Yosemite

Does anyone have any advice on a trip to Yosemite? Trying to figure out a schedule and things to do and where to stay. Going for 2 weeks next June and will ride 1 week and vacation with the family the next week. I'm planning on flying both ways. Don't want to spend all my time riding coast to coast. I'll either ship my bike or rent one out there.

Lots to ride & see! I am about an hour & a half away. Do you have a plan as to where you are staying? I mean, camping, hotelling, do you want to see other stuff? Ride every day far & late? Or, stay close & do some hard hiking? Do you want to see more of central CA(coast), or just that area?

John.

I'm moving this to Regional West, which might attract more locals to it.

I don't know enough about the area to make a good decision. Have had good input from Polarbear and still trying to figure it all out. The only thing firm at this point is I want to ride for a week. No real specific destination. I'm open to anything that I need to see.
Polarbear suggested a couple of lodges around the park. I'm trying to call them today. I'm also willing to RV it if I can figure out the best way to rent an RV and where to camp.
I understand that it is kind of crazy in the campgrounds but that would be ok. I like to be around the action. Would it be doable to actually camp the entire two weeks and take day trips on the bike from the campground the first week?

brprider679 said:

I don't know enough about the area to make a good decision. Have had good input from Polarbear and still trying to figure it all out. The only thing firm at this point is I want to ride for a week. No real specific destination. I'm open to anything that I need to see.
Polarbear suggested a couple of lodges around the park. I'm trying to call them today. I'm also willing to RV it if I can figure out the best way to rent an RV and where to camp.
I understand that it is kind of crazy in the campgrounds but that would be ok. I like to be around the action. Would it be doable to actually camp the entire two weeks and take day trips on the bike from the campground the first week?

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Sure, my recommendation is to stay in Curry Village rather than the Housekeeping area, but either works fine. No need to bring a tent that way. From there you can ride in and around the park. If you plan to go beyond that area however, staying put in one place will become problematic because you'll be wanting to travel too far from home base in Yosemite, i.e. if you want to ride over to Napa valley or the coast. You're going to need to define your vacation parameters. Much to see and do and you can't do it all in a week or two.

I was just there last Saturday!

Simply amazing place, but very compact and easily seen in one day. Lots of hiking available which could extend the trip indefinitely. But the actual Yosemite ring road is quite short.

On the way there, Priest Grade is an absolute MUST NOT MISS road. Talk about "pucker factor"!

Tioga pass is the best part of the ride. The Mobile Gas Station at the end of the pass has a Gormet Resturant inside! I had Buffalo Meatloaf that was to die for!

Be sure to bring binoculars. Lots of wildlife off in the distances at the edge of the meadows. Bears and Deer are everywhere if you look in the shadows. Using the binoculars to watch "fools" climb El'Capitan is amazing.

Have fun........Watch for crazy skateboarders that will pass you on the 11mile 7% plus downgrade on Tioga Pass. Watching them take the hairpin turns at 40mph, with no guard rails will get your attention!

BTW.........If you venture up to Napa area.........Rt29 is just repaved with nice banked corners and near no traffic. Could be voted best motorcycle road in America at this time!

I was thinking, a week in Yosemite riding is way too much. Think about riding in New York City. Lots to see, but better seen on foot, tons of cars. Hiking is awesome though, even short hikes. Coming this far, PCH is a must do as well!

You can see all you want on a bike in 2 days in Yosemite if you do not get off & hike.

I would make sure to see the valley, Tioga road side & then go out the back & up to Sonora pass back over. Maybe head over to Morro Bay, then up HWY 1 to Monterey, take 2 days to do that.

Keep us updated, Randy is down in Clovis, I am in Merced area, "Gateway to Yosemite" I hear there are some nice loops down near Randy.

Following on JStrube's thoughts about going over Sonora Pass, you might want to follow CA-49, which is a great ride and has a ton of Gold Rush places to see (like the gallows at Downieville or the first state capitol at Columbia).

If you can move your vacation up just a bit, you could attend the BMW NorCal Club's 49er Rally in Mariposa over the Memorial Day weekend.

I believe most of the passes are still closed up into the end of May or at best "iffy". It is already snowing like the dickens in some higher elevations of the Sierras. This past summer was the shortest "no snow" period in modern times.

True, although typically Tioga is open by Memorial Day, and when the 49er was held in Sonora a few years back, that pass was also open. But it's definitely variable.

I should have been a bit more specific regarding my riding. I don't have to stay in the park for a week. I will go anywhere to see anything for the first week. I just need to be back at the park for the second week when my family arrives.

Is there enough to keep us occupied for a family week in the park or do we need to venture someplace else after a few days in the park?

Well, if I was planning on spending a family week in the park, I would probably not spend your riding week in the park. Riding in the park is slow going, too many cars & busses. I would concentrate on seeing other parts of California outside the park & then meeting up with them for family week. I think a family (not sure age & number) could spend a week in the park hiking if they like that sort of thing. If they like it a little, I would spend a half week there & camp some other place the other half. Find a place they want to see, it can even by close by.

The park is great for hiking & sight seeing. My wife & I plan to go up to Tuolumne Meadows next week for some all day hiking. We've done day trips up there to hike Vernal/Nevada falls, the valley floor & such. We have never been over Tioga Road for hiking adventures, though I did ride it on my bike once. Lots of places I would like to stop & hike along there, so that is why we are making it our next adventure. We go to the park about 2 times to 3 times a year for the day. I have never camped there, since it is so close.

Now, for riding...

A day trip can be the "3 passes ride", Sonora, Monitor, Ebbetts.

A day trip can be a loop around Lake Tahoe, slow going, but beautiful. You can link it to the 3 passes or cut off a pass.

A day trip can start in Morro Bay (great campground there), head up HWY 1 to Monterey/Santa Cruz, or even Half Moon Bay, make it a 2 dayer.

Near Half Moon Bay is Alice's Restaurant, a sport bike hangout on Skyline.

Lots of E/W fun roads, etc as well.

I hear King's Canyon area has some great roads (near south entrance of Yosemite, well, not near, but S/O Yosemite).

Once you figure out logistics of your bike/rental bike, you can plan some very fun roads & eateries/camping spots, then meet up with the family for a week of camping & seeing the park.

Cell phones did not work in the valley for us, in case of emergency.

To stay in the park itself is expensive and advanced reservations are required. Better to stay in nearby towns like Mariposa or Oakhurst, etc.
120, Tioga should be open by June. But there is no guarantee.
49 north to Downieville? There is my favorite ride. But there are dozens or more of other nice roads all thru the area. Icehouse, Wentworth Springs. Look at Pioneer Lodge in Pioneer (Amador County). Another of my favorite places.
Don't forget Glacier Point.
Cell phones won't work in many many places in the hills and mountains. However, they do have a tower or equipment in Yosemite Valley itself. So right there they do.
Kings Canyon and Sequoia to the south are usually park of the tour thru' that area.
dc

Try the Tuolumne Lodge for a place to stay & eat.

When you go into the park ask the Ranger to remind the next ten vehicles "not to tailgate"...

If you are RVing it. There is the Marposa KOA you can stay at. You can even camp there if you are bike touring. There is also a hostile a couple of miles from the KOA on your way towards the park called the Yosemite Bug. It is aslo a great place to eat.

Just be careful going over the passes from October to May. I've ridden over all of these and have seen 20 feet of snow at the top where the road is literally carved throw the snow. Pretty cool to ride through, no pun intended, but can be challenging since the road surface has patches of snow and ice at time.

I have a friend with a house in Groveland on a golf course. About 20 minutes or so from the main gate... He rents the house out.. It sleeps 10. I've rented it from him a couple of times and it's very nice... and Groveland is a nice little town. PM me is you are interested... Not sure of his rates, but i'm sure it's cheaper than a hotel.

There is also a hostile a couple of miles from the KOA on your way towards the park called the Yosemite Bug.

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I thought we drove all of those heathen savages out years ago.. .. musta been a holdout.

Yosemite Bug