Tioga Pass RoadScary Bits
 

I want to travel from Las Vegas to Bishop and then on over the Tioga pass into Yosemite and then on to San Frncisco. I have a bad fear of heights and am concerrned that some parts of the road will be just to much for me to cope with. Are there any really high and sheer points on the road. I can cope with reasonable situations but the very high where my perception of the land below is simply it is way way down is a real problem

Tioga pass is actually the easiest pass to cross I have encountered in the US and the Alp passes of Europe.No reason to be worried at all.Paul

I must say it is kind of breathtaking, and yes, some parts are VERY high.
For what it's worth, it seems most of the scarier parts however would be if you were going west to east where you tend to be on the outside more than going east to west. Somebody might correct me on that, but it seems it was far worse going the other way than you're going.

Of all the twisty, windy, high passes we've traveled. I wouldn't put Tioga Pass anywhere near the top for scary. This may be, in part, because we drove it from East to West, which as Patrick noted, puts you on the uphill side instead of the drop-off side. This is the way you'd be traveling and it's absolutely gorgeous.

Also, depending on the time of year you're going, be sure that the pass is open. It would be a bummer to drive all that way to find out it's closed. It's a long way around to get to the West entrance. You can check the condition of the pass at the National Park web site.

Hope this helps.

Fran

I agree, if you are going from east to west it won't be nearly as scary, since you won't be on the drop off side.

When are you planning this trip? Tioga Pass generally doesn't open until some time in June, or even July. It may be earlier this year, but it is too soon to know yet.

As everyone said, in the direction you will be traveling, you are not near the edge.

Thanks to everyone for your information. We will be travelling late August this year so I guess the pass will be open. I was able to get onto a virtual site which covered the actual road and I could not see any really bad bits. I guess we will just go for it.

Just remember as you go over Tioga Pass you will always be on the ground. Don't you be the one driving and just divert your vision to the high side of the road. My wife has a SIL that has trouble when going over bridges. We had a heck of a time when we took her down to Key West. The bridges, especially the 7 mile bridge, almost drove her crazy. But she survived and enjoyed KW once we finally got there. Then there was the trip back..............

Being scared of heights is a funny thing, isn't it. My partner can get in a car and drive the Amalfi Highway, the Tioga Pass, or anywhere else and not bat an eye. But he gets off the elevator at the top of the Eiffel Tower and turns white while he grabs onto a rail until his knuckles turn red. It seems to me the liklihood of running off a road is a lot greater than the possibility of the Eiffel Tower falling over.
Oh, and by the way, going up in hot air balloons doesn't phase him either. I just dont' get it.

I find that if I am at all nervous about a road, if I drive, I am fine. If I am the passenger, then I am more nervous.