California HWY 49

[Aminopapa]

Hi
We are planning to go to Yosemite in early May after visiting San Francisco with our 36' Class A RV with Honda CR-V towed and have a few questions.
1. Use Mariposa Koa as our base camp is a good idea? Is Mariposa Fairground better?
2. How is the condition of California Hwy 49 North from Mariposa to Plymouth, then to I-80?
3. Where is the best place to stay in between Mariposa and Reno.
Any information you could give us is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[Ski_Pro_3]

I drive that portion of 49 regularly. There are alternative routes from Placerville to Auburn and still take in most of 49. First heading North, take Green Valley Rd. West to Lotus Rd. Head right on Lotus Rd. It will drop you out at the South Fork American River bridge onto 49. Go right and you are a couple miles from Coloma and the 1849 gold discovery site of Sutter's Mill. Lots of stuff to explore around there and white water rafting in season. Go left and you'll head North on 49 to the town of Cool. From Cool to Auburn is twisty. However, I seem to always be following either a loaded logging truck or a truck-n-transfer of gravel from the Cool gravel pit. If these huge rigs drive this daily, and the local traffic knows to expect 'em, then an RV, even with a toad, isn't gonna sweat it out. Besides, that section is only about 30 minutes long. As you head out of Cool and drop into the canyon, the primary view is of the North and Middle forks of American River. The bridge is at the confluence of these two. Go left and it takes you into downtown Auburn. Go right and it will take up to the Foresthill Bridge. Movies are filmed there, one of a sports car being driven off. Many base jumpers use it as well. It's less traveled than turning left, so I recommend that.
So basically you would only be on 49 twisty from Cool to the bridge, maybe 10 miles tops.

[wgriswold]

G7ARYM wrote:
Another view to consider. You would probably enjoy the trip better if you do not bother with 49 south of Auburn to Plymouth or so. Following 49 through Placerville was real tight and took up more than one lane for a couple of turns in the city. 49 is a great scenic “Racer Road” for sporty cars and fast bikes but at 54’ with a toad the 60 mile drive north from Jackson to I-80 took 2 ½ hours and was more work than it was worth last Sept. The road meets the legal width requirements for a 2 lane state hwy but where there are 15mph curves and no shoulder beyond the white line or a rock wall at the white line to the right, Hwy 49 drives very narrow. Also, turn offs are not very large or long and it is hard to clear the lane to let traffic past. Do you have the right to travel the road? Yes, but it may not be right considering the speeds you would be driving to feel safe. I prefer to be a good neighbor RV’er on the road and not some “Blankity blank” moving road block. It’s a very pretty area with lots of little shops and friendly people. Be safe.

This advice is right on. I travel frequently from Jackson to Hwy 50 but would never take my trailer on 49 from Hwy50 to Hwy 80. Instead I go a little west and take a route just south of Lake Folsom. Google Maps will find it for you.

[G7ARYM]

Another view to consider. You would probably enjoy the trip better if you do not bother with 49 south of Auburn to Plymouth or so. Following 49 through Placerville was real tight and took up more than one lane for a couple of turns in the city. 49 is a great scenic “Racer Road” for sporty cars and fast bikes but at 54’ with a toad the 60 mile drive north from Jackson to I-80 took 2 ½ hours and was more work than it was worth last Sept. The road meets the legal width requirements for a 2 lane state hwy but where there are 15mph curves and no shoulder beyond the white line or a rock wall at the white line to the right, Hwy 49 drives very narrow. Also, turn offs are not very large or long and it is hard to clear the lane to let traffic past. Do you have the right to travel the road? Yes, but it may not be right considering the speeds you would be driving to feel safe. I prefer to be a good neighbor RV’er on the road and not some “Blankity blank” moving road block. It’s a very pretty area with lots of little shops and friendly people. Be safe.

[Ski_Pro_3]

JimR 1 wrote:

skipro3 wrote:
To further explain going through P'ville;
49 North to the town of El Dorado. (stop at Poor Red's for a Golden Cadillac!) Turn right and at the 3rd light, turn left on Missouri Flat Rd. Takes you straight to Hwy 50. East bound to Tahoe.

A walking tour of downtown Placerville, Old Hangtown, park in the Post Office parking lot. (Weekends it's usually empty) Don't miss the Placerville Hardware Store, oldest West of the Mississippi.

P'ville is for Porterville CA and Placerville is Hangtown.

My brother in law worked at Poor Reds a long time ago.

JimR

Not according to TripAdvisor;
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g32898-d103127-r181017628-Bell_Tower-Placerville_Califor...

or even the local newspaper;
https://www.mtdemocrat.com/news/pville-teens-busted-in-tahoe/

Poor Red's; back in the day, they made their own charcoal from oak, down 49 about 2 miles South. The smell of oak smoke would fill the air for miles around. I loved it. Then CARB stepped in and ruined it. Some day they are supposed to put a round-about at that intersection. They just completed one in Pokerville. (Plymouth)

[Community Alumni]

skipro3 wrote:
To further explain going through P'ville;
49 North to the town of El Dorado. (stop at Poor Red's for a Golden Cadillac!) Turn right and at the 3rd light, turn left on Missouri Flat Rd. Takes you straight to Hwy 50. East bound to Tahoe.

A walking tour of downtown Placerville, Old Hangtown, park in the Post Office parking lot. (Weekends it's usually empty) Don't miss the Placerville Hardware Store, oldest West of the Mississippi.

P'ville is for Porterville CA and Placerville is Hangtown.

My brother in law worked at Poor Reds a long time ago.

JimR

[Ski_Pro_3]

To further explain going through P'ville;
49 North to the town of El Dorado. (stop at Poor Red's for a Golden Cadillac!) Turn right and at the 3rd light, turn left on Missouri Flat Rd. Takes you straight to Hwy 50. East bound to Tahoe.

A walking tour of downtown Placerville, Old Hangtown, park in the Post Office parking lot. (Weekends it's usually empty) Don't miss the Placerville Hardware Store, oldest West of the Mississippi.

[Community Alumni]

wgriswold wrote:
Most of 49 is fine but you do not want to use it where it goes through Placerville. As you approach Placerville turn left on Missouri Flat Road and that will take you to Hwy 50.

Big Ditto

JimR

[ktmrfs]

wgriswold wrote:
Most of 49 is fine but you do not want to use it where it goes through Placerville. As you approach Placerville turn left on Missouri Flat Road and that will take you to Hwy 50.

yes, that's the place where going through town wasn't real fun. What I recall was lots of traffic, pretty narrow lanes, and at least one sharp turn at the end of town. And very slow.

[wgriswold]

Most of 49 is fine but you do not want to use it where it goes through Placerville. As you approach Placerville turn left on Missouri Flat Road and that will take you to Hwy 50.

[ktmrfs]

bikendan wrote:
Highway 49 will be no problem. lots of big RVs and logging trucks use it all the time.

agreed. I'm 65ft overall and we had no problem on 49 southbound to yosemite. Actually the worst section was going through one small town (don't recall which one) where near the end of town there is a right angle turn on a two lane road with cars parked on the street. But even that wasn't bad.

and it is very scenic. There are plenty of long turnouts to let traffic get around you.

[bikendan]

Highway 49 will be no problem. lots of big RVs and logging trucks use it all the time.

[Ski_Pro_3]

I've driven 49 from Placerville to Yosemite several times. It's got some tight turns in places, but you should be good. Very scenic that time of year. Plymouth has an RV park worth staying at. If you are planning to go to Reno from Plymouth, I recommend staying on 49 to Placerville, then take US50 to South Lake Tahoe and over to Carson City, then on to Reno.