As you venture outside the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, of course, the scenery doesn’t suddenly just stop. In fact, there are scenic drives all around California, which makes the task of getting to and from the park just that much more pleasant.
Here are a few of our favorite scenic drives around the state , any of which would make a great addition to your Yosemite vacation:
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
About a half day’s drive south of Yosemite, these national parks offer even more great opportunities for scenic drives.
The panoramic Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Highway 180) winds for over 35 miles past sheer drop-offs and switchbacks, twisting all the way to the bottom of the Kings River canyon. En route between Grant Grove and Cedar Grove, you’ll pass dizzying viewpoints of high Sierra Nevada peaks and also national forest recreation areas inside the Giant Sequoia National Monument, such as family-friendly Hume Lake. Note that this road is only open beyond Hume Lake between mid-April and mid-October, weather permitting.
Linking Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, the Generals Highway also passes through the Giant Sequoia National Monument of the Sequoia National Forest, where dirt roads lead to lush meadows, trailheads for granite peaks, and historic fire lookouts. After entering Sequoia National Park, the Generals Highway arrives at the Giant Forest, home to some of the largest-known giant sequoias in the world. Then the road dips down into the Sierra Nevada foothills, as epic mountain and river vistas open up. It’s a 45-mile drive from Kings Canyon National Park to the Foothills Visitor Center in Sequoia National Park, nearby the town of Three Rivers.
Starting outside Three Rivers, a rugged, but unforgettably beautiful side road climbs to the old mining settlement of Mineral King, also part of Sequoia National Park. Famous for its hundreds of narrow hairpin turns, the 25-mile Mineral King Road is a driving adventure. The road is often only one lane wide, so drive carefully, honk on blind turns, and don’t bring your RV or trailer. It’s all worth it, however, to reach the high-elevation Mineral King Valley, ringed by Sierra Nevada peaks on all sides. Note that this road is usually only open from late May through late October, weather permitting.
Eastern Sierra Scenic Byway (U.S. Hwy. 395)
East of Yosemite National Park, this 250-mile scenic byway cruises from Topaz Lake on the California/Nevada border all the way south beyond Lone Pine, passing 23 interpretive stops along the way. The Sierra Nevada scenery is jaw-dropping, especially on the high-elevation Whitney Portal side road below Mount Whitney. Still more side trips can take you into the Alabama Hills, where many Western movies were shot; to a high-altitude forest of ancient bristlecone pines, the longest-lived trees on earth; and to pristine lakes and natural hot springs.
Death Valley
If you’re itching to set foot on the lowest-elevation point in the Western hemisphere, head for Death Valley. East of Yosemite’s Tioga Pass entrance, take U.S. Hwy. 395 south past Lone Pine, then turn east on Highway 190, which tumbles downhill into the depths of the valley. Sand dunes, saltwater flats, volcanic craters, and other geological oddities with fearsome names like the “Devils Golf Course” await inside the valley. The best time to visit is during spring, when desert wildflowers bloom. From Lone Pine, it’s a 110-mile drive to Furnace Creek, the national park’s main visitor center and hub for visitor services.
Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway (CA Hwy. 4)
Although few people know about it, this beautiful 61-mile route passes through the alpine Sierra Nevada, north of Yosemite National Park and south of Lake Tahoe. The byway stretches between Calaveras Big Trees State Park and Grover Hot Springs State Park, reaching a peak elevation of about 8,500 feet. Epic mountain and lake vistas are practically guaranteed as you make your way between the towns of Arnold and Markleeville, the route’s two endpoints. Note that parts of this highway are typically closed during winter, usually from mid-November through May.
Lake Tahoe – Eastshore Drive
Although the entire loop around Lake Tahoe is a cool scenic drive, it’s the 28-mile stretch along the lake’s eastern shore that gets the most kudos. Since the lake enjoys an average of over 300 sunny days each year, your chances of snapping amazing photos of its azure waters with a backdrop of snowy Sierra Nevada peaks are excellent. Starting from the north at Crystal Bay, the eastern shoreline route passes by ski resorts, summertime beaches and coves, campgrounds, and hiking and mountain-biking trailheads. Finish off by kicking back in South Lake Tahoe, an outdoorsy all-seasons town, or at the casinos of Stateline, NV.
California’s Gold Country (CA Hwy. 49)
West of Yosemite, Highway 49 meanders for 200 miles through California’s Gold Country, rich in historical sites and pioneer flavor. Coming from the park, you’ll start in Jamestown, then drive north past Old West frontier towns, historical mining camps, state parks, and even wineries. You can cut your side trip short at Auburn, where I-80 leads west to Sacramento, the state capital. But to really get off the beaten path, keep driving north to Downieville and Sierra City, great jumping-off points for backcountry adventures. You can make this an even longer trip by continuing along the Yuba-Donner Scenic Byway, a 170-mile loop that officially starts and ends at Truckee, north of Lake Tahoe.
Big Sur via the Pacific Coast Highway (CA Hwy. 1)
The Pacific Coast Highway is justifiably California’s most famous scenic drive. Unless you have at least a week to drive all 1050 miles, you’ll have to settle for just a bite-sized portion of the highway. For scenery alone, it’s hard to beat the 100-mile stretch of Highway 1 that starts at Monterey Bay and passes through Big Sur country before reaching the beach town of Cambria, just south of Hearst Castle, a state historic site. Along the way are rugged beaches; hiking trailheads that lead to waterfalls and through old-growth redwood forests; and quirky art galleries, eateries, and small roadside lodgings in Big Sur, a bohemian escape for San Francisco city dwellers, as well as for artists and poets since the 1930s. South of Big Sur, don’t miss seeing the huge seasonal colony of elephant seals, just south of historic Piedras Blancas Light Station.
