it is excellent. To access this route from the east -- use Nine Mile Canyon road (off US-395) about 155 miles north of Los Angeles. What is cool about this route -- beyond the stunning Sierra Nevada views -- is that one can see many of the giant sequoia tree groves after you cross Sherman Pass.

The route you've suggested sounds great - I really want to see Death Valley but thought it might take too long to do that route in one day. How long do you think your route would take - is it reallistic to do it in one day or am I going to be driving for 12 HOURS?

If you follow the entire route from Las Vegas to Sequoia in one day (and stop a couple of times for photos and to look around) it will easily take 12-13 hours. You can shorten that considerably by bypassing Randsburg and Lake Isabella

Lastly, The drive around Lake Isabella - I don't mind mountain driving but how hard going is it?

Pretty easy -- good roads and well-traveled by hundreds of people. By contrast the road over Kennedy Meadows is much more technical.

Mark