Yosemite NP (Groveland) to Mendocino CA

If you don't want as many windy roads you can turn off I5 at Lodi onto CA12 and follow it all the way to CA1 and up the coast, or north at Santa Rosa on to US101 to Willits then over to CA1. Get used to narrow windy roads the closer you get to the coast.

Retired 02 wrote:
We are camping at Yosemite Lakes near the Northwest corner of Yosemite Natl Park, (official address is Groveland CA). We are travelling next to Mendocino CA on the coast. What is the best route to take pulling a 33 ft 5th wheel? The most direct route seems to be over to Manteca to I5, then up to 20 and west to Mendocino. Is this a doable route pulling a 5th wheel?

While there are more scenic routes to take, that is the easiest driving wise. I'd probably go up through the Napa Valley myself, but that's just because I like the scenery better.

This question comes up so often I have saved some suggestions.
Route to Ft Bragg area


Take Highway 20 West out of Williams. 37.1 miles.

Watch for Highway 53 as you drop down a hill after a fairly long climb. Easy climb and multiple lanes.
Turn what would be South onto 53. You will go about 8 miles. Look for the sign to Highway 29 which leads to Kelseyville. This is a nice road and will become freeway in a few miles. Eventually you are back to two lane for a short distance and will come to a stop sign. You are back to Highway 20 again. This leg is about 30 miles. Turn left and enjoy the beautiful drive right to 101. This route will bypass the two lane twisting and winding on the North side of Clear lake. If you want a good view of the lake go ahead and stay on 20 all the way to 101.

Take the ramp towards Willits. Once in town stay in the left lane and be patient. Traffic can back up a bit. You will come to a large intersection that has a shopping center on the right and fuel stations on three corners. Turn left and relax and enjoy a beautiful twisting and winding road that has plenty of pull outs to rest, calm queasy stomachs and stretch the pets.

This section may take you an hour. Use your shifting lever to keep things in a lower gear so you don’t get hot brakes. Nothing steep, just lots of slow curves.

After the 33 miles you will come to a stop light. Two ways to go, right or left. Left will take you to Mendocino and right will take you to Ft. Bragg. Be sure to make reservations in advance. Turning left there is a really nice campground “Pomo”, that we have used many times. Further down is Casper beach. My wife does not like the cramped spaces but I liked being able to walk across the street to the beach.


Adding to this. Keep an eye out for Elk along the road from Williams to the Clear Lake area. Another interesting place along the way on the right is an old mining camp. You will come to a three lane road, two lanes going uphill. On the right you will see an old slag dump. This is Abbot mine. It was a mercury mine in the 50's and 60's. "Quick Silver", is an incredibly heavy liquid metal at room temp. There were about a dozen families living at this mining camp at one time. A cook house, bunk house and showers were provided for many miners. Ore was trucked to the crushers, then entered furnaces. The slag was dumped over an embankment. The site was cleaned up several years ago so mostly memories are the only things left.

Hwy 20 from Willits to Fort Bragg is a little over 30 miles. The road has lots of curves but it has been recently re-paved and several turn-outs added or improved along the way. I see all types of rv's on this road. Not a problem. If the big lumber trucks can make it anything can...lol
The scenery is nice as well. Lots of trees. You will enjoy Mendocino and the Mendocino coast..??

Be sure to get some sandwiches at Granzella's in Williams, as you turn off 5 to 20. Excellent food.

that is the preferred route for most Rvs.