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sylvesterfam's avatar
sylvesterfam
Explorer
Jan 25, 2018

Family Road Trip

WE are planning a biggg road trip this summer. Our journey begins in Denver to Yosemite ... I am hoping for some suggestions on the best route to get there..
Map Quest is suggesting 70 west to 50 across utah, to 6 across nevada, then CA 120.. (tioga pass ) entering the park from that east side.

CA 120 is my main concern. Anyone towed on that road before and what can you tell me? Go or No Go ?

WE will be towing a 32' travel trailer and our daughter and family will be towing a 26' travel trailer.

thanks in advance for all suggestions and advice. We are new to this way of vacationing. :-)

LS

10 Replies

  • Don't know about 120, but 50 ain't no easy trip. But, I love 50, the loneliest road in America (that's what they say). Love Tonopah and even ugly Ely. Have a train museum there and a casino with a free RV park. There are a lot of steep passes on it as it runs east-west up and over the several mountain passes. The mountains run north-south formed as the glaciers melted and moved north. It's nice and flat between them. Couple of years ago we took a trip to Reno and since we had some time left, we thought we'd head east across Nevada to Utah and take in Arches and Canyonlands. Got out my mountain pass book (gives all of the grades of all mountain passes in the west). I think there were 7 or 8 passes with grades above 6% some over 8%. And parts of it have real tight corners. Since our "new" TV, a '94 GMC Suburban K1500 has a really weak, low compression engine (runs great, just no power), we decided it would be too much of a struggle for the sucky engine and instead headed north to home. (Made it to Arches the next year, coming from the north). We try to take the blue (two lane) highways all the time, go slower see more. If your rig has a decent engine you should be ok, but you rarely go over 55 on 50. Hard to make time on the two lanes.
  • It just dawned on me that you will be passing by Great Basin National Park. We were shocked at how great it was -- we expected desert (not that there is anything wrong with desert).

    Anyway, maybe check out this blog post -- lots of photos:

    GBNP
  • As stated above, 120 is a really good road. And, yes, fill up in Ely! Nevada in general is top-off-the-tank-when-you-see-a-station territory.

    Enjoy your trip!
  • Thank you BC4277 and Mike for the information!! Good to know..
    We will make sure to watch our speed in nevada and fill up in Ely.. PLan to stay over in tonopah and head to yosemite the next morning.

    I went to caltrans web site for road restrictions and parts of CA120 has a 30' advisory. I measured and we are 22' king pin to axle.. so i think we will be good.. Thank you all so very much..
  • CA 120 between Benton and US 395 is beautiful, however there are some length restrictions due to the roller coaster type hills. You may want to investigate this. Your 32 foot trailer will be close concerning your pin to rear axel distance. Other than that if you are OK with your measurement the drive is good.
  • Just watch your speed in Ely & Tonopah. Speeding tickets are a major source of income. FYI, there is no gas between Ely & Tonopah.

    If you exit Yosemite going west, be careful going thru the tunnel on SH 41 and if I remember there is a very steep grade on either SH 120 or SH 140.

    You can also visit Great Basin NP.
  • Wow! I love CA Hwy. 120...Tioga Pass. You’ll be fine. Lots of USFS CGs near town to stay before you take the road but NO cell service in Lee Vining. My Mom and Dad WARNED me about the Tioga Pass, so I had to take it as a young adult. Beautiful! Easy! Fun! Never forgave me for taking their daughter in law and grandchild on this “dangerous” drive. lol
  • Thank You so much for the reply !! I feel much better about the route now.. :-)
  • This may get moved to routes and roads forum, but anyway, 120 is a great road -- take your time and use the turnouts. Tioga Pass usually does not open until sometime in June, but this has been a bad snow year, so it may be earlier.

    By the way, 6 across Nevada is really great (to me) because it is so empty. Not like LA!!