Utah to Yosemite.

[Airborne6]

Retire in 16 days...Yahoo!!!! Not that I'm counting down. Streaming west from Lake Superior on 10 Jun through July Aug ???? Current plan is to be in Yosemite Ca on 10 July. My thought is to take hwy 56 from Cedar City Utah and picking up hwy 319 to 93 and eventually hwy 6. Is this route viable??? Anything to be concerned???? Any recommendations will be appreciated. ⛺️⛺️

[youngpeck]

Originally Posted by Airborne6

. . . My thought is to take hwy 56 from Cedar City Utah and picking up hwy 319 to 93 and eventually hwy 6. Is this route viable??? Anything to be concerned???? Any recommendations will be appreciated. ⛺️⛺️

The condition of Utah State Highway 56 is worth a phone call to the State of Utah Highway Department. Just about a year ago a hundred-year rainfall caused Interstate 15 to be closed in Arizona and Nevada for several weeks, and the detour was on Highway 56. Up to that time this highway had not been upgraded from its early 1950s build, and was really showing its age. Bumpy, narrow, no shoulders, bad alignment and low visibility on grades and hills. During its use a year ago as a detour it took most of the traffic--trucks and autos--that normally would use I-15, and it took a lot of abuse. There was talk of at least resurfacing the road after I-15 was reopened, and I haven't heard if this happened. I would definitely check with the Utah Highway Department. It's a lonely route, especially the connections in Nevada, but quite beautiful if you appreciate the wide open spaces.

[Airborne6]

Thank you for the info. I don't mind lonely or quiet but I wil heed your advise and call the Utah highway hot line.

[mandolindave]

Yes…..heat

Salt Lake City average high is 95 degrees, every day in July. Canyonlands has an average of 16 days, over 100 degrees in July. With extremes up to 116 degrees. But don't be taken off guard by 50 degree temps shortly after sunset.

While hiking, I dealt with the heat by only hiking between 5:30 and 9:00 am and pm. Your transmission might like those hours too.

You might want to figure out when and where you are going to be. Check the average temps

[Len n Jeanne]

If you're up for a detour, you might visit the Great Basin National Park and Lehman Caves near Baker, NV. Cool scenery and one of the few national parks without big crowds in the summer.

[Airborne6]

Len n Jeanne .... Living on Lake Superior we never have to take the heat into account. Thanks for the reminder that heat is an issue out that way. We will plan our day accordingly.

Mandolindave......Just checked out Great Basin NP and looks like a keeper. Hwy 50 may even be a better choice of travel since it sounds like it was recently redone. Will run it by my copilot.

[Nomad518]

As you approach CA, you should check on the roads going in to Yosemite. I don't believe Hwy 120 (Tioga Pass) is open yet. Normally doesn't open before Memorial Day, but we haven't had much snow this year (despite a couple of recent storms). Not sure I would enter Yosemite eastbound on the Tioga Pass road anyway. It's a long steep drive that tops out at almost 10,000 feet in elevation. Probably better to cross the Sierra on I-80 or Hwy 50 then head south to enter at one of the western entrances of Yosemite.

[paiceman]

If you have not been must see is Moab and the National Parks which surround the town. We went last year for the first time and are going back again this year about the same time as you.

[Nomad518]

Sorry, should have read your original post more closely before responding. If you're approaching Yosemite in July, Sierra road closures due to snow will not be an issue. However, there could be road closures due to forest fires. You'll know if this is the case. It will probably be national news. Our ongoing drought conditions have been the subject of national news for the last few months. Likely will be for the rest of the year. And, everything is so dry that the risk of forest fires is very high this year. There have been several big fires in and around Yosemite in the last two years. But, don't let that change your plans to visit. It's still a "must see" destination and one of the most beautiful National Parks in the country.

[Airborne6]

Paiceman. We are planning on being in Utah for around two weeks. We will be checking out as much as time will permit and we so look forward to exploring it all.
Nomad. The more I am informed, the more I think hwy 50 is a better choice. Entering Yosemite from the west is sounding better. Hopefully the fires will not be a issue. Once we leave Yosemite we plan on heading to the coast and heading north on hwy 1 and visiting redwood and crater lake and anywhere the wind blows us from there.

[Nomad518]

Sounds like a great trip in the planning. Yes, Hwy 50 is a good route. I've driven it myself towing my AS. There is a long steep pull leaving the South Lake Tahoe area, but it's doable and from the top of that incline it's pretty much down hill all the rest of the way. You may consider hopping off of Hwy 50 at Placerville and taking Hwy 49 down through the motherlode gold country to Yosemite. It's a pretty drive (with historic towns along the way). When you get ready to head north along Hwy 1, send another post and we'll give you tips for that part of your trip. That's a beautiful area with lots to see and do.

PS: It's not too early to make reservations for camping in the Yosemite area. The campgrounds in the park are probably already booked (those spots go fast in the peak summer months).

[Airborne6]

Thanks Nomad. The recommendations look very good. Our daughter and her boyfriend already have reservations at Yosemite and we are meeting them there. They go there at least once a year. This will be a first for us. We will post for recommendations again when we are ready to venture up the West Coast. Always good to hear from people that have been there.