Scary Mountain Roads - Yosemite Area
 

How scary would you say the mountain roads are in the Sacrament-Tahoe-Yosemite-Sacramento loop?

We plan to come there end of next May but now wonder if melting snow makes these areas extra bothersome. I really don't like experiencing those Going-to-the-Sun roads like Montana has. Just how bad is it? (You can call me Florida Chicken.)

Not scary. California roads are quite well maintained, wide enough for an RV in each lane and kept clear of obstacles.

That being said there are a couple of spots that you should be aware of. On the Sacramento to Tahoe section, if you use 50 to South Lake Tahoe there is a short section where you drive next to a low rock wall. The road is high above the valley below so for less than a mile the person on the passenger side may feel a bit uncomfortable if they choose to look down. If you drive 80 to north lake tahoe you will have no such experience.

The other roads, while many 2 lane, are easy to drive.

The only one avoid is the Tioga Pass Highway (Route 120) down to Lee Vining on the east side of the Sierra.

Echo Summit is the road Suzie mentions. It is the larger of the two southern exits from the Tahoe Basin. It's much worse than Going-to-the-Sun road for the passenger.
Tioga Pass isn't much better.

"down to Lee Vining"

does that mean coming FROM Lee Vining is better ?

East to west?

Would that put us on the inside lane?

When entering Yosemite from the east ( Lee Vining) you ascend Highway 102 E( Tioga Pass) on the inside lane.

Just be aware Tioga Pass may not be open at the end of May. It depends on the winter snow and the plowing conditions. http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm

You may have no choice but to avoid Tioga Pass in May. The average date for opening the road is May 29.

http://www.monobasinresearch.org/data/tiogapass.htm

The roads around Yosemite might be well maintained, but I can say for certain that Interstate 80 west of Sacramento is full of potholes. The state's highway infrastructure needs a major infusion of cash to be brought back to what it used to be, at least in northern California.

If you are going clockwise (Sacramento, Tahoe, Yosemite, back to Sacramento) you should have no trouble at all. Take I-80 to Truckee and then to the Lake. (It may have potholes, but no tight turns or dropoffs, and the scenery is nice as you climb into the mountains. I used to ski there and take this road alot in the winter).

And since you will be driving up the Tioga Pass road from Lee Vining to Yosemite, you will be on the inside, not the side with the dropoff. Assuming the road is open, which it may not be.

I don't think any of these roads are at all like the Going to the Sun Road. It's been a few years, but I remember that one as . . . bad!!!

Suzie is right about eastbound 50, but it's silly to drive all the way around on Hwy 80 just to avoid that tiny stretch of 50. The road quality is excellent, there's a solid rock guard rail, it's well under a mile long and you'll be past it in less than two minutes.

If it's some kind of major phobia for you, simply make the trip at night. You won't even notice the scary part.

You can always go from Sacramento to Tahoe via Highway 88. It isn't scary and is a lovely drive.

I know I already answered this, but if you are going Sacramento, Tahoe, Yosemite and then back to Sacramento in mid May you will most likely not be using Tioga Pass. If you are fortunate, and CA is not, the pass might open early due to a low snow pack. You'd be going up the grade through the east entrance on a wide road on the side that is not scary. If, as we all expect, the pass is not yet open for the season, you will leave South Lake Tahoe via 50 going west turn left onto 89 in Meyers and when it intersects with 88 you will turn right. Then when you get to 49 in Jackson you will turn left until you get to 120. 120 will take you into the park.

Getting to South Lake Tahoe from Sacramento you will drive on freeway until you cross the Ice House Bridge and then it is a lovely, well - maintained road that is curvy but not scary. It follows the American River and is quite lovely scenery. After you pass Twin Bridges you will ascend a grade and then shortly arrive at Echo summit, where the low rock wall is. This stretch of road is so short that by the time you start to feel nervous it will be over. Don't avoid it because of that, just drive at a speed that is comfortable for you
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