We'd appreciate advice about best route--for travel and scenery--from Yosemite NP to Denver? In late August. Route 50? or I-80? or some other? Assume 80 will be heavier traffic and bigger cities along the way--some we'd be interested in getting a quick look at--but we also like to go through country. Hope some familiar with that area can help??
If you don't mind the steep mountain passes, then highway 120 east over to 395 is a good shortcut, and can get you into Nevada faster. You may still want to see Lake Tahoe, that is a option from highway 50. There is a Costco that sells gas at the corner of 395 and 50. Gas is about 40 cents less in Nevada than California, and don't fill up in Bishop, it is probably $1 more than Nevada prices. Fill in Fresno, or that area.
I am split between recommending going south towards Las Vegas and seeing Zion National Park, then Bryce, and on to Moab, before going to I 70 and east to Denver. I 80 to Salt Lake City and then I 15 to I70 is going to be faster and not on a lonely stretch of seldom traveled roadway, like Highway 50 is.
I can highly recommend stopping in Moab, and the road on 128 towards I70 is very scenic, especially in the morning, if there are any clouds, they sometimes hang low over the river, giving great pictures. Arches NM and other places are worth the stop too.
I would take 120 East out of the park and then north on 395 to 50 East. 50 is a much better route in my opinion than 80 which will take you too far North anyway. 50 is just a two lane road but it is scenic (if you like desert scenery) and as an added bonus there is Great Basin National Park, a real hidden gem.
2006 Chevy HD LBZ Duramax/Allison
2006 Holiday Rambler Savoy 30sks
Late August is going to be hot. I'd visit Reno/Lake Tahoe to keep you elevated and cooler, then beeline it east of SLC to get into the mountains again. Spend some time at Flaming Gorge NRA before heading into north-central Colorado around Steamboat to Grand Lake, through RMNP, down State 7 to Nederland and finally Denver. This should keep you higher and cooler all the way from SLC to DEN.
- crossing the Sierra Nevadas: 120, US50, I80
- crossing Nevada and eastern Utah: I80, US50, or further south
- crossing the mountains: I80 Wyoming, I70 Colorado, US50 or ...
- the plains: depending on how you cross the mtns, you may have drive N or S to Denver.
Helpful suggestions I hadn't thought about. Good tips so far. Also realize that US 40 is in that area as well..any advice concerning it? Looks like we need to keep all these things in mind and may not decide until we're ready to start the trek east. This will be at the end of eventful trip west including Black Hills, Yellowstone, Glacier NP, Canadian Rockies, Vancouver, Oregon, and Pacific coast so we'll be assessing what is most important--to see and pace/time. I am aware it will be during "hot" period and we had decided we don't want the extreme hot. Appreciate any more thoughts.....
GPs wrote: Helpful suggestions I hadn't thought about. Good tips so far. Also realize that US 40 is in that area as well..any advice concerning it? Looks like we need to keep all these things in mind and may not decide until we're ready to start the trek east. This will be at the end of eventful trip west including Black Hills, Yellowstone, Glacier NP, Canadian Rockies, Vancouver, Oregon, and Pacific coast so we'll be assessing what is most important--to see and pace/time. I am aware it will be during "hot" period and we had decided we don't want the extreme hot. Appreciate any more thoughts.....
If you don't want the extreme heat, stay away from the Southern route going through Vegas and Southern Utah. Hwy 50 route is not that bad, average temps in August for Ely, NV don't even get to 100 degrees. It's high desert and the temps don't get like they do in the Southern lower desert areas. I've been across 80 in August and from Wendover, NV to SLC, UT it was scorching hot, that area is known for some warm temps.
Litch wrote: I would take 120 East out of the park and then north on 395 to 50 East. 50 is a much better route in my opinion than 80 which will take you too far North anyway. 50 is just a two lane road but it is scenic (if you like desert scenery) and as an added bonus there is Great Basin National Park, a real hidden gem.
X2 Highly recommended, you will see the best of the eastern slope of the Sierras (395) and the high desert of Nevada (50). As a TCer you will enjoy this scenic peaceful route.
Looking at Google Maps, the shortest route across Nevada is US6, 375 (ET Hwy), US93 through Tonopah and Caliente to Cedar City UT. Tonopah to Caliente is a long lonely stretch without the promise of gas, but otherwise an easy drive.
From Cedar City, UT 14 and 12 is very scenic, taking you past Cedar Breaks, Bryce, Escalante and Capitol Reef. From there you continue north to I70/US50, or SE across Glen Canyon to SE Utah.
You have multiple choices across Colorado, from US40 in the north to US160 in the south. I70 is one of the most scenic stretches of interstate.
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