There is another entrance to the park atTioga Pass, which is located on the eastern end of Highway 120. Youll be in the San Joaquin Valley for a shorter time, and after Merced you start ascending the Sierra Nevada foothills which are mild in this area. Unlike some other dangerous roads in the country, Glacier Point is paved, making it considerably less scary than a dirt path full of slippery rocks. Due to this, you can enjoy the regions beauty in and around Yosemite National Park from the comfort of your vehicle. Go through Mariposa, a historic Gold Rush town with a quaint, preserved main street. The park started selling 70% of reservation slots March 23 for those who want to enter the park between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily, but theres still time for you to get a reservation. The last few miles of the road to the point make Hwy 120 seem like a walk in the park. This waterfall is one of the valleys crown jewels. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113528449', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Yosemite Valley has no gas and expensive groceries. That would be the New Priest Grade on 120. Dont believe everything Google tells you. Thank you PacificNWFamily, ALTippet and Frisco_Roadrunner really, really helpful and I definitely think 140 is the way to go. Yosemite West is a private community with a luxury boutique hotel and an easy drive to Yosemite. I've driven into (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Browse through this article to get viable information if youre planning to visit Yosemite Valley and what route should be avoided or chosen. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. You don't have to walk tothe edge. Glacier Point Road can be a terrifying drive for someone who hasnt driven at roads with switchbacks and drop-offs. Theres also Tenaya at Yosemite, a gorgeous 350-room resort with a variety of lodging options from cabins and cottages to lodge rooms. This road returns to some private residences before reaching the trailhead for Chilnualna Falls. Tunnel View 1/12/23 Beautiful day in the park . An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-55240433', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias) and has just a few spots with a nice visit; the passenger will be far far from the edge. Hwy 41 exits at the South Entrance (near (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The first community you will reach is Catheys Valley. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. Maybe I watched too many action movies growing up but I have a deathly fear of getting bumped right over the edge. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. This post has been removed at the author's request. To enter through the Big Oak Flat Entrance, you will take I-580 east to I-205 east to Highway 120 east via Manteca, Calif. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. It's pretty easy to avoid Old Priest if you stay on the main road. Take a dip in one of three pools or dine at an on-site restaurant. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. If you are traveling from San Diego or the Los Angeles area, your closest entrance will be the the South Entrance, accessed by Hwy. Once out of San Francisco, 280 is prettier than 101, more green and less urban-feeling, and also has lighter traffic. link to What Is The Best Bait For California Halibut. Leaving via 140 is nice too. It does not store any personal data. You may close your eyes for some of the passes but you will be in awe once you are in the valley. Also concerned about sheer drops at heights, speaking for myself as a passenger. (Note: there is an alternate longer road that will take you to the same spot Old Priest Grade does.) But if you're including Mariposa Grove in your itinerary, then (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Its usually not crowded during early mornings. Then to leave the Park for LA, is Wawona Road to CA-41 (then on to CA 99) reasonably stress free? But Im too terrified to take any drive like that again. Id rather drive to Yosemite than drive to Tahoe. Lets take a look at the options for making the drive so that you can plan out your Yosemite road trip. 2 Where should I stop between San Francisco and Yosemite? Sorry to hijack this thread but what is the best way to enter driving from (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? In terms of public transportation to Yosemite from San Francisco, it's definitely possible but takes a long time and requires a whole lot of patience. 120 is more going up/down mountains. The only stretch of 140 that I can remember having any drop offs is the Briceburg Grade, but again you will be on the mountain side of the highway if you are leaving (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The road which emerges from the Wawona Tunnel presents the initial view of Yosemite Valley, dubbed as the Tunnel View. Its known for giving visitors a peaceful drive, as Yosemite visitors do not usually take it. If you want, you can exit that way as well. Yosemite National Park was pretty cool. But if you're including Mariposa Grove in your itinerary, then (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Buy gas and groceries there, because (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Is the drive from San Francisco to Yosemite pretty? Las Vegas is a little less than a 6-hour drive. It's okay to start one of your own. Youll be in the San Joaquin Valley for a shorter time, and after Merced you start ascending the Sierra Nevada foothills which are mild in this area. Its not worth the anxiety. The road is high above the valley below so for less than a mile the person on the passenger side may feel a bit uncomfortable if they choose to look down. What might be happening in 2022 and beyond? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-55236805', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Las Vegas through Death Valley to Yosemite, then on to Monterey and San Francisco. It is believed that the word Hetch Hetchy comes from the Miwok word hetchetici, which described the seeds of native grass used for food and other things. But if you're including Mariposa Grove in your itinerary, then (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? This area is confusing, so your best bet is to follow the signs to your destination. Glacier Point has commanding views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemites high country. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Which is the most cooperative country in the world? I hope you become acclimated to driving on mountain roads so you can experience the beauty of Yosemite again. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Museum. Instead, take Hwy 101 through (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? But either is probably not ideal for people who look down a mountain into the ravine and feel their stomach lurch. Going the other way was easy peasy. I agree the SR140 is easier to drive than SR120. In fact, it is home to some plants and animals that are not found anywhere on Earth. Trip Reports: What have other travelers done in Yosemite? If so, head to Yosemite from the eastern side of the park via the Tioga Pass Entrance. This road driving up or coming down is one of the amazing American roads.. Tioga is a "piece of cake" after that one. The Big Oak Flat Information Station, open May through October from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. will be on your right after you go through the entrance station. Best stops along Yosemite National Park to San Francisco drive. Stretching more than 60 square miles, Mono Lake can best be understood through naturalists walks. The farthest north of all entrances on the west side of the park, the Hetch Hetchy Entrance leads you to one of the parks quieter areas. And you are also on the mountain side going east to west. Additionally, all visitors staying overnight in the Park are entitled to day-use reservations. Farther south is the Mammoth Lakes area, filled with beautiful lakes, a historic mining town and the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area and Bike Park. Aside from this, another entrance you can take is the Hetch Hetchy entrance. Well I posted another video finally haha this time I promise I'll be posting more! more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Google Maps sends me on the 580, 205 and 120 to Manteca, then 99 and changing onto 140 at Merced.. I've taken both multiple times, and I personally prefer Old. You can enter the Valley via Wawona Road (24.6 miles from South Entrance), El Portal Road (5 miles from Arch Rock Entrance) or Big Oak Flat Road (17.5 miles from Big Oak Flat Entrance), which merges with El Portal Road near the Valley's entrance. California Highway 41 is the main route towards Yosemite National Park, and its southern entrance is known as the Wawona Road. There is a lot of winding roads on mountain sides. Oh well - it only makes arriving that much better. You do not have to cross the Bay Bridge, which makes you hostage to any accident, breakdown, or other condition on the bridge that can (and sometimes does) cause long delays. But there is NO change in hell that I will ever take that driver back up there. However, organized tours make it possible to visit Yosemite from San Francisco in just one day. My opinion is that the best route is Hwy 140 to the Arch Rock Entrance. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113529499', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');San Jose to Gilroy*, Hwy 152 east through Los Baos, and follow your map directions through Merced to 140. So yeah this trip to Yosemite was insane and so beautiful! If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Lower elevation, along the river, scenic. Amid much controversy, the first phase of the dam was completed in 1923 to fuel San Franciscos growing population. You can also take the Amtrak, Greyhound or even a budget airline, such as Boutique Air. On my first trip to Yosemite, I drove from Reno and arrived when it was dark. Hwy 140 goes along the Merced River and is a beautiful scenic drive. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113526477', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Yosemite before (from SF, then out towards Death Valley) and remember some of the driving in to be quite hair-raising, with sheer drops/a lack of barriers, tight turns, sharp inclines etc (it was back in 2014 so think I came in via Old Priest Grade Road). In 2012, only 50,000 visitors ventured this far north in the park during all 12 months of the year in comparison to the 24,000 daily visitors to the Yosemite Valley that same year, according to the Sacramento Bee. Highway 140 from the San Francisco/Bay Area is the least likely to have snowy or icy conditions due to the low elevation in winter. Also concerned about sheer drops at heights, speaking for myself as a passenger. Along the way, you will pass Tuolumne Meadows before reaching the Tioga Pass Entrance all the way on the east side of the park. Located 24 miles from the Big Oak Flat Entrance, it is the largest town between the entrance and Sonora, Calif. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113529200', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');San Francisco (I'm picking up hire car in Fisherman's Wharf)? I agree the SR140 is easier to drive than SR120. 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