Must cross Yosemite NP to Convict Lake?

[joe_julie81]

We are going from Fresno to Convict Lake and the most common route seems to include CA 120 through Yosemite NP. My question is do you have to pay the park entrance fee for Yosemite to get through the park to the other side to access US 395 to go to Convict Lake, if Yosemite is not your destination? If so is there another option to circumvent the park and avoid the fee?

[ppine]

Crossing the Sierras is not that easy, especially late in the fall. I don't like 120 much over Tioga because it is built to NPS standards. It is full of curves and very narrow. I agree about 4 and 108 having similar challenges. Route 88 is my favorite for towing a trailer. Route 50 is pretty good and so is I-80 but those are pretty far north for you. People look at maps all the time underestimate the difficult of certain routes. The Sierra is a giant fault block thrown to the west. The east side is steep and windy now matter where you cross it.

[Cordelia]

Yes you must pay the Yosemite fee to drive thru the park on 120. The pass will be closed soon until late spring. It is not plowed in the winter. 88 is the most southern pass open in the winter. To avoid the fee you would need to use a more northern pass. Both 4 and 108 are steep and narrow.