California Sierra 2 wks mid-June feasible ideas

If Yosemite is open, how should we figure on seeing it? Again, 25 foot MH, no toad, no reservations?

395 is an absolutely beautiful drive with many campgrounds along the way. That early in the season you won't have a difficult time getting a site without reservations.

You said you want to go to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. You can't get to Sequoia/Kings Canyon from 395. You'd have to go around to the other side of the mountains - around Fresno.

For Yosemite from 395 you'd be taking the highway from Lee Vining (120 and Tioga Pass). Keep a watch on the national park's site for road opening for 120. It's closed for snow right now.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

On 395 south of Lee Vining is the June Lake area with some very nice scenic forest service campgrounds - via the paved June Lake Loop road.

Further south be sure to stop in Lone Pine on 395. Interesting movie history in the area.

Also, we could reverse the loop if that makes any real difference as to when the roads open. That is, starting down by Vegas, and ending up by Reno. No one will know if it makes a difference until it does, I guess. :)

I do a lot of dry camping in the Sierras (Plumas, Tahoe, ElDorado NFs) and it could be hard to find campsites on the weekends. They fill up pretty fast usually (and the later the campgrounds open, the less likely a spot will be available because of the shorter season).

Check out the national forest website for non-reservable campgrounds. Those will be your best bet as you will be able to arrive during the week before others grab the sites.

With that, I did a quick search on some of my favorite campgrounds and with the exception of the Ice House area in ElDorado NF, none have notices of late openings. So, it might work out for you.

Since you'll be coming in at I-80 and going out around Vegas/Needles, you might go south on 395 from Tahoe and hit the Lee Vining and Mammoth areas. Check www.parks.ca.gov for info on Bodie Historical Park (they are currently accessing damages). The Mono Lake area is also nice. And that is just east of Yosemite, so you could hop over easily.

Much greater snow pack than in most recent years. Some of the higher passes will open later than normal.

One section of highway we enjoy when just cruising along is Hwy 89. On a map it comes off I-5 at Mt Shasta and ends at 395 near topaz. Click Here for Hwy 89 Description

Good thought on the hiking. I edited the post to say we do some mild hiking but are not real hikers. We are sightseers and campers.

Yeah, the snow pack is the wild card. We could use the time to spend two weeks in Colorado instead, and see this part of CA another time. A decision might not be made until sometime in May. But our preference would be to do this, if the conditions allow it.

Snowman, it depends on what you like to do. If you are a hiker, there is so much available. Let us know.

Very smart idea to take it easy in the Sierras, rather than moving all the time. Soak it in!

The only hitch is that there is so much snow that many of the high country roads may not be open until mid-June or later. But the waterfalls will be amazing this year!