Yosemite and winding roads
 

No way to avoid winding roads getting to Yosemite and driving within Yosemite N.P. -- part of the point of it. However, if you have a passenger with a tendency to carsickness, you try to go slow, limit the winding. How slow can you go on the approaches and within the park, and are there routes that are slightly less "exciting" than others?

We drove into Yosemite on I20 and it scared the crap out of me. You are right next to high dropoffs. I40 into the Park is a beautiful drive and not breathless at all. Coming out of the Park on I20 would be better because you're next to the mountain and not the drop-offs, which we were going to do but ran into a snow storm and all roads except I40 were closed.

Hey, we did Yosemite, and I did alright without Dramamine. But can't remember the roads. Do you ever wear those wrist bracelets (you can buy them in drugstores)? They REALLY help me a lot. I always wear them when I travel, and though I still sometimes have to resort to Dramamine, it's way less often than it used to be. (I was on a boat looking for whales in Maui once, and when someone yelled, "There she blows," I had to wake myself up to see the tail end of the whale. Darn that Dramamine! Though there is a less sleepy version now -- still makes me sleepy, though.)

Reference the 120 and 140, I was going to enter the park on the 120 from the Lee Vining side, would that mean I would be driving next to the drop or next to the mountain?

Coming in to Yosemite from the south entrance 41, or from Attwater, 140, would be better road than 120. Do take bomine or dramanine--it makes the whole trip better and really does work. Once you get into valley of park, the roads are not curvy and speed limit is slow as soon as you enter the park.

toledo,

Coming from Lee Vining and driving up 120 to Yosemite, My memory says that you drive against the mountainside going up, then you are in the forested area till you get to Hwy 41. On Hwy 41 you are on the drop off side, but they aren't that bad....but then again...drop offs don't bother me. As you exit on Hwy 140 you are again against the mountain going towards El Portal.

Utahtea

soccr,

We have to drive slow because we are in a motorhome. We pull over every chance we get to let other pass us. You can go as slow as you want...just pull over and let other pass you.

I would limit my driving to entering and exiting the park on Hwy 140. Then stay in Yosemite Valley. That's the best area of the park...IMHO.

Hwy 41 down to Wawona is very windy.

Utahtea

Just wanted to add that if you go slow there are plenty of turn outs for you to pull over and let those behind you pass.

Regarding 41 from the Valley to the south entrance, my kids driving in the back seat were begging to get out by the time we reached the south entrance from the valley. It's a pretty winding road.

Screaming helps too.
At least Mom thought so.
Makes it fun for the driver.

I drove over the OLD Tioga road, when it was a narrow two lane track up that talus slope.

I guess there was reason for fear, but I never figured it out. Caution, yes.

I am not a fan of Hwy 120 west of Yosemite either. I always take 140 because it goes along the river and is a much more relaxing drive. If you enter the park from the east, I believe Hwy 120 is your only option, so if the road is too windy, drive slow and stop often.

For car sickness ginger pills work great! I also hear ginger ale (soda) works for children. It's an herb, no side effects, can be combined with any prescription meds.

Thanks for route information. Isn't me but potential travel companion who gets sick, and no amount of dramamine, wrist bands, ginger, or anything else has ever helped her. Best bet, taking it slow if history is indicative. We've done Blue Ridge -- not a problem as long as there are the long, beautiful views and occasional turn-outs; big problem hair-pinning up the mtns. on tree-canopied roads where you can only see a few hundred feet ahead before next turn.

Anyone done both and have a comparison?

Very h

On Hwy 120, going from Yosemite to Lee Vining -- the passenger is on the side of the Lee Vining Canyon. My husband is a good driver, and I can handle it. My adult son drives the yellow line heading into Lee Vining.

Going from east to west is my preference, and most comfortable.

I was also on Tioga Pass road in 1957 when they were blasting rock this "new" road. We had difficulty understanding project '66 (oh? 1966? yes!)

Anybody with a tendency towards carsickness should by all means avoid 120 west of Yosemite, specifically the stretch just west of Groveland--the infamous Priest Grade. I do not remember more hairpin twists and turns anywhere. I don't remember anything in the the Blue Ridge or in the East which I felt came close. And it's not even particularly scenic, by the standards of the area, pretty barren and drab. It's usually easy to avoid, given that 140 is at least as fast an alternative from almost anywhere.

Groveland is a delightful little town, and 120 presents a very scenic descent into Yosemite Valley once you are in the park, but....even an ex-wife I drove many different places without her getting carsick was defeated by the Priest Grade.

I am another of you old folks who can remember (at least I was too young to be driving) the 120 Tioga Pass Road at the Yosemite east entrance before the 1961 paving. Even paved it is still hair raising, worse for fear of heights than about anywhere, but not nearly as bad for motion sickness as the Priest Grade. If Tioga Pass Road had more twists and turns, you wouldn't be able to see ahead of you where it's going and what's over the edge from there as often as you do--and you would probably rather not see that.

I forgot to mention--it was on the Priest Grade that three of Queen Elizabeth's bodyguards were killed when she visited Yosemite about 25-30 years ago--they tried to take one of those hairpins too fast.

JBC411 - I am not one to get carsick either, but Priest Grade had me a little woozie to be sure.

Hi
Having just returned (to England) from a holiday in California I was surprised at the twists in the roads on the Pacific Coast Highway going up to San Francisco!
Yosemite was amazing - no words can ever express some of those views...
Can I share a car sickness tip? For many years I worked in an infant/junior school and often used to take the children out on coach trips to local museums etc. Now coaches, twisty roads and young children are a recipe for disaster, sickness wise, and believe me we used to try anything going! We tried an 'old wives tale' of sitting the children on a pile of newspapers. And I don't know why - but it used to work!

If the carsick prone person is able to drive, I've heard the drivers of a car on a windy road rarely get carsick -- it's usually the passengers.

120 is probably better than 41- i was riding in the car in the middle row of a minivan. I dont know about 140-never been on it

This is a 7 year old thread. I think the OP has probably already taken this trip.