Depending on your route, the trip can be between roughly 330 and 560 miles long. Expect a whole variety of mountains, lakes, streams, forests, and waterfalls once you reach the canyon area. 6725 Lee Canyon Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89124, USA. After all, this post is specifically about the road between Las Vegas and Yosemite - not the park itself. The sand dunes display spectacular golden glow at sunset but the pristine contours at sunrise is also worth the effort. Funky, free sculpture park in the desert featuring 7 offbeat works by Belgian artists & a gift shop. Just go inside get your verification of annual pass, get some free information, MAP and enjoy))). The area offers a range of outdoor activities including hiking, horseback riding, biking, scooter tours, bird watching and rock climbing, as well as opportunities to learn about the natural and cultural history of the Mojave Desert. (Kidding.). Mesquite Sand Dunes are not the only dunes in Death Valley, but theyre definitely the most accessible since youll need a four by four and special wheels to get to the other dunes. Avoiding crowds is also quite simple - visiting in May or September should guarantee you a quieter and cheaper stay. 228 reviews. 2 hr drive out of vegas right pass Beatty, NV. If beautiful red canyons, ghost towns, alpine lakes, and the all-encompassing beauty that is Yosemite National Park sound like a trip you'd love to go on, consider doing a road trip from Las Vegas to San Francisco. I think sunset is the best at this location with all the shadows band contrasts. Its a bumpy ride, but beautiful. Located off Highway 190 in the center of the park, the dunes are easy to reach. Your email will not be provided to third parties. For just a $7 entry fee, you can get your fill of rock climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding, and hiking! The same trail leads further on to Glen Aulin, a backcountry High Sierra Camp, and beyond to dramatic Waterwheel Falls, where gusts of water are blasted off the face of the falls far out into the air. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, and may earn fees by linking to Amazon. The access road is often closed by snow in winter. All of the roads between Las Vegas and Yosemite are fully paved, so the majority of vehicles will have no issues driving on them. Poisoned Her Husband With Horse Tranquilizer-! Laren Sims - Facebook There are also a few short trails to hike around the spring if you prefer that as an alternative. This place is the best place in Death Valley for taking a break. You will walk on dried salt. If youre looking for some inspiration, or just want to see what kinds of scenic stops are out there, keep reading. Definitely don't wear your favorite shoes lol. Unfortunately there isnt a pool. The primary source of sand is the Cottonwood Mountains. For starters, the city is home to a variety of museums and art galleries, including the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the California Living Museum. The resort is very laid back and the village area is nice, we would love to go back to Mammoth one day during the main winter season. The drive up just demands a number of stops to take photos, and the drive down into Yosemite is no different. If you visit the Eastern Sierra region and skip Mammoth, did you really even visit? That means if you decide to leave the park to explore all the cool landmarks to the east or west of the park, youll be able to get back into the park within 7 days without having to pay that fee again. This is a great place for wildlife spotting too, so keep your eyes peeled for coyotes, kangaroo rats, and desert foxes. 11 Awesome Stops on a Las Vegas to Yosemite Road - VickyFlipFlopTravels For a bird's-eye view, take the short, steep. Navigate backward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Drinking extra water does help though.) You will find the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes beside the road just before Stovepipe Wells. The road trip from Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park can be done in about 6 hours 20 minutes and covers around 370 miles. You can also check outJune Lake Brewingor theOhanas395food truck if youre looking for lunch bites/brews! After this, you'll get a grand view of the Sierra Nevada mountain range running right along the road to the west. 7/17/2020 Its lucky to get reservations and come to this place. Get inspired for your trip to Las Vegas with our curated itineraries that are jam-packed with popular attractions everyday! Yosemite Falls is covered behind a sign marking the water level of the 1997 flood in Yosemite National Park, Calif., as seen on Jan. 7, 2017. I would recommend to take a guided tour of the castle, since there is so much to discover here! Yosemite Valley closing 4/28/23. Stretch your legs exploring the large subalpine meadow that is teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. Methuselah, a tree registered at 4,851 years old in 2019, and the other bistlecone pines in the area have had their location erased from the Internet. These also the most accessible sand dunes in the national park, situated just off of Highway 190, a couple of miles east of Stovepipe Wells. There is a challenging and not stroller friendly climb to get to the top and see the hexagon tops of the basalt formations. Road Trip from Phoenix to Yosemite National Park - LazyTrips If you are looking for the best views in Yosemite Park for sunsets minus the crowds or a challenging hike, Tuolumne Meadows, a vast high-elevation meadow 8,600 feet high near the Tuolumne River, should be a must-visit on your Yosemite weekend trip. We recommend taking a walk on the dunes, however there is no marked trail because the sand is continuously shifting. The dunes rise up to 100 feet, and get their name for the mesquite trees located throughout the dunes. Death Valley is a desert valley in Eastern California, in the northern Mojave Desert, bordering the Great Basin Desert. Both Lake Ellery and Tioga Lake were iced over.. Do note, though, that pets are not allowed to explore the area with you, and that there are no food services available in the area. Absolutely beautiful. Yosemite National Park gets 4 million visitors per year. Besides that all was good. Be sure to check the temperature of the water before plunging. One of the impressive geological areas in Death Valley with stunning views. You can catch unique views of Cathedral Peak, Pothole Dome and Lembert Dome alongside the Tuolumne River Bridge and Tuolumne pools. Death Valley Sunrise - Mesquite Dunes, photo courtesy of @lifeof_peter_. The June Lake Loop takes you through the quaint mountain town of June Lake which you should definitely stop at and explore. For a nominal entrance fee, vehicles can drive the one-way 13-mile scenic drive and stop along the way at the 26 numbered hiking trails and rock climbing areas. Rooms are excellent. Answer 1 of 4: I have booked a one way car hire from Las Vegas to LAX, leaving Vegas on Friday 20 October AM to arrive LAX Hotel Monday 23rd in evening. A ranger suggested hiking down to the bottom of the Crater and it was so fun! Don't do that. My best friend had her fair share of laughs. Whichever you choose, you'll enter the park via the stunningly beautiful Tioga Pass, but keep in mind this road is closed from November to late May or early June due to snow. Top cities between Yosemite National Park and Las Vegas, Best stops along Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas drive. On top of that, with 4 spectacular on-site restaurants to choose from, you can expect to always be full and ready to take on another Yosemite adventure. Dress, Shoes, And Other Tips By Season]? Absolutely beautiful lake. Limits are pretty low, but was able to win a bit. There are also several golf courses in the area, as well as a waterpark and an amusement park. Water, restrooms and plenty of parking. The sand dunes extend 14 square miles with the highest dune one mile away from the parking lot. If you want to visit an attraction that's closer to Fresno's urban center but still a part of the park, Mariposa Grove is your ideal stop. Tours to Yosemite From Las Vegas | USA Today Thehike to Big Pine Lakes is easily one of the best day hikes in all of California. An ideal destination for family vacations, Tuolumne Meadows is a favorite spot for camping, fishing and swimming in the Tuolumne River. Have plenty of water and NEVER leave the road/trail-it is called Death Valley for a reason! The crystalline structures release popping sounds as the ground temperature rises. A treat to explore, its colorful canyons offer up all kinds of excellent outdoor activities with stupendous views and nature wherever you go. The 600ft deep volcanic crater is otherworldly!. It has since been restored to look as it did in the 1880s and has been turned into a fun roadside attraction aimed at transporting visitors back in time. Highly recommended! It is of the best Yosemite photography spots for many reasons. Youll find this meadow along Tioga Pass Road, north of the valley. If you have an extra day to spare on your Las Vegas to Yosemite road trip, this is undoubtedly going to be the most memorable stop. You can't get lost, as the canyon walls lead back to the trail head. Scotty's castle is a beautiful desert castle with a ton of interesting history. The trek to the dunes is relatively straightforward and most visitors find that they can complete the outbound hike in under 1.5 hours. There are 157.36 miles from Yosemite National Park to San Francisco in west direction and 191 miles (307.38 kilometers) by car, following the I-580 W route.. Yosemite National Park and San Francisco are 3 hours 40 mins far apart, if you drive non-stop .. Top things to do in Yosemite National Park - Plan your trip to YOSEMITE: accommodation, hikes and best viewpoints to see in Yosemite. It depends on when you visit! Calico Ghost Town recreates the California Silver Rush life with pioneer-style restaurants, shops, and sights. If youre spending a few days at Yosemite National Park, you may want to set aside a day to explore the back part of Yosemite along Tioga Road. Mammoth Lakes is a town in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. My suggestion is to . Las Vegas to San Francisco via Yosemite - Yosemite National Park Forum Admission is a donation. For a slower-paced visit to the famous national park, take a two-day tour. Guide to Yosemite National Park: best things to do + map 12 Best National Parks to Visit from Las Vegas - Nature Near Vegas Yosemite National Park Day Trip: 13 Unmissable Things To See. Check out this post for ideas! There are also numerous accommodation options here. Tuolumne Meadows Campground is located 1.5 hours from Yosemite Valley at approximately 8,600 feet. The total driving distance from Las Vegas, NV to Yosemite National Park is 366 miles or 589 kilometers. And that is the reason we came here to see an old Western-style Nevada town-themed attraction. Sunrise and sunset are especially beautiful. However, if going for a sunset, leave early as the parking lot gets full and several people are already claiming spots atop dunes to view the sunset. Home to a number of museums, cultural attractions, and parks, Fresno offers something for people of all ages. And finally, another viewpoint in Death Valley National Park thats definitely worth a visit: the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. We were greeted by a friendly, knowledgeable host, who went on to handle our service throughout our dining experience. By far the best time to take a soak in these pools is before/during sunrise and during sunset. I wish I had gone more often. Follow a 0.7km interpretive loop trail along the cliffs to learn a little geology and see jaw-dropping scenery. It has plenty of parking, no end to the views, tons of great photo ops, and beautifully fresh, clean air. Be sure to take the trail to the top of the formation. This attraction is out of the way, about 1 hour and 15 minutes (61 miles) one way. Wildlife-viewing refuge with more than 24,000 acres of boardwalk-accessible wetlands & desert. Big gambling floor. The canyon is a one-way scenic drive with lots of fun stops along the way. Its not too crowded, which is great when taking pictures. You can even fly over the Pahrump valley in a colorful hot air balloon! Answer 1 of 7: Hi all, My boyfriend and I are travelling from Las Vegas to Death Valley on the 23rd of May, then making our way to Yosemite on 24th and arriving 25th May 2015. Surrounded by mountains on all sides the smooth mounds of sand stand in stark contrast to the jagged purple mountains in the distance. That way, youll be able to explore at least some of what Californias Eastern Sierra region has to offer!