Zion NP - Death Valley - Yosemite
 

I'm planning to drive from Zion NP to Yosemite. Looking at the map, it looks feasible driving via death valley, maybe staying there for a night or 2 before moving on to Yosemite.
Does anyone know any other route than driving via las vegas?
THanks for any help! :)

The most important thing we need to know - When is your trip? Makes a huge difference. Yosemite is generally not accessible from the east side of the mountains/DV from October til about May.

There are other routes that don't go through Las Vegas - but they are slower and end up north of Death Valley.

jj: I think she is going in October.

There is nothing very direct that avoids all of Las Vegas...you can leave I-15 on the north end of the city and cross over to US 95 taking that to Armagosa Valley and then into the park near Scotty's Castle. You can also leave 95 earlier and go via Pahrump into the Furnace Creek area of the park. Don't count on Tigoa Pass until Memorial Day weekend unless they have a real warm and little snowfall winter.

Do you want to go to Death Valley? If so, yes, you pretty much have to go through Las Vegas.

If not, you can go through Uvalde and get on the Extraterrestrial Highway (Hwy. 375), which heads northwest. Turn west on Hwy. 6 though Tonopah, then get on Hwy. 6 at Benton. Eventually you get to Mono Lake; turn north onto Hwy. 395 and take the Tioga Pass turnoff.

As janisj said, do check the weather reports and the park website to make sure Tioga is open. We did this route last October, and while it had snowed a few days earlier, Tioga was still open.

Lee Ann

Thanks for all your replies.
I'm reaching Yosemite on 9 October. Will Tioga be opened then?

Dear Summer:

Yes, Tioga Pass will be open. You need to get out of that unheated cabin. Night time temps have been in the 30'sF (0 degrees C).

Tioga Pass is spectacular. DH & I went thru it on our honeymoon. We both grew up here in Northern California and had never been over it. We were both in our 30's!!

Have fun on your trip and give a trip report when you get home.

MY

Yes MY. Thanks. I'm trying desperately now to search for other alternatives. Last resort, I'll have to make do with lodging outside the park. I'll definitely come back with the report :)
Meanwhile, here's a summary of my itinerary:
Oct 1 Drive from LA to LV
Oct 2 Drive from LV to Zion NP Staying at Canyon Ranch Motel
Oct 3 Continue at Zion NP but staying at Bryce Canyon Inn Tropic for the night cuz can't get a second night at CRM
Oct 4 Explore Bryce NP. Staying at Bryce Canyon Inn
Oct 5 Still at Bryce NP
Oct 6 Drive to Death Valley enroute LV (May stay at LV again. Hoping for a different route though)
Oct 7 Death Valley. No lodging yet
Oct 8 Death VAlley
Oct 9 Drive to Yosemite
Oct 10 Yosemite
Oct 11 Yosemite
Oct 12-14 Drive to Berkeley. Visiting a friend
Oct 15-20 Drive to Anaheim. TAking highway 1 going to stop by places like Monterey, Big Sur, Hearst Castle, Santa Barbara

:)

Sounds like a great trip. Play it by ear for Bryce. We found one full day plenty.

Good luck,

MY