Felton CA (Santa Cruz) to Yosemite (Groveland CA)

Opps, I just saw your title here said "Groveland." Is that your camping destination? If so, Groveland is on 120. You can still take 152 over to the Central Valley, but then you need to chose a route north to get back on 120. The best way to do that is take 33 to 140 and then 165 north all the way to 120. You'll drive right by my house on that route so I do know the area. 165 will be your best bet to get up to 120.

If you're looking for better roads to get into the Valley then like several have already said, head South and take 152 across. If you take 17 north then you're heading into Silicon Valley and the traffic and lots of freeway construction, especially on 580. Also that forces you to take 120 into Yosemite, which is a good road, but it is also the highest road going into the park from the west.

If you go back down and take 152 then you can pick up 140 and take 140 into the park. 140 follows along the Merced River right into Yosemite Valley.

Murphsmom wrote:
Or you could go further south and take 129 (if I am remembering correctly) and bypass the mess that is 17 and San Jose completely, going over the pass on 152.

X2. 152 brings you out just short of (south of) Santa Nella. It is an easy drive, going east you can take the 33 north and it come out a few miles closer to Santa Nella. Santa Nella is one of the last two Split Pea Soup Anderson's I know of, the other being at Buellton. Good place to stop, RV parking in back and nice restrooms and people working there. Good leg stretching time coming from Santa Cruz. Casa de Fruita is also a nice stop and they used to have a fruit stand there with good fruit and so-so prices.

Or you could go further south and take 129 (if I am remembering correctly) and bypass the mess that is 17 and San Jose completely, going over the pass on 152.

I drove around Felton in a rental Jeep years ago. My memory is that CA9 on up the valley gets extremely twisty (but with some nice big trees). CA17 may be busy and somewhat curvy, but it is most direct way inland, and 4 lane - widening into freeway quality once out of the mountains.