From San Fran to LA

[jude]

Your trip kind of has a lot of loops and spots where you'd be back tracking, or driving right by one place, and then going back to it at a later date. For example, it would make a lot more sense to try and fit in Bryce and Zion before you go to SLC instead of backtracking there from the Grand Canyon.

The only reason is to get our skiing in at the first part of the holiday - hubby's request, not my choice !!
[PHP]

Your nights at the Grand Canyon, staying in Flagstaff and Williams are kind of far out from the park, and are in the wrong direction from where you are coming from/going to.

Coming to Flagstaff from Cortez - won't go into the Grand Canyon until the next day when we then head to the campground at Williams for the next two nights- it is apparently only an hour out.

[Midwest Michael]

The only reason is to get our skiing in at the first part of the holiday - hubby's request, not my choice !!

Stopping to see places like Bryce and Zion when you are driving by them the first time would push back skiing by maybe 2 days, but would save you a full days worth of extra driving trying to loop back to those places later. Its your trip, but to me, I'd much rather have that extra day to explore, ski, or even just relax than to backtrack.

Coming to Flagstaff from Cortez - won't go into the Grand Canyon until the next day when we then head to the campground at Williams for the next two nights- it is apparently only an hour out.

What I'm saying is that coming from Cortez, you'll be starting your day North of the Grand Canyon and seeing things like Monument Valley which are also North of the Canyon, but you are going to finish your day 1.5 hours south in Flagstaff. That's just a lot of extra driving and I can't quite figure out what for. If anything, I'd be looking to stay around Kayenta so you can spend more time around Monument Valley and not needlessly be driving back and forth, especially when you're already looking at back tracking through this area yet again when you head from Williams back north to Zion. How you've got things laid out right now, you will travel the roads between Flagstaff/Williams and the Grand Canyon area at least 6 separate times! Is only 1-2 hours of driving each, but thats going to add up really quickly.

[PNW Judy]

And you need to add the time to get into the parks. Driving congestion, trying to find a parking place, etc. add up, too. So any time you can save on the road itself, will be appreciated in the end. And staying at campgrounds within the national parks usually put you in more beautiful settings, too.

You will want to get a National Parks Pass. It will save you money with all the parks you are visiting.

Out of curiousity, I plugged your route into GoogleMaps. Here it is. Then I redid your route to make it more efficient (but still visually stupendous). The new route saves you 347 miles. To be fair, over five weeks, that 347 miles isn't going to matter a lot. But it does give you an extra day someplace to lay-over and relax from the road. You all might need a day for that. Even if you do nothing but spend an extra day at a campground someplace and let the kids play in the pool while you and your husband take turns napping.

I did leave out the coastal drive but, since that part of your route probably wouldn't change, it doesn't impact the miles saved, although your totals miles for each route would be more.

[jude]

Thanks, PNW Judy, you are a marvel! In fact your alternate route is exactly what our Plan A was until hubby insisted that we get straight to the snow and do that first. To be honest, we are quite used to long drives as a trip to the snow here means either 6 or 9 hours for us anyway, so our boys are quite seasoned travellers, and we enjoy time in the car together. It's all about the journey, not the destination, so while the backtracking looks a little less efficient, up till day 21 the route probably won't change now.
Was wondering though, whether to go to SF via Kings Canyon and Sequioa NP, or whether we will have NP Overload by then. I remember Yosemite as the most stunning place on earth, and don't want to waste travel time in KC or Seq if it will seem much the same as the others.
Are there plenty of gas stops on the interstates? We tend to have Service Stations with cafes, petrol and toilets along most major freeways.
Apprecatie your time and expertise.

[Southwest Dave]

N.P overload, surely not possible Lol!

From Bryce to San Fran [although if it's not booked I would go to Bryce first, then Zion] you could go to Vegas for a night and cross the fantastic Death valley and it's awesome landscape. Stop around the Lake Isabella area and then head on to Porterville and Exeter where you can get on the 198 [generals highway] through Sequoia and the Giants forest where you can see the largest living thing on earth, the General Sherman tree and then stop on route to S/F. Kings canyon would require another day to do it comfortably.

You won't have problems with service stations but top up before heading into the parks.

[glc]

There will be plenty of gas stations at Interstate exits where there are towns. There will be 2 types - gas stations with convenience stores (think 7-11) and truck stops with restaurants. There will also be fast food (think McDonald's) and other standalone restaurants near the exits. Also, there will be rest areas every so often right on the highway - toilets, vending machines, and tourist information. Some have people at a desk to talk to, others will have brochure racks.

[jude]

What am I am LOVING is the reading everyone's plans and realising how many of us will be in the same places/NP's at the same time, yet unknowingly cross paths on our trips !!! Isn't the world a great place.

[jude]

The next question I have regards snow chains. As we will be skiing for a week in Utah it seems we may well need them ( or we may take the shuttle up to Alta as long as it is cost effective).
Does anyone know if you can hire them cheaply - here people can pick them up at a service station/garage, or if like us you have a 4WD they are not needed.However, our snow is a poor imitation of the real stuff so I know we will need them even though we will be renting a Chevy Trailblazer. Would it be cheaper just to buy them outright? I figure from my research that we need to have them on hand for Yosemite in April too.
Also, will anyone read this as it is in my original thread relating to San Fran to LA???!!

[Mark Sedenquist]

I carry a set of cable chains 365 days a year -- they don't take much room and they work very well for all but off-road conditions.

Also, will anyone read this as it is in my original thread relating to San Fran to LA???!!

What does this mean?

Mark

[jude]

. What does this mean?

Mark

Just that I wondered if snow-related questions would appear silly in a thread that was originally about the coast road !! Apologies for my lack of experience in web forums!! Thanks for the advice too. Will look at buying them in SLC.