Which way should we drive from Yosemite to Las Vegas. What is the trip through Tioga Pass and the desert like? How long does it take. The map services give different times, everything from 11 hours to 5.5. Would it be better to go south to Fresno and then to Las Vegas, maybe taking in Grand Sequoia on the way? Is the desert more scenic in Nevada or through southern California?

It matters what month you will be travelling. Will you be staying in the valley on your visit or are you staying outside the park? If you don't take Tioga Pass will you be seeing Tuolumne Meadows during your visit? Instead of jetting to Vegas you might want to see the eastern side of the Park as opposed to the dusty drive out of Fresno.

Thanks for your response. We are staying on the west side of Yosemite at Riverside Inn and will be there in late July on a Monday/Tuesday. It looks inviting to drive through Tioga Pass but the rest of the drive through Nevada looks rather long and uninviting. What is the desert like there?

Well, Linda since you're already on the west side and it is July, you might want to go out through the west and then south to Fresno or Visalia and visit Sequoia/Kings Canyon. It's hot in the San Joaquin Valley just like it's going to be hot through the desert to Vegas. I'm probably not the person to ask about the desert scenery as I have no appreciation for desert scenery. I'm a beach and mountain girl!

After some touring in the park, I drove over the pass, to Mono Lake, then south to LV about 8 years ago. I enjoyed the high country in the park and the lake is interesting. We only drove as far as a motel in a small town along the way (Tonopah?)the first night then on to LV the next day. I can't say the Nevada part was very scenic. The road had some tremendous dips I wouldn't have wanted to come across in the dark.

The trees in Sequoia are beautiful and different from Yosemite, but I can't comment on the drive past there.