Yosemite NP from Nevada

Whoops! We did the CA-395 up the east side of the Sierras, not the NV-95. Beautiful drive on great roads, however.

Did that route a couple of years ago after our daughter graduated from UNLV in mid-May. Have to get back to you in a few days, but there was plenty of info if you search CA-95, etc on the web. Tallman

DW & I just got back from Yosemite in mid Oct. We camped at Yosemite Pines with our 34ft 5wheel for 3 nights. We came in on Hwy 120 west. Staying at Yosemite Lakes would be a much better option, (it was still closed due to the fire when we were there). Each to his own, after going all the way to T Pass solo in my P-up, I would never pull my rv up that booger-bear of a highway. A huge +40ft MH almost knocked us off the side of a mountain. The road was to narrow & winding for a MH of that size. Even coming in on the west side on hway 120 is a steep pull for probably 6-8 miles.

As a reminder, Tioga Pass is a long, steep grade, ascending from about 6500' at US 395 to over 9900' at the summit.

Yosemite Lakes is a TT/NACO park just 5 miles outside the gate on 120 on the west side, closest park to any of the gates. That said NONE of the gates are close to valley and you will do a lot of driving inside the park, it is a very big park. :B

We spent 2 weeks at Lakes a few years back and put almost 200 miles on the car only once going anywhere outside the park, all the rest of the miles were inside and we did not cover all the roads.

Yosemite Pines RV park on 120 is nice, and they have pull throughs that should accommodate your 40 footer. Also we are in a very dry year this year and they are not getting a lot of snow in the high-country and are predicting that pattern may continue all winter. If that does happen, then Tioga may open early next spring. It will be on Yosemite's website as well as Caltrans website.

As I recall, the closest CG would be the KOA. A typical over-priced cramped experience that KOA is famous for. This one charged us $6.00 per day for our two CATS. This was 8 yrs ago so I am sure that price has doubled by now. I would boondock in the fast lane of an LA freeway before I would give any KOA another dime.

I like the idea of coming in on the west side on 41.That way I stop an see high school buddy, living near Bakersfield,wow, known that guy for 60 years!!!! Anyway,need to find a campground near the West entrance, where 40' are welcome.

thanks

I would go I15 to 58 to 99 to 41. Not unusual for Tioga Pass to open late May or even to mid June. You would be on West side of park and can pick up 99 and I5 to go to Redding.

Two potential complications to this approach -

Tioga Pass (CA120) does not open until sometime in late spring. Each year there are threads highlighting its opening. Caltrans probably has a web page listing its historic opening dates

The drive on CA120 from US395 to the Valley is 75 miles, at least 2 hrs.