If you're driving in fall, you may want to spend some time hiking in the area too. First lets start by saying that I drove from Reno, it was a nice drive with panoramic views along the way. However, while you come to this place, explore every vista points you get on the road. To get there, head east for 13 miles (the last 3 miles are unpaved) on Hwy 270, about 7 miles south of Bridgeport. Furnace Creek is in the middle of Death Valley. And because changes in elevation also bring changes in temperatures, be sure to pack layers so that youre prepared for any type of weather. . .2 - San Francisco - Las Vegas - YouTube Calm and serene. Road Trip from Phoenix to Yosemite National Park - LazyTrips Its a doable road by car but not a fun road by car. Don't do that. First: dont trust google maps. Visitors can explore the Mariposa Grove on one of several easy trails or take a leisurely stroll through the sequoia forest. After Fresno, you'll be knocking on Yosemite's front door. The way the rocks have weathered to show the different colors defiantly earned its name as the artists palette. Mesquite Sand Dunes are not the only dunes in Death Valley, but theyre definitely the most accessible since youll need a four by four and special wheels to get to the other dunes. Like, those tubs you slide down the snow with. Once a lake bed, this area has now dried up leaving salt formations in its place. Directions & Transportation - National Park Service It is hard to photograph here and get a compelling picture and since I knew that I prioritized other locations above this, but I would like to mention that you at least have to visit this gorgeous place on your way to DV. The highlight here? Can't wait to go back. You can read about our visit to the Fresno Zoo here. Youll pass the Mesquite Salt Flats on Highway 190 on your way to/from Panamint Springs. San Francisco is the perfect city to start any drive from. This site and app let me do all the planning for our 15 day trip in a little over 6 hours! Walter Scott was a con artist who effectively stole money from wealthy investors from Eastern US who believed he had discovered a gold mine in Death Valley. It is typically open from July through September. If possible, give yourself over a week so you can travel slower, do longer hikes, swim in some lakes, enjoy the quiet outdoors, and even get some stargazing in. I really like this small resort feel over any large overcrowded resort . As a general rule of thumb, Tioga Pass is typically closed for drivers safety between November and to late May. Ashford Junction, once upon a time, was one of the most active railroad towns operating in California. The largest crater of the national park is about 600 feet deep and 1/2 mile across. Little Hebe Crater is the underrated little sister of Ubehebe, the well-known 750-feet deep crater created by past volcanic activity. Keep an eye out for animal tracks. Ways To Experience Washington, DC, A Pandemic Puppys Epic Adventure with Her Adopters, Discover the Worlds Tallest Observation Wheel: High Roller Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas. Be rady for the heat and the sun. Cant wait to go back and check for ourselves, but unfortunately we cant visit the US until the COVID situation clears up. First off, Mono Lake is old. The fastest and most popular route is to take the U.S. 95 to State Route 266, then through Bishop and Mammoth Lakes on the 395. You can get your Death Valley National Park guidebook and map that comes with loads of additional information about the attractions and lands. The bad water basin walk was about a 1/2 mile there and back from the parking area. Everything was clean. It was very scenic with towering trees and cascading rock formations fluttering in my eyes. It's no surprise that this sprawling, 200,000-acre backcountry is one of the most popular national park sites in Nevada. Pahrump Valley Winery is a fantastic surprise found while were staying at Wine Ridge RV Resort, which is happily located next door to said winery. Not only is the castle itself beautiful, but thanks to the large trees and bushes surrounding the castle, this is the place to visit if you want to see local and migrating birds. Below are some of the best things to do on the Vegas to Yosemite winter route! Its a villa in the middle of the desert, built in the 1920s and 1930s by a millionaire from Chicago as a winter home. The shortest route from Las Vegas to Yosemite is approximately 340 miles (about a 5.5-hour drive) via US-95N. The Devils Golf Course is an immense area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain into painful jagged spires. This Pahrump, Nevada hotel features a casino and on-site restaurants. Can You Swim In Florida In the Wintertime? Check out our post about where to see Redwood Sequoia trees in California. The area attracts over a million visitors annually, thanks to its proximity to Las Vegas, with more and more coming each year as word of the beauty of Red Rock starts to spread. Vast area of mountain-fringed sand dunes reaching 100 ft. & a prime spot for sand-boarding. Now onto fun stuff: Thank you for hosting us on our short stop. 3205 Nevada 159 Las Vegas NV 89161, map | Hours: Dawn til Dusk. You can finish your long day like we did, with a treat at In and Out a short drive away after you get down from the mountain :). The views from this point are amazing. He turned it on and everything. The resort is very laid back and the village area is nice, we would love to go back to Mammoth one day during the main winter season. The year-round adventure haven of Mammoth Lakes, CA is not to be missed. The access road is often closed by snow in winter. The road is closed before Yosemite. Nice easy access sand dune. Offering a chance to visit a massive volcanic crater in the middle of the desert, the Ubehebe and Little Hebe Crater Trail is a great choice for geology lovers everywhere. This is(was) a great place to get away for a few hours, the restaurant was pretty good with decent prices, the jewel of their menu was most definitely the bison steak and the bison burger, not always available but worth the trip to find out. 98,267 posts. . As short as five and a half hours or an elongated eleven, the drive from Las Vegas to Yosemite is a treasure trove of stunning landscapes and historical towns. Be sure to check the temperature of the water before plunging. If youre looking for a breathtaking road trip that will take you through some of the most amazing scenery in the country, look no further than a journey from Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park. Even during summertime, if you take the Tioga Pass and the eastern route, Google suggests taking a slightly shorter route, via Oasis, CA and then Beatty, Nevada. Nice cool weather (on labor day weekend) when the valley was 100f. Rooms at this hotel are costly, but think of it this way if Matt Damon and Martin Sheen ever slept in your hotel room, you'd have plenty of reasons to charge a hefty sum too! The two routes are: Now that you have a sense of what the routes look like, lets start by diving into all the best things to do between Las Vegas to Yosemite on the shorter US-95 route. Guided tours make planning easy as they offer hotel pick up and drop off. Just straight driving time from Las Vegas to San Francisco is already 9 hours. Have stayed in one other hotel in the area, just for a change, but Ill always call Aliante my home away from home when Im visiting my kids in Vegas. Next time we are in town we will definitely stop back. Located off Highway 190 in the center of the park, the dunes are easy to reach. These dunes are the best known and easiest to visit in the national park. Named after a line in the 1934 National Park Service guide book for Death Valley, which stated that Only the devil could play golf on its surface, due to large, sculptural edges of the salt crystal formations. The tour guide seemed to have some of her Scotty facts wrong, but other than that it was a wonderful time. One top photo spot in Death Valley that also should be on your list is Devils Golf Course. There is a porta-potty near the marina or a restroom and showers at the resort. Elevated meadows at 8,600 ft. with a river, offering scenic views of the surrounding mountains. Fast climbing windy road, starts at about 4000ft. By getting on the road by 7:30 am (from Stovepipe Wells or Furnace Creek), theres a chance you could have Ubehebe Crater and Racetrack Playa all to yourself, at least for a little bit. It sits in the eastern high country of Yosemite at 8,600 feet. If you have one of those nice super telephoto lenses, dont forget it at home you might be surprised by what you might see just driving along the main roads. . 2:California, Yosemite National Park, Las Vegas, Arizona . Visitors Center also open for questions or buying things. Really heart breaking to see such a great place to close . The signs say that dogs are not allowed, comma but that didn't stop a lot of people from being dirtbags. Former gold-mining community houses a ghost town with daily tours, a stamp mill & a museum. Mono Lake began to form around 750,000 years ago, making it one of the oldest lakes in North America. The service was great, the food tasted awesome. If you are staying outside of Death Valley, you should consider getting an even earlier start. It is located in United States of America, California, Inyo County. The direct drive from Yosemite National Parkto Las Vegasis372 mi(599 km), and should have a drive time of 8 hrs 16 minsin normal traffic. If you are a bit adventurous, go off trail on the way back. The trails give you a lot of access. Ive been wanting to visit this park for a while and finally made it. Driving Time from Las Vegas, NV to Yosemite National Park - Travelmath Over time, the weather and elements have worn away at the surface, creating the rough texture Devils Golf Course has today. Plan some extra time for the hike from the parking lot to the actual sand dunes. The total driving time is 6 hours, 7 minutes. The dunes are located closest to the Stovepipe Wells Village and cover 14 square miles of the park!. Distance from Yosemite National Park, CA to San Francisco, CA Snow levels will drop by Tuesday to around 4,000 to 5,000 feet elevation, with a few inches of accumulation expected. And finally, another viewpoint in Death Valley National Park thats definitely worth a visit: the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. There is movie about Death Valley history every 30 minutes. Oh and the water, yes the WATER was so refreahing! Its a bumpy ride, but beautiful. Las Vegas Airport (LAS) to Yosemite National Park - Rome2rio 190 or from the unpaved Sand Dunes Road. Turn left onto CA-190 E, continue for 5 miles, turn left onto Scottys Castle Road for 33 miles. We arrived after three days of heavy rain and it was beautiful and overcast. Take the hwy from amargosa or pahrump instead. Wander easy trails along the Tuolumne River or more rugged paths to the summits of lofty domes and granite-backed alpine lakes. 7300 N Aliante Pkwy, North Las Vegas, NV 89084, USA, Other popular road trips from Yosemite National Park, Save all the best places to visit with Wanderlog, Download the travel planning app everyone's been raving about, The Solo Globetrotter | Solo Female Travel Blog, Local Adventurer Travel Adventures in Las Vegas + World Wide, http://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/tuolumne.htm, http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5129900, Nomads in Nature - Hiking Trips, Outdoor Gear, RV Living, Sleeklens - Tools and Training for Photographers, https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/visit-ubehebe-crater.htm, https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/historyculture/scottys-castle.htm, https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/nature/sand-dunes.htm, https://www.nps.gov/thingstodo/visit-the-furnace-creek-visitor-center.htm, https://www.pahrumpnugget.com/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=yext, https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon, Weather in Yosemite National Park in January, Weather in Yosemite National Park in February, Weather in Yosemite National Park in March, Weather in Yosemite National Park in April, Weather in Yosemite National Park in June, Weather in Yosemite National Park in July, Weather in Yosemite National Park in August, Weather in Yosemite National Park in September, Weather in Yosemite National Park in October, Weather in Yosemite National Park in November, Weather in Yosemite National Park in December, Yosemite National Park to Greater Palm Springs drive, Yosemite National Park to Calistoga drive, Yosemite National Park to Banff National Park drive, Yosemite National Park to the Mill Valley drive, Yosemite National Park to Paso Robles drive, Yosemite National Park to Scottsdale drive, Yosemite National Park to Boulder City drive, Yosemite National Park to Beverly Hills drive, Yosemite National Park to North Vancouver drive, Yosemite National Park to Buena Park drive, Yosemite National Park to Cabo San Lucas drive, Yosemite National Park to Jasper National Park drive, Yosemite National Park to Oklahoma City drive, Yosemite National Park to Fort Worth drive. Also be aware of road conditions which require snow tires in special cases. You can even pick up a few additional drinks or snacks to pair with your meal from the big general store in town. I recommend visiting Death Valley on your way, arriving at Yosemite from Death Valley the next day. With a little planning, it's easy to get to Yosemite National Park from anywhere in the world. Had the whole place to ourselves (the group was limited to 10 people). So if Tioga Pass is closed, what should you do to get from Las Vegas to Yosemite? Yosemite Valley will close Friday, probably until at least May 3. Depending on when you visit, you might appreciate some extra time in the AC anyways. Consider doing this together with Racetrack Playa. 2 hours and 52 minutes out from Yosemite (roughly 168 miles), you'll find Bakersfield, CA. But it was a harmless little snake sun bathing on trail. Best skiing experience even when the conditions arent the best. Driving on this road grants you a beautiful drive that takes you through some of the most stunning scenery of Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Falls is covered behind a sign marking the water level of the 1997 flood in Yosemite National Park, Calif., as seen on Jan. 7, 2017. I can say that with 100% confidence because I skipped the sand dunes on my first trip to Death Valley (BIG mistake). This high-altitude mountain pass is covered in snow during wintertime. This is a great option for June though. For when nature calls and you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a beautiful spot just 25 minutes west of Las Vegas. Tuolumne Meadows is a large high-elevation meadow in the Sierra Nevada. We drove this route a couple of years ago, going from Yosemite to Las Vegas. The scenic itinerary will have you riding along Death Valley, then the impossibly scenic Sierra Nevada range . Nothing is here, but one cant get enough of looking. If you're looking to do a spot of camping, Death Valley's Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the place to go. We pulled over took pictures.. We didnt rent any skiing equipment. Pretty cool place. Ubehebe Crater is a large volcanic field in the northern half of Death Valley. And, for the grammers, expect several lookouts with stunning views over Red Rock Canyon itself. If youre more interested in geology than hiking, be sure to consider driving up to the impressive looking crater. You can see the milky way from there. Calico is 5 hours and 300 miles out from Yosemite. Please don't forget to pay this place a visit you will never regret it. Getting back up was no joke, but well worth it for the exploration. the Tenaya Lodge, with its countless on-site activities, is always an amazing choice. Very accessible trail for everyone, seniors, children and handicap. While it doesnt have the giant icons of the valley like Half Dome, it is an incredible beautiful and serene meadow that is worth exploring. The Childrens Museum of Fresno is a great option for families, with hands-on exhibits and interactive displays. What To Wear In Acropolis [Inc. It could take five and a half hours or 11 hours if you take the long way and do a lot of stopping (rest assured, you'll want to). There are 157.36 miles from Yosemite National Park to San Francisco in west direction and 191 miles (307.38 kilometers) by car, following the I-580 W route.. Yosemite National Park and San Francisco are 3 hours 40 mins far apart, if you drive non-stop .. Im excited to share this Las Vegas to Yosemite road trip guide with you so that you can discover for yourself all the natural wonders beyond just the city of Las Vegas and Yosemite NP. If youre a climber or boulderer, then youll already know about the popularity of theButtermilk Boulders. A ranger suggested hiking down to the bottom of the Crater and it was so fun! Road Trip Guide: Las Vegas To San Francisco Via Yosemite National Park With that said, it's definitely worth considering the longer route too, since you get to see some beautiful landscapes unique to it, on top of having several large cities at various points of the trip. The crater was formed in a single episode of phreatomagmatic eruption some 3000 years ago. There are no restrooms or water at this location. With more than 2,000 such formations documented within its borders, Arches boasts the "densest concentration of natural stone arches in the . Theres no hike here. A 1920 mansion in the northern part of the Park. . One look into the meadow and its easy to see why. Natural preserve with trails among 4,000-year-old trees, plus a seasonal visitor's center. The dunes rise up to 100 feet, and get their name for the mesquite trees located throughout the dunes. If you're a train aficionado or want to delve into a piece of California's history, Ashford Junction will let you do just that. The road joins up with the traditional, short route, in Big Pine, then you'll hit Bishop, a popular locale among mountaineers and rock climbers. At the lunch time cafeteria gets crowded so make sure be prepared. After this, you can finally begin your Yosemite journey at Tuolumne Meadows, the eastern section of the park known for its grassy flats surrounded by granite domes. It's a beautiful location perfect for hiking and discovering the outdoors, and its also where parts of Fear and Loathingin Las Vegas were filmed. Dress, Shoes, And Other Tips By Season]? I was so impressed seeing the before and after . Stop by and you'll find restaurants, boutiques, and hotels that'll make a day visit or overnight stay especially memorable. I'm really sad to hear this place will be demolished to make way for yet more unwanted housing to facilitate corporate greed. You can certainly cover the entire scenic drive in 1-2 hours, but if you have more time to explore, there are plenty of spots to hike, bike, SUP, kayak, fish, and snap pictures. If you want to visit an attraction thats close to Fresno, but actually a part of Yosemite National Park, youve got to add Mariposa Grove as a stop. Beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and there are streams cutting the meadows. At Barstow, get on US Route 58 and follow it all the way to Bakersfield. Vegas may be known for its lavish casinos, spas, resorts, and nightclubs, but theres so much more to do in Las Vegas besides spending money, gambling, and partying. Expect a whole variety of mountains, lakes, streams, forests, and waterfalls once you reach the canyon area. Distance From Las Vegas to Nearby National Parks - TripSavvy Again, a lovely surprise. The most accessible dunes in Death Valley are an undulating sea of sand rising up to 100ft high next to the highway near Stovepipe Wells Village. Look for the best hotel prices in Death Valley National Park. Hiking trails range from easy to strenuous, but each family should find plenty of places along the way for kids and adults alike to hike and climb. The region around Yosemite features landscapes of great diversity, including the high plateau of Tuolumne Meadows. Another iconic view of Death Valley is available at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes the most famous and accessible of the national parks numerous dune sites. Calico Ghost Town recreates the California Silver Rush life with pioneer-style restaurants, shops, and sights. If you're planning a road trip, you might be interested in seeing the total driving distance from Las Vegas, NV to Yosemite National Park. Formed between 2000 & 7000 years ago, this large crater was created by large steam eruptions. The town is a base for Devils Postpile National Monument, a formation of basalt columns, and the soaring Rainbow Falls. Drinking extra water does help though.) We took the Discovery Loop, it is right about 1 mile and took about an hour with stopping for photos and to read the many plaques along the trail. Here's the quick answer if you are able to make this entire trip by car without stopping. While on your way, why not visit another of California's natural wonders in Bishop? Tioga Road is the only road in this region that cuts across the Sierra Nevada mountain range and connects Yosemite with Mammoth. While you can see the sand dunes from your vehicle, the best way to experience them is to get out and hike around. To get to Ubehebe Crater: 1-hour drive from Mesquite Sand Dunes. This place is only 22 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip, a beautiful place for families to enjoy the desert of Nevada. He built it as a vacation getaway for him and his wife, Bessie.
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