Any thoughts on crossing from the Bay area to the red rock country on 50 in mid-April? We have done the I-80 thing and are looking for a reasonable alternative (say "salt flats" and my wife's eyes roll back in her head).

Bob Gardner

Which particular "red rock country" is your destination? We have a lot of it out here.

I have been across CO, UT, NV and CA on US-50. The road is good two lane. Not as boring as I-80. If time permits you may want to plan a stop at Great Basin NP. If your wife has not seen a "salt flat" she doesn't know what she is missing.

She considered driving across the salt flats extremely boring and doesn't want to do it again if she can avoid it. US-50 sounds pretty good.

Bob

Dwoodon, this is a re-visit. We plan to go back to Arches, Canyonland, Bryce, Zion, etc etc etc, so the purpose of driving across Nevada is just to get into the general area.

Bob

You can cross Nevada by driving as fast as the traffic around you.

I never find a natural landscape boring.
The basin and range country of Nevada for me is very interesting geologically.

But I guess it lacks soap operas and Dr. Phil.

I agree with the other posters regarding US-50. It's a good 2-lane highway and you can make good time on it. You can pick it up in Sacramento, of if you are concerned about Sierra weather, you can take I-80 and pick it up east of Reno. I also enjoy traveling through the basin and range country on US-50 between Fallon and Ely. You can follow USD-50 all the way to Salina, UT then head south on US-89 to the various parks you'll be visiting.

Have a great trip.

Hwy 50 from the Bay Area to Utah is my favorite route. I'll warn you that gas prices are higher on this route, especially Austin, NV. There's a lot to see even if it's called the Loneliest Road in America! http://www.byways.org/browse/byways/2033/places/

I would check road conditions and weather before heading out. It can still snow in April in Nevada!

Utahtea

Brookwood - Aparently you are just intellectually superior to the rest of us. I guess we just don't have the depth to appreciate the finer points of natural landscapes as you do.

You can also cross Nevada by crossing from Tonopah to Panaca on the way to Cedar Breaks and Zion or Bryce. The Extraterrestial road was a dirt road in 1987, but it has been paved since. Just make sure that you get a full tank of gas in Tonopah. I remember only one gas stop on the road itself.