Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Driving from the N.BayArea

What do you consider the best night driving route from the Santa Rosa Area to Bishop/Lone Pine? We will be leaving at 3am.
Google says 120 thru Yosemite is the quickest but I'm not really sure. I wonder if hiway 50 to 395 might be better, less twisty turny , fewer deer I hope?

Thanks

Hi I like 50 to 88/89 and miss Carson City and join 395 at Markleville saves some time and a very nice drive . Thanks Doug

Here is a hot tip for driving from the Bay Area:

Forest Route 5, in El Dorado N.F., is a neat shortcut that we use in the Summer months. It starts about 10 miles east of Placerville on US 50, at Sly Park, and connects with highway 88 West of Carson Pass and the ski resort. The road is actually better than US 50. After exiting at Sly Park, it winds a bit through the residential areas until reaching Sly Park dam. Watch the signs for the correct left turn toward highway 88. There is almost no traffic on this road, and it avoids the mess at South Lake Tahoe. On reaching highway 88, turn East and proceed to Minden and US 395. You will save considerable time on this shortcut.

It is a wide, paved road.

Here is the link to El Dorado N.F. road info:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/eldorado/conditions/roads/index.shtml

Dustrunner, I looked up that route on Google maps. Here's the link.

Google says the route is 29 miles, 1 hour 10 minutes.

According to Google Maps, using the 50/89 to get to 88 is 1:01 min, but it predicts the shortcut route would take 1:44.

Looks like a fun road, though. Is it paved or dirt?

We usually drive it faster than Google Maps indicates, since it is free of traffic, and less stressful. Good, wide paving; in better shape than most of 50. Give it a try sometime and see what you think. We use it to go to and from Sacramento from Bishop, during the Summer. It is closed by snow most of the Winter. During the Winter we go 395-88-89-50.

When we go to Sac. next month, I'll time the journey from 50 to 88.

Just make sure your car is in good shape and you have plenty of gas in your tank. There is nothing but road and trees for that 29 mile stretch...on the other hand, it might be a good training hike...We used to go up there to cut firewood and it is pretty desolate. Very little traffic and no CHP patrols. That was before cell phones, so I couldn't tell you if there is cell phone coverage, but I can say I wouldn't want to break down in the middle of the night there...

I have tried all the routes from Santa Rosa. The best as far as easiest to drive and fastest for me has been.

101 - 580 - 120 - 395 .... Gas up in Oakdale and you should make it to Lone Pine ... its the only stop you need to make.

120 through Yosemite can be slow but to avoid all the other stuff its worth it. Catching the sunrise as you come down from Tioga Pass is great too.