kishkashta

Hi
Landing in Vegas mid April on Saturday morning, planing on driving to Yosemite through Death Valley.
Flying back from Vegas on Tuesday 4PM - total of 3.5 days.
Any suggestions on what to see, best scenic routes, hikes etc. I understand that Tioga pass will be closed. What is the best detour if I am planning on staying at the Curry village?
Thanks.

happytrailstoyou

Since Tioga Pass is closed, you don't have much choice in driving to Yosemite other than through Bakersfield and Fresno. That drive isn't scenic, and neither is the drive from Yosemite back to Las Vegas.

If you spend Monday night in Yosemite, you will have to get up really early to catch your 4PM plane out of Las Vegas.

HTtY

I presume you've been to Zion, Bryce and the Grand Canyon, which are much more doable in 3.5 days. In my experience, Death Valley and Zion together make a wonderful 3.5-day experience--they are two amazing but very different places (and you won't spend 15+ hours behind the wheel getting from Death Valley to Yosemite and then from Yosemite back to Las Vegas).

janisj

That drive will be deadly boring and looooong -- both ways. A minimum of 9 hours w/o any stops -- so w/ time in Death Valley and rest/food/gas, the drive to YNP will easily take 13+ hours. Then back again in about 10 hours w/ a rest stop or two . . . Vegas is definitely NOT a good base for visiting Yosemite, most especially at this time of year.

I would either 1) change your flights and fly in/out of SFO or Oakland or Sacramento or San jose instead of Vegas . . . or 2) keep you flights in/out of LV but then fly to Fresno . . . or 3) Cancel Yosemite and do Zion/Bryce instead.

tomfuller

Allegiant airline flies from Las Vegas to/from Fresno on Thursdays, Fridays Sundays and Monday in April. The flights take about 1:15 each way and are under $60 pp. I'd much rathere fly it than drive it via Barstow and Bakersfield.

janisj

Well, in that case Allegiant won't work for you Apparently they don't fly the route on on Saturdays or Tuesdays so you'd only have part of Sunday and almost no time on Monday in Yosemite . . .

Therefore -- back to my option 1 or option 3 . . .

boom_boom

Been there and done that and was sorry I did. From LV to Death Valley via Parhump is a nice drive an Zion from LV via St. George is nice.
From Death Valley to Yosemite when Tioga Pass is closed is one of te most boring drives in California. Either out of Death Valley via Baker, Barstow, Bakersfield and Fresno ot out of the Park via 190 to Panamint Valley to Ridegecrest to Bakersfield to Fresno.

janisj

I sure hope the OP gets back to the thread. If the flights are set in stone he has some serious re-thinking to do . . .