Travel Times in the California Sierras

[scott_davis5]

I'm planning a trip to the California Sierras, and I'm wondering how

long it takes to get to certain places driving-wise. Specifically,

what's the approximate drive time between San Francisco and Mono

Lake, from Mono Lake to Death Valley, and from Death Valley to San

Francisco. Any advice you can provide on this region would be greatly

appreciated.

[marymac]

I live in the SF bay area and though it's been several year since I drove to Mono Lake from here I believe it's about a 5-6 hour drive to Mono depending on the time of year (snow in the winter over the Sierras).

 

Death Valley is quite far south of there. I haven't driven that trip but mapquest shows 237 miles, 5.5 hours of driving. From Death Valley to SF is 529 miles 9.5 hours of driving. Keep in mind that both Mono Lake and Death Valley are on the Eastern side of the Sierras and any mountain passes are subject to snow in the winter months. Death Valley should be much more tolerable in the winter though!

[jmoody]

From San Jose, I think Death Valley is around 9 hours (oh how I wish it were less!!), and though I haven't done Mono Lake, I know that Yosemite is 4.5 to 5 hours depending on traffic etc... (and Mono's on the other side of that!). Great places to go, but get your driving gloves ready! (and a high-credit-limit gas card! I can only imagine what a gallon costs at the Furnace Creek station)

[jwittenberg]

Keep in mind that the drive from west yosemite over tioga pass to mono lake is very scenic and there are many, many places you'll want to stop and enjoy (and photograph). The same is true going from Mono to D.V. Try not to view the traveling as a commute to be finished as soon as possible - plan for time to stop and enjoy the views. Plan on a bare minumum of 1 day for each of the legs, if possible.

[heller_harris]

Just to amplify Mary's comment: You have to pay attention to the mountain passes, as some can be closed for more than six months of the year. We tried to plan an LA-Death Valley-Mono-Yosemite trip in winter, but found that the extra driving made it impossible to fit our time frame.

[frank uhlig]

Scott,

 

are you aware of the wisdom: less is more?

 

Unless you have 2+ weeks, I would go only part of your roundtrip and track back. Of course in a Porsche you could do all of your itinary in about 24 hours on speed.

 

But I assume you do not test-drive cars, but want to experience, see, photograph etc. SO: go to Mono Lake and track back for a pleasant 12 days or so. Get lost in the high forests near Calpine, take a dirt road, see ranches, people, lonely bars by the side-highway and live.

 

Another wisdom: nobody has seen the whole world.

[scott_davis5]

Yes- I'm looking to explore and experience the region. Too many things I want to do and see, not enough time as always. I have little sense of scale when it comes to California - I've not driven in the Sierras but once- and that was on my way to San Francisco from Reno, which took only about four hours. I know distances can be very deceiving, especially when driving mountain roads. After considering your advice, I think I'll cut it off at Bishop, with a one-day side trip to Manzanar. I'm going to skip Yosemite on this trip, so I think I'll have time to fit in some things. One day in Gold Rush country, two days at Mono Lake and vicinity, two days around Bishop, and one to drive back to Oakland.

[craig_gillette]

The big planning issue in the area is winter weather arrival and closing of the passes if you are looking towards the near future, or considering how long passes are closed if you are looking towards spring/summer trips. We spent some time in the eastern Sierra area in July and it was only shortly before that that they had opened the road/shuttles from Mammoth to Devil's Postpile. Tioga and the other passes between Tahoe and Tehachapi/Walker Passes close down at some point in the fall and it varies, maybe Cal. Department of Transportation's site can give some ideas, the Yosemite sites can give some info on typical Tioga closures.

 

However, if you cross at Donner or Tahoe, you have the Donner Pass, Lake Tahoe, Carson City and Virginia City areas which offer quite a bit of scenery and historic interest as well. While if timing permits, Tioga is perhaps the most famous and well known pass, the others are quite photogenic and and give a reason to see parts of the gold country as well.

 

It's only about 200 miles from Reno and 170 or so miles from Carson City to Bishop so while it's an easy one day drive, you have several interesting small towns, museums and historic areas as well as high sage brush valleys, volcanic areas, stunning high mountain vistas, rivers, lakes and streams, ghost towns, etc. You can easily fill several days in the area.

 

Just between Bridgeport and Bishop you've got Bodie, Mono Lake, June Lake (and other little resorts) and Mammoth Mountain/Devil's Postpile. Manzanar isn't that far south of Bishop but you've also got the Alabama Hills and Mount Whitney not too far away. It's geting close if not in fall color time in the areas north of Bishop. I doubt you'd find it hard to fill a whole day just in the Mono Lake and Bodie area. In the Mammoth Mountain area, you have the Mammoth Lakes, Devils Postpile and the San Joaquin river, falls, meadows and the Minarets.

 

The Mountain Light Gallery in Bishop might be interesting for a visit.