Driving from San Francisco to Yosemite
 

Parts of Rte 12 in Utah freaked me out (the yellow line is meant to straddle).

Likewise, I wasn't too please with parts of the road in Yellowstone (north of Canyon).

Now I'm reading about the drive to Yosemite. More specifically, the Priest Grade.

I read somewhere that as a result of A few lawsuits the shoulder has been widened. True? Did it help?

Any comments on this?

Thanks.

There are now two Priest Grade roads. The new one is highway 120, which is longer and less steep than the old one - so it's also a longer drive with LOTS of switchbacks. I've only taken the new road. There is a very steep drop off along 120 but this hasn't bothered me, either as a passenger or driver. But I probably have more of a tolerance of driving this kind of road than a lot of other people do as I'm kind of used to it. We do drive very slowly. I'd recommend driving it during daylight the first time you try it.

The new Priest Grade has been around since at least 1977 when I first went up it, so it's not that new. Old Priest Grade has less switchbacks but the grade is a killer for RV's and trucks. One nice thing about going UP Old Priest Grade is the car hugs the mountain side so you aren't on the cliff side.

New Priest Grade if you are going up, you are on the cliff side and on the mountain side coming down.

Don't want to alarm you, but inside the park are a few switchbacks and drop offs on 120 and 140. Kind of hard to avoid. :(

Utahtea

If you are really nervous about Hwy 120, you can take Hwy 140 as an alternative. It isn't totally free of switchbacks and sheer cliffs, but because it follows the Merced river for the most part, the grades aren't as steep.

I beg to differ on the drop offs on Hwy 140. There are some after you enter the park. As you are driving in, you are on the river edge side with a little rock wall between you and the drop off to the Merced River! I do agree that Hwy 140 would be the better route in for someone afraid of drop offs.

Utahtea

Old and new are relative terms - but the old Priest Grade Road was originally a wagon route, so it's really old, albeit with lots of improvements over the decades.

There are videos on YouTube showing the drive on both roads, if you'd like to get more of a taste for what's involved.

FWIW, BF refused to drive the old road, said it was much too steep. But I'd like to try it.

Going to Merced and in thru 140 adds about 30 minutes to the drive.

Is it worth the extra time? What's that route like?

Also, what's the first 3 hours of the drive like? Hopefully a pretty level drive.

Back to New Priest Grade. I saw some photos on the internet. It doesn't look bad and there are barriers in at least some places.

I guess my choices are for me to drive really slowly or my daughter to drive and I'll close my eyes.

I'm not sure where you are coming from but let's use Tracy, CA as a starting point because if you are coming from SF, that's where you have to decide which way to go.

Hwy 120 will be about 20 miles shorter than taking Hwy 140, but I wouldn't say it adds 30 minutes of driving time. Hwy 120 is a slower drive in some places. Priest Grade would be one of them. You climb to higher elevations on Hwy 120 so it's some mountain driving once you enter the park too.

To get to Hwy 140 you do have to travel down Hwy 99, that's where it's not that scenic. Once you leave the interstate at Merced you get in to the rolling hills to Mariposa. From Mariposa you do a little climing but about 15 miles down the road you meet up with the Merced River and follow it all the way to Yosemite Valley.

I love to go in on Hwy 140 and come home on Hwy 120 or in reverse.

Utahtea

OH...DUH...the subject line said San Francisco! I looked everywhere but there for where you were starting. Doesn't matter, from SF you will need to go to Tracy.

Utahtea

I don't remember anything getting my attention like HWY 12 that I drove two days ago did. Hogsback was interesting. I don't think that we drove the Priest Grade though. We started out in Mariposa driving from San Jose.

Nothing like Hwy 12 here in California that I've been on that's paved except maybe for that one way road in the Marin Headlands dropping off of Hawk Hill.

Old Priest Grade is fine when going up. Maybe better staying on the main highway going down. They were repaving the old road last summer so it should be in fine shape now. It's a brake eater going down unless you have a good low gear.

According to Google Maps taking 140 is 25 miles and a good 45 minutes longer. Somehow that doesn't look right.

Anything on that drive I should be concerned about?

What route is Google Maps taking you on? I come up with 20 miles more going Hwy 140 instead of Hwy 120 using my Microsoft Trips and Streets which is pretty reliable. From SFO airport, 101 south, 92 across the San Mateo Bridge, north on I-880, I-238 to I-580, I-205, Hwy 99 to Merced and then Hwy 140 into Yosemite Valley. I live near this route and we go about once a year to Yosemite.


Check out the drive from Mariposa to Yosemite Valley! http://www.takemytrip.com/10cali/08n_19a.htm#drivelapse. It's an easy drive to Mariposa. You will see at 3:50 minutes into the video there is a street light to stop traffic for a one lane bridge, road and second bridge, that you need to take to get by a slide area.

After you enter the park you will notice a stone guard. There are short section where there are drop offs on the right down to the Merced River.

Utahtea

utahtea,

Thanks. I don't have Microsoft trips on my computer but I checked it using both Google Maps and Mapquest. this is what I got.

SFO to Yosemite Village (not the entrance gate).

Google Maps.
1) Straight thru 120. 192 miles and 3:53.
2) Exactly your described route ending with 140. 218 miles and 4:38.
Difference of 45 minutes.

Mapquest.
1) 194 miles and 4:07.
2) 214 miles and 4:19.
Difference of 12 minutes.

A few decisions to make.

"I beg to differ on the drop offs on Hwy 140. There are some after you enter the park."

Ummm...yeah. That's why I said, "It isn't totally free of switchbacks and sheer cliffs, but because it follows the Merced river for the most part, the grades aren't as steep."

november_moon....my apologies, I miss read it as it was totally free not <b>isn't</b>

I need better glasses! ;)

Utahtea