mike_nz

Hello! My wife and I are taking a 3-week road trip next April (2017) and we're looking for advice with regards to planning the part of our trip which is our route from Yosemite to Death Valley. We realise the Tioga Pass will be closed so we're evaluating our options. Do we:

1. Go south through Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Ridgecrest to Death Valley
2. Go north via the 88 or 50, cross over the Sierra Nevada range and come down the 395 to pick up the 190 to Death Valley

We're flying into Fresno from New Zealand, picking up a rental car (SUV) and overnighting in Fresno before driving up to Yosemite Valley for 3 nights (accommodation is booked). Our next firm accom booking is at Zion with 3 nights un-allocated in between. The tentative plan for those 3 nights is to have:

1. a night between Yosemite & Death Valley,
2. a night in Death Valley (possibly at Stovepipe Wells), and
3. a night between Death Valley and Zion (possibly near Hoover Dam). We have no desire to visit or stay in Las Vegas - it's not a city trip for us.

From what we've gleaned from the various forums, the south route isn't pretty, but it will be shorter. If we have a preference for scenery, would it be worth the extra time taking the route north? We're not familiar with driving in snow/ice - is this likely to be an issue in April if we take the north-bound route across the Sierra Nevada range?

If we go south, we've seen advice to stay anywhere from Tulare to Bakersfield to Techachapi to Mojave. We had been thinking about visiting SEKI to see some sequoia trees (Mariposa Grove will still be closed) but realise this will be too much of a detour and possible road issues with weather in April.

If we go north, thinking Mammoth Lakes would be a good stop along the 395 to make for a shorter drive going to Death Valley (and therefore more sightseeing time) the following day.

Look forward to your feedback on our route options and best places to stay between Yosemite and Death Valley. Any insight to the drive between Death Valley and Zion is appreciated too - are we on the right track to skip Vegas and stay someplace near Hoover Dam?

So, what do you think?

tomfuller

Since you are flying into Fresno anyway, return the car and fly Allegiant (one flight nearly every day) to Las Vegas.
It's your choice whether you go to Death Valley or to Hoover Dam first with the car you rent in Las Vegas.
The Hoover Dam Lodge (former Hacienda) is about 3 miles from Hoover Dam.

Gardyloo

It's very likely all the routes over the Sierras will be snowy, and the car hire companies don't want you to use snow chains, so I wouldn't give that option too much consideration. I should also mention that the red rock national parks in Utah tend to be at high elevation, so wintry conditions can't be ruled out there either.

Yes, the south route to Death Valley around the bottom of the Sierras, is tedious and not especially scenic. It's certainly doable with one overnight, but I had another (maybe daft) idea to suggest...

April is gorgeous in the gold rush country of the Sierra foothills (site of the 1849 gold rush that put California on the map.) There are wildflowers, a number of marvelous historic towns, rushing streams, orchards in bloom... good stuff. It's also an up-and-coming wine area.

Since the Mariposa Grove will still be closed, and yes, detouring to Sequoia NP is a schlep, what about this? Leave Yosemite and go out to California Hwy 49, which is the main gold rush route. Travel north to Calif. Hwy 4 (which eventually goes over the Sierras, but not advisable in April) and drive up CA 4 through the picturesque town of Murphys to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Along the way stop at the "museum" town of Columbia, the best preserved of the gold rush towns.

The sequoias at Calaveras Big Trees are the equal to those in the Mariposa Grove and/or Sequoia NP, but far more accessible and easily included in day's drive from Yosemite.

What I'd then do is drop the car at <i>Sacramento</i> airport and fly to Las Vegas. In April you'll likely pay $100 or so for the flight.

Pick up a new car in LV and then travel to Death Valley and onward. Yes, it's doubling back a bit, but I think you'd find the "gold rush" option terrific, assuming it's scenery and variety you're looking for in this trip. Hwy 49 is a joy to drive.

So that would turn the timetable into something like this:

- Yosemite 3 nights
- Sacramento or LV area 1 night (this takes the place of the night you allocated to Bakersfield or some such)
- Death Valley 1 night
- Hoover Dam area 1 night.*
- Zion

*The drive from Death Valley (I've used Furnace Creek but could also be Stovepipe Wells) to Zion is around 5 hours. I'd frankly be tempted to spend 2 nights in Death Valley rather than one there and another in suburban LV. Death Valley has a lot to see and do, and one day wouldn't really give you time to see it.

Maps -
Yosemite to Sacramento - https://goo.gl/maps/XvPsLFqtpTG2
LV to Zion via Death Valley - https://goo.gl/maps/UMgYxsb7V142

Anyway, just a thought.

janisj

>>What I'd then do is drop the car at Sacramento airport and fly to Las Vegas. In April you'll likely pay $100 or so for the flight. <<

Big Ditto. That is the only way I'd do this itinerary at that time of year. Otherwise it is a looooong, boring, butt ugly schlep around via Bakersfield.

And flights to Vegas are often even less than $100.

mike_nz

Thanks for the replies so far - Calaveras is an interesting consideration if we head through to Sacremento. So far though, I can only find Southwest Airlines with non-stop flights from Sacremento to Las Vegas at around $150 USD pp. Are there any other operators from SMF that offer direct flights?

Flights out of Fresno look to be at around $100 USD (including bags) with Allegiance.

Definitely food for thought...

MichelleY

You may be running into Easter fares? Southwest is usually the lowest plus no baggage fee.

janisj

Yes - the fares are very date dependent. Southwest is the best on that route.

Allegiant charges for more than just luggage. They charge for everything including $8 or $10 just to book and use a credit card, seat assignments, baggage, soft drinks . . . if you check in at the airport they charge you.

mike_nz

Yep, Easter looks to be the reason for higher fares. It may just add too much on to the expenses but we'll take a look at it. Fresno flights could still be an option.

If we had to bite the bullet and drive what's our best option?

Seems like 2x nights in DV with a day-drive across to Zion might be the better option. Are there any particular areas of interest that we'd miss out on doing that drive in a single run?

Gardyloo

From SMF I can see JetBlue with a brief stop in Long Beach for $103 most days in April. No, it's not nonstop but still way, way faster than driving. Even if you were to return to Fresno the drive from Calaveras Big Trees would only take an hour more than driving to SMF (albeit a seriously boring drive.) For that matter, driving from Calaveras to Oakland would take about the same amount of time, and flights from OAK to LAS are $60 on JetBlue via LGB.

But questions: Where are you going after Zion? Where are you dropping the car? Have you got some killer rate for a one-way hire? Generally one-way car rentals are very expensive when booked from the US, but overseas visitors often have access to discount services that reduce or eliminate the drop fees. But you might find that dropping the first vehicle within California could make the whole exercise cheaper.

<i>If we had to bite the bullet and drive what's our best option?</i>

I'd probably want to get over Tehachapi Pass, so Mojave or Ridgecrest would be okay stopping points. Or you could play it by ear and take scenic CA 178 along the Kern River and stay somewhere near Bodfish or Lake Isabella, although I have no idea what sorts of accommodation exist there. (I once locked the car keys inside the car in Bodfish and was amused and a trifle worried at how quickly the guy from the gas station managed to pop the lock. He had practice. The thought of being stranded in Bodfish gave me the creeps, frankly.)

<i>Seems like 2x nights in DV with a day-drive across to Zion might be the better option. Are there any particular areas of interest that we'd miss out on doing that drive in a single run?</i>

Not that I can think of. Your route and stopover options would be limited anyway. Are you staying in Zion or on the fringe?

For what it's worth, here's a fun website for road trippers: Don't miss the giant ant or fake ghost towns on your route - http://www.roadsideamerica.com/

mike_nz

Thanks @gardyloo. We're staying 2 nights in Zion before carrying on to Bryce, Moab, MV and GC. Finishing up with a detour to Meteor Crater before flying out from Phoenix. Park accom booked for Zion, Bryce and GC to maximise our time there. Lot of driving I know for 3 weeks, but we average at least 2 nights on each stop along the way.

As far as rentals go, the one-way hire rate for 18 days from FAT to PHX was only a little more than a return rental and way more convenient than finding days to get back across to FAT. Not quite as efficient in terms of cost if we pick up a new car in Vegas - but still mulling that one over.

I have to confess - working in airports means I usually try to avoid them on holidays unless the time savings far outweigh things like airport fees for rentals, check in time, security, baggage checks etc etc.

I'm sure Bodfish is lovely - though quite sure I wouldn't want to be stranded there either!

Gardyloo

Thanks, clears things up.

So I'd probably just stick with your present plan, but add a night in Death Valley and do the Zion drive in one. I am, however quite smitten (have been forever) by the gold country, so my very strong recommendation would be to take one of your days in Yosemite and drive up to Columbia, Murphys and the Calaveras Big Trees. Stop at Jamestown and Angels Camp en route, coming or going. I think you'd really enjoy this area in the spring. https://goo.gl/maps/QYXTvPk3ydP2

By careful around Bryce Canyon in April. Last time I was there at that time of year there was a LOT of snow on the highway. Remember Bryce is at very high altitude - 8000 feet or 2500m. The air is thin and winter stays a long time.

mike_nz

Gold country looks great - definitely keen to check it out

ElendilPickle

I'll second the suggestion of driving Highway 49 into the gold rush country. Mr. Pickle and I did part of this route in October and really enjoyed the day.

Lee Ann