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Bogey3025's avatar
Bogey3025
Explorer
May 30, 2014

Heading to Yosemite next week..

Traveling from AZ and taking the10 to the 99 to the CA140..
Pulling a 35ft FW with a HD2500 Dodge Diesel. We have a site large enough to accommodate our rig in the Lower Pines. Anyone ever been in that area, Anyone ever taken the route that we are taking? Any thoughts/words of wisdom??
Thanks...

18 Replies

  • Highway 41 peaks out at around 6000 feet before dropping down into Yosemite valley at 4000 feet. Not many, if any, switchbacks. As has been said already stay close to that center line. A buddy of mine drove his motorhome through the tunnel there and got too close to the side. He had to buy a new awning! My 5er is around 12 feet at the ac top and I've never had an issue. Right after the tunnel be prepared to slow down or even stop if there is room. The view is really nice.
  • Fresno Tundra Driver wrote:
    Don't take 140. Take the 99 to 41 north. It's a more direct route and will save you about 90-120 minutes. Should be really nice there next week. Bring your bikes. You can bike everywhere. Also, maybe bring a raft for floating down the Merced river. Be safe and have a great time!


    Thanks, we are bringing the bikes!
  • othertonka wrote:
    If traveling north on 99, you can catch Hwy 41 in Fresno and go to Yosemite that way, instead of going further north on 99 to hwy 140 in Merced. Don't be scared when you see the height signs on the tunnels in Yosemite. The measurement is at the extreme curb side of the tunnel and it arches up from there in the middle, so just hug the center line and you should be fine. 45 ft tour busses go through all the time. Have a nice trip.


    Thanks for responding...

    We were told we we are too high for the tunnels we are at 13. What's the climb like on the 41?
    How are the switchbacks and the road conditions??
  • Stayed at upper pines in March with snow. Had a battery failure and left after only 4 days. Took 140 out to 99 because of much less elevation, even though we came in on 41. 140 was a very long drive for us and exhausting getting back.
  • Don't take 140. Take the 99 to 41 north. It's a more direct route and will save you about 90-120 minutes. Should be really nice there next week. Bring your bikes. You can bike everywhere. Also, maybe bring a raft for floating down the Merced river. Be safe and have a great time!
  • If traveling north on 99, you can catch Hwy 41 in Fresno and go to Yosemite that way, instead of going further north on 99 to hwy 140 in Merced. Don't be scared when you see the height signs on the tunnels in Yosemite. The measurement is at the extreme curb side of the tunnel and it arches up from there in the middle, so just hug the center line and you should be fine. 45 ft tour busses go through all the time. Have a nice trip.

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