Sierra Nevada- A 2 week trip
- Annie Mason
- Jan 22, 2024
- 21 min read
From San Francisco via Sequoia-Yosemite-Mammoth- Lake Tahoe
Trip Length: 14 days
Trip Budget: $400 US per day for a couple
$200-Accommodation (for double room 3star, with $400 a night not uncommon for something basic in popular areas. The good old basic Motel 7’s and their like are around the $100 and many are looking really shabby).
$50-Car Hire per day all inclusive – we dropped and picked up a San Francisco International Airport easily
$150- Food and others. The US has risen in cost dramatically in the past 2 years. Certain pockets and states are more expensive than others and this area is in that group. With fuel between $5-6 a gallon, food in supermarkets up to 100% higher than 2 years ago and activity cost through the ceiling, there are not many bargains to be had on the main tourist routes. Travelling with Euro or GB is much better than the poor old Aussie $.
The USA at a glance:
1. Visa: Technically you don’t need a visa for most countries to visit but you have to register for a visa exemption called an ESTA online. This takes a few days, cost under $20 and lasts 2 years.
3. Safety: We all see reports about safety in the US and you will have to make your own decisions. Many people have very bad experiences whilst others have no concerns. There is no doubt violent crime is higher than many other western countries and there are places you should take extreme care. Some of the large cities are just plain dangerous in some parts. Also, never leave valuables in a car as break ins to steal possessions are common.
4. Money: ATM and drive through cash points are everywhere and all major cards taken in even small places. An increasing number of places only take card. Oh yes, if you are doing a road trip and shop at Safeway, you save between 20-50% on selected items if you become a member at the check-out. Just fill in a US phone number (we used our hotel contact number) to get the discount.
5. Tipping: Now the big one for Aussies, tipping. I know in countries you follow the norms and expectations of the country- so we begrudgingly tip 10%. Never the 22% that is frequently added and often expected and never of the entire bill, we subtract the tax. It is no longer to ensure servers are paid a living wage as wages have risen but allows the owners to make larger profits- that simple. It is a uniquely American economic construct that most of the rest of us don’t get. Not paying can cause rudeness and spoil your evening. Anyhow, enough of my feelings on that one.
6. Tax and extras on bills: Remember extras are often added to the bill as what you see is not usually what you pay. We booked a hotel to get the final bill nearly double the advertised amount. There were 2 different taxes 22% in total, a cleaning fee and a facility fee. Who would have thought you had to pay extra for reception add room cleaning in a hotel.
7. Communication: Free wifi is easily available and phone reception good. T- Mobile has good coverage now (this was not the case a few years ago) and most plans you get from home can include the US.
8. Eating: Take away remains the cheapest and most readily available way to eat- and you don’t have the tipping issue.
9. Culture: How do I say this nicely? I do not wish to offend the many lovely Americans we have met but, the USA is a divided nation. The gap between the rich and poor is extreme and homelessness endemic in some area (San Francisco included). There are seemingly insurmountable political divisions with the very conservative trying (or maybe not trying) to exist alongside liberals- and everything in-between. Discuss politics with caution. We have been aggressively approached when trying to question to gain understanding. This is not even considering racial divides and immigrants.
10. Insurance: This is not a place to visit without insurance as medical care remains a complex issue in the US. The power of big pharma is evident with every second advertisement on TV for a drug.
The Sierra Nevada at a Glance
1. The Sierra Nevada Mountains, also referred to as the Sierra or High Sierra, is a major mountain range that stretches along the eastern border of California. The Sierra’s are home to 3 iconic national parks, 2 national monuments, 10 national forests, 26 state parks with over 5,300 square miles (13,730 sq. km) of protected wilderness.
National parks and monuments in the Sierra Nevada include:
Additionally, the range contains a number of stunning national forests, we visited:
2. There are millions of dead trees in this area. This is a result of Co2 that has been held for thousands of years being released from the soil after plate movement in the late 1980’s. These levels are extreme and killing off millions of trees in large pockets of forest. This has made the water toxic in some lakes (Horseshoe). There is no solution except for some reforestation but the hope is levels are declining.
3. The area can be overwhelmed with tourists. You have to time your visit and avoid weekends and high season days where prices double and lines can be 2-3 hours.
4. Geologists use a volcano index (VEI), which ranges in magnitude from 1 to 8. A supervolcano is one that erupts with a magnitude of 8. The United States has three supervolcanoes—Yellowstone , Valles Caldera, and the Long Valley Caldera. Mammoth Mountain is part of the Long Valley Caldera (a 200-square-mile depression formed 760,000 years ago running south of Mono Lake). The most recent volcanic eruption occurred 250 years ago on Paoha Island in Mono Lake. It’s believed the next eruption in the US will occur in the Long Valley Caldera and is ranked as a very high threat.
5. This area is about the outdoors with famous winter skiing and thousands of miles of summer hiking trails.
6. The giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is the world's largest tree. It grows naturally only in a narrow 60-mile band of mixed conifer forest on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California.
7. An old travellers tip- when doing a loop around a site, like a lake, go in the right direction to pull off for the view. In Lake Tahoe for example that means going clockwise to keep the lake on the best side to pull over for photos.
Our Route
Our Route was around 18hrs of driving time and nearly 1000miles (1600km). It could have circled from LA as easily, but we were cruising home from San Francisco and met our son there. None of the driving was difficult. Fuel was expensive at $6 a gallon on average but the car hire prices have dropped back to more reasonable prices. We used Hertz simply because they has the best deal and late opening hours for collection at San Francisco Airport.
DAY 1-2 San Francisco
San Francisco was founded 1776 and named after Francis of Assisi and came into its own when the gold rush in 1849 brought rapid growth turning it into the largest city on the West Coast with ¼ of California’s population. The city was almost completely destroyed after the 1906 earthquake and resulting fires but was quickly rebuilt. It was a major port of embarkation for WW11 ships in 1945 and the UN was established here. After the war returning servicemen and significant migration made it the centre of liberal attitudes and by the 1960’s it was the hub of the beatnik and hippie culture, the sexual revolution, and the peace movement.
San Francisco and the surrounding Bay area are a global center of economic activity and the arts and sciences and technology. The metropolitan area, with 6.7 million people, ranked 2nd by GDP per capita ($131,082) across the OECD ahead of London and Paris. For a number of reasons, the area suffered a severe exodus of businesses in the early 2000’s which escalated during the Pandemic suggesting that the bubble has burst, and the future of the area is uncertain.
Be warned: This is an expensive city with accommodation for a double room easily over $500 a night.
Day 1:
The iconic cable car. The cable car experience starts while waiting at the cable car turnarounds (at Powell or California and Market Streets) or along the routes, waiting for the cable cars to approach. Once you hop on the cable car, you can either find a seat or hold on to the handles as you hang on for the ride. The cable car gripmen handle the grips to move the cars. And let's not forget about the cable car bell ringing. The cable cars are the world's last manually operated cable car system, a tramway whose cars are pulled along by cables embedded in the street. They operate much as they did in 1873. A single ride costs $8, no matter your age or the time of day. You can pay with exact change or via app. There are designated cable car stops along each route. Payment will be collected after you board. You can find out about the history of San Francisco's cable cars—at the Cable Car Museum in Mason St.
Lombard Street: A 20-minute walk from Pier 39 is one of the most visited spots in the city, Lombard Street. It is known as “the most crooked street in the world” and you can walk here or drive.
Alcatraz Island: You can take the ferry from Pier 33 to visit Alcatraz. Alcatraz was the site of the first lighthouse in the Western United States but became a federal penitentiary from 1934-1963, housing famous convicts such as Al Capone. Alcatraz City Cruises is the official ferry provider to Alcatraz and charge $41 for an adult. Departures start at 8:40 AM and are available every half an hour throughout the day. Cruises frequently sell out. Touring the island at your own pace as there is no formal tour but an audio tour is available for the cell house portion of your visit. To allow ample time for screening, arrive at Alcatraz Landing at least 45 minutes before your departure . BYO Food and drinks as there isn’t many on the island.
Day 2:
Golden Gate Bridge: Crossing and the Viewpoints: Crossing the strait of the Golden Gate from San Francisco’s Presidio to the Marin headlands is the world-renowned Golden Gate Bridge built in 1937 after a four-year struggle against relentless winds, fog, rock and treacherous tides. Once called “the bridge that couldn’t be built,” it is one the seven wonders of the modern world. The 1.7 mile-long bridge is anchored by towers that are 746 feet high. To support the suspended roadway, two cables—each more than 7,000 feet in length and containing 80,000 miles of wire—stretch over the top of the towers and are rooted in concrete anchorages on shore.
Pedestrians, including wheelchair users and cyclists, can walk across the bridge during the day. There are viewpoints on both the north and south sides of the bridge. Both ends have parking lots with limited space but are closed to vehicles on weekends and holidays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. We found the Presidio Yacht Club, below the bridge has a parking lot by the water and you can walk around along the piers, to Battery Yates from where you can see the San Francisco skyline and is not as crowded as the viewpoints above.
Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39. Fisherman’s Wharf is the place if you want touristy. There are sea lions on the pier, places to eat and shop and sit in the sun. Pier 39 is also the starting point of the cable car and nearly by to Pier 27 and the cruise terminal.
Golden gate Park: This iconic park of 1,017 acres is lovely.
Ghirardelli Square & San Francisco Brewing Co: Ghirardelli Square is a full city block of 19th century brick buildings, formerly factories of various kinds, repurposed in the 1960's into a collection of restaurants and shops. The buildings are arranged around a "square", with a mermaid fountain and places to sit.
DAY3-4-5 Visalia: For Sequoia National Park, Giant Sequoia National Monument and Kings Canyon National Park.
Day 3: San Francisco to Visalia
The drive is just under 4 hours and 240 miles
Day 4: Kings Canyon
Visitors can drive through Sequoia into Kings Canyon National Parks along the Generals Highway during the spring into the fall. You can head out on the route below and in a long day do a quick visit to both parks but would have no walking time as driving alone is over 6 hours for the loop. You don’t get to Grove deeper in Kings Canyon but you do go to Grants Grove and Redwood Canyon. Or you can split the trip into 2 days.
Kings Canyon is a glacially carved canyon which has the greatest riverbed-to-summit height differential of any canyon in North America. Located next to Sequoia National Park the two sort of roll into one. Kings Canyon Park is composed of two distinct areas - Grant Grove (home to the General Grant tree, also known as "the Nation's Christmas Tree”, at the start of the park and further in to Cedar Grove. Kings Canyon is also home to Redwood Canyon, the largest remaining grove of sequoia trees in the world.
Day 5: Sequoia
Home to six of the 10 largest trees on Earth, Sequoia is a national treasure. The undisputed king of the forest is the General Sherman Tree, not only the largest living tree in the world, but also the largest living organism, by volume.
Two areas of Giant Sequoia National Monument offer some fascinating highlights—the lands northeast of Grant Grove with 13 groves and the Big Meadows/Jennie Lakes area with 20 groves. As you drive east from Grant Grove on the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, you pass the Converse Basin Grove, once reputed to be the largest sequoia grove in the Sierra. Walk the 2.5-mile Boole Tree Loop through the grove’s sad remains—a maze of immense stumps amid a second-growth mixed forest and the solitary Boole Tree, which was named for the lumber foreman who cut down all the other sequoia trees in this grove. Nearby is the Chicago Stump Trail. A 20-foot stump is all that remains of a sequoia named the General Noble Tree, which, in 1897, was sawed into numbered sections, then transported and reassembled for the Chicago World’s Fair.Farther south and a short drive off Generals Highway, climb the 172-step steel stairway to visit Buck Rock Lookout, a fire lookout tower perched on top of a bald granite dome. Also in this vicinity are several Forest Service campgrounds, plus hiking trails that lead into the 10,500-acre Jennie Lakes Wilderness.
Trail of 100 Giants: is in the other direction from Visalai and has an easy walk through the Long Meadow Grove, one of the premier groves of giant sequoias.Along the trail, you'll see impressively large giant sequoia trees, estimated up to 1,500 years old. A 1.3 mile paved trail has several loop options with interpretive signs for some of the highlights. A $12.00 per vehicle fee is charged to help maintain and improve these facilities. The roads leading to the Trail are typically closed by snow during the winter months.
DAY 6-7-8 Yosemite Village: For Yosemite National Park
Things you should know about Yosemite:
1. It is worth it to stay in the valley itself if you can because once in you can cycle around to the main sites and do not even use your car. You get a parking spot. You do have to book well ahead to get accommodation and it is expensive. If not, there are many places around, but they add to the driving time if you are there in busy seasons and the need to get there early to guarantee a parking spot. We were there in September just after labour day and had no ques and no problem parking. We went early one morning but mid-day on the other day also had no delays.
2. Avoid peak season- and I really mean AVOID. There are massive ques of hours to get in through the entry gates, lines for food, a crawl of cars through the park, lines for shuttle buses (which may well be full) and no parking. All in all, a nightmare!
3. There are several entrance gates, and we came through the southern gate near Wawona. It is $35 a vehicle for 7 days. If you are going to more Parks, buying an America the Beautiful Pass for $80 a year might be worth it as it allows you into multiple parks, multiple times (not all national and state parks are included).
4. Stretching nearly eight miles from east to west and with granite walls more than twice the height of the Empire State Building, Yosemite Valley is one of the wonders of the natural world and a highlight of the Sierras. Carved by a glacial and formed over 30 million years its quite a sight.
5. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt camped in a meadow near Bridaveil Falls Yosemite with naturalist John Muir. The beauty and magnificence of Yosemite led Roosevelt to expand federal protection of Yosemite, and it inspired him to sign into existence five national parks, 18 national monuments, 55 national bird sanctuaries and wildlife refuges, and 150 national forests.
Day 6: Visalia to Yosemite Village
Leave Visalia for Yosemite Village ( 3hrs:136 miles, 213 km).
Before you reach the valley itself you will come into the Park at the southern entrance and have several good stops.
Glacier point a well-known viewpoint is opened from June till September. Some would say, is the most spectacular viewpoint anywhere. Most people agree that its views of the high country and breathtaking views of Yosemite Valley, including Half Dome and three waterfalls, are the most spectacular in the park. Washburn Point, just south of Glacier Point, has similar views, though the views of Vernal and Nevada Falls are a bit better. Sunrise or sunset, when Half Dome and its granite neighbours turn pink is a popular time to visit.
Tunnel view is the striking as view of the valley when you exit the Wawona Tunnel. It stretches all the way to Half Dome. It might take a few minutes to find a free parking space but it’s a quick stop so the cars here change quickly. You can hike 1.2-mile to Inspiration Point from the tunnel’s upper parking lot.
Bridaveil Falls: The road drops down to the valley floor and before you get to the divided road you will get to Bridalveil Falls, a 620 feet slither of white water tumbling down a granite face beneath Cathedral Rocks. Walk a minute or two from the car park and you get right under the waterfall.
Stop in the meadow near the falls to see the place where Roosevelt camped in 1903 before establishing the Yosemite national park and look at El captain across the meadow.
Southside Drive then runs along the Merced River, a slow-flowing place for swimming, tubing, rafting, and fishing (in spring when water levels are higher) to Cathedral Beach. You can look up at 3,593-foot El Capitanand with binoculars see the rock climbers. Once the road splits into a one-way system there are only 2 turn around places. Follow the road into the village.
Yosemite Village: The village has the park’s main visitor centre, a grocery store, gas station, post office, medical clinic, museum, art gallery and Wilder ness where backpackers can obtain wilderness permits and hiking essentials. We were surprised that the valley itself is rather small and compact with people using every possible track and inch of land. It’s still has a treed and lush feel but is not a ‘wilderness’ by any means with many paths fully sealed.
Look for parking in the Yosemite Village Parking. This lot near places to stay and eat. A free shuttle service runs all over the valley and there is a stop is here. Parking fills up by mid-morning. Don't forget where you parked your car! Driving or parking on vegetation is prohibited.
Day 7: Yosemite Valley
Many of the landmarks scattered around the valley’s eastern end are best reached on foot, bike or shuttle from Yosemite Village. Best not to move your car once you have a park. We found cycling good as you can stop when you like and don’t rely on the shuttle schedule. There are 2 bike rentals and its $30 a ½ day or $45 a full day. The bikes are a bit rattlely but fine for the mostly flat ride. Most sites have car parks and bike parking attached to them, but as said, these can fill up. The 2 main shuttle services are the Valley wide shuttle (this route serves all stops in Yosemite Valley, including lodges, food service, campgrounds, and trailheads. Buses arrive every 12 to 22 minutes from 7 am to 10 pm) and the East Valley shuttle (this route is limited to Yosemite Village, Curry Village, Pines campgrounds, and trailheads in eastern Yosemite Valley).
We did the following routes:
Curry Village- Mist trail- Mirror Lake- Ahwahnee meadows- Yosemite Falls- past Half Dome cross the river at Swing bridge - El Captain-Village- Mist Trail- Curry Village
The Mist Trail: a popular short hike follows the Merced River, starting at Happy Isles, past Vernal Fall and Emerald Pool, to Nevada Fall.
Mirror Lake: At times during the day, it is just like a mirror with waters reflecting its surroundings in the calm water.
Ahwahnee Meadow: the best place on the valley floor to look at or photograph Half Dome no matter what the season. Soaring 4,788 feet above the valley, the distinctive granite dome has been literally sheared in half by weathering, erosion, and earthquakes.
Lower Yosemite Falls: It’s a short, easy walk to the lower part of the Yosemite Falls. Upper, Lower, and Middle Yosemite Falls combined make up the highest waterfall in North America, at 2,425 feet. From April to June, wear rain gear—an icy spray drenches all who come near.
Upper Yosemite Falls: It is a hard but incredibly beautiful 5-6 hr hike. The paths are narrow, rocky and a bit slippery in some parts.
Half Dome: One of the West’s most photographed landmarks. Check out the perspective from Mirror Lake at the base of the monolith.
El Capitan: Towering 3,593 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor, El Capitan is the king of the granite monoliths and loved by rock climbers. Get a good look at the earth’s largest single piece of granite from El Capitan Meadow. With binoculars, you can watch the climbers.
El Capitan Meadow provides a view straight up El Capitan and a great view of Cathedral Rocks, as well. Located along one-way Northside Drive, it is best to stop here on your way out of Yosemite Valley.
DAY 8-9-10 Mammoth Lakes: For Inyo National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument
Day 8: Yosemite to Mammoth Lakes
You will leave Yosemite on the 120 to Mammoth Lakes (2hrs 30 mins:102 miles,165 kms). All of the roads in Yosemite National Park are scenic, but the most famous scenic drive is along the Tioga Road, a 46-mile (62 km) drive from Crane Flat to Tioga Pass and across Yosemite National Park onto the eastern gate. At 9,943 feet, the Tioga Pass is the highest highway pass in California and is a must see in Yosemite National Park. The road passes many beautiful alpine lakes including Saddlebag and Ellery and through Tuolumne Meadows with its wide, grassy expanse bounded by high granite domes and peaks. At elevation 8,600 feet the meadow extends for more than two miles along the river, making it the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada. Hiking trails lead in all directions below the Cathedral and Unicorn Peaks, to a number of waterfalls on the Tuolumne River. There are lots of viewpoints along the way. This road generally closes around November and re-opens in May or June.
Once you leave the park at the end of the 120 you can stop in the town of Lee Vining for a view of Mono Lake, just a few minutes on the opposite direction. The lake is the salty remnant of an ancient sea. There are some great natural rock formations called the Tufa Towers and lots of bird life. Then head south on US-395 for 25 miles on divided flat road.
Mammoth Lakes is named after the Mammoth Lode, an 1877 gold and silver strike in the nearby Lakes Basin, not the woolly Mammoth (like I originally thought). The find played out in just three years and the old town sites around the mines were eventually abandoned. It first became a ski resort in the 1950’s but nearly went bankrupt in 2012 as a result of court proceedings concerning breeches to planning codes.
Day 9: Mineret Vista, Devils Postpile, and Mammoth Scenic Gondola
In peak season (end of July to early September) technically you cannot drive past the Minaret Vista look out where the monument entrance gate is located, onto the Devils Postpile and other stops. Due to limited parking and a very windy narrow road they need to limit traffic in. There is a 10 stop $15 pp shuttle bus that runs every 20-40 mins from 7.30-7pm from the Adventure Centre and Gondola in town. You can pre buy tickets online or at the Adventure Centre. The bus stops at camp grounds along the way and Minaret Vista and park entrance ( stop 5), the car park and Visitors Centre at Devils Postpipe (stop 6), Scotcher Lake (stop 7)where there is a 1.5 mile guided nature trail around the lake that is easy to moderate (this is the only stop that does not have restrooms), Rainbow Falls (stop 9) that has a 2.6 mile roundtrip moderate hike (you walk down to the falls, which are beautiful but you climb out), and to the last stop (stop 10) which has a small café.
Apparently in peak times there can be long ques for the shuttle, and you have to walk a long way from the car parks before the gondola. We were here over Labour day weekend in early September, and we saw the ques and the $30 parking metres for the car park near the gondola. The next day however, when the holiday was over there were no ques. We opted however, to try and drive in- even though all the signs say ‘mandatory shuttle’. The road into all of the listed sites is open 24hrs a day and the entry gate only staffed from 10am to 7pm- so outside those hours there is no one to stop you driving in. So, if you want to drive and avoid the $15 pp shuttle fee or because you have mobility issues, arrive before 10 and you will have all the car parks to yourself once the road is closed to private vehicles. If you leave before 10am you will also miss the $10 per vehicle entrance fee as the booth is not open but may be asked to pay on the way out.
The monument is a unique geological formation of columnar basalt that formed around 100,000 years ago. It was created when lava cooled very slowly and evenly and then contracted – forming perfect pentagonal columns.
If you have time at the end of the day you can do the Gondola to the top of Mammoth Mountain. It is expensive at $44 pp for the round trip. Its only about 10 mins up but has a great view. It’s about a 2hour walk down if you feel up to it. Again, there are long ques and waits in peak times.
Day 10: Hot Springs and Inyo Craters
The Mammoth Scenic Loop is a great introduction to the eastern Sierra forests. Mammoth Scenic Loop begins just north of town off Highway 203. It takes approximately 30 minutes to drive from town to the loops junction with US-395. The loop passes Inyo Craters. A hike of a little over a mile leads you up to 3 Inyo Craters. The craters are the result of pressurized steam exploding in quick succession heated by lava deep in the Earth. The main one has water to be seen but the others require you to walk around and are more treed. There are many, many dead trees caused by CO2 along this path.
The deep fissure in the rock of the Mammoth Lakes Earthquake Fissure demonstrates the awesome force of the Earth’s tectonic plates (its not a fault as the sides hve not moved up or along- just apart). The crack runs hundreds of feet through the trees and plunges up to a depth of 60 feet and a width of 30 feet. It’s believed to have formed around 600 years ago during a recent Inyo/Mono crater eruption. It’s a nice picnic spot.
Hot Creek Geological site is a stream where boiling water bubbles up from the creek bed, into 2 white and aqua pools beside a stream. The chamber of hot magma which lies about three miles below the surface of the earth in this area is the cause. The water is heated and pressurized before it rises to the earth's surface. Earthquakes can cause sudden geyser eruptions and overnight appearances of new hot springs. Water temperatures can change rapidly, and so entering the water is prohibited. You walk down from the car park and loop down to the edge of the stream. The 2 main pools sulphur smelling bubbling pools are on the other side of the stream where you can’t go. You can walk back along the stream to another car park.
A short 20 minutes from east of Mammoth is Wild Willy’s Hotsprings, a naturally heated stream and pool that reaches temperatures of 95-100ºF, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the views of the Sierra mountains in the plains of the caldera. It is down a dirt road to the car park then an easy quarter-mile walk with a path and board walk that takes you straight to the 2 pools. They are shallow with only one or two spots where sitting takes the water up to your arm pits. There are other hot springs around the area.
Convict Lake is renowned for its beautiful clear blue water and the stunning backdrop of towering mountains. The lake draws boating, trout fishing, and paddleboarding. You can walk the easy 4km walk around it in under an hour.
DAY 11 Lake Mary
The Lake Mary Road scenic drive is approximately seven miles long and takes about twenty minutes to complete. Along the way, there are great views of the Mammoth Lakes Basin. In this same area you can see McLeod Lake which is less crowded than the other lakes as it’s a half mile walk from the car park. You’ll also pass the Twin Falls Look out. Crystal Crag, Crystal Lake is a moderately-strenuous hike but the epitome of alpine lakes makes it worthwhile.
Day-12- 13-14 Lake Tahoe: For Tahoe National Forest
Day 12: Mammoth Lakes to Lake Tahoe
Leave Mammoth Lakes for Lake Tahoe (2hrs 40 mins, 137 miles, 220kms)
Lake Tahoe, a freshwater lake that lies between the Sierra and Carson Range, is North America’s largest alpine lake. At 1,645 feet (501 m) deep, Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the United States and the sixteenth deepest lake in the world. The lake is 22 miles (35 km) long and 12 mi (19 km) wide, and it boasts 72 miles (116 km) of shoreline. Renowned for its clear waters and mountainous views, Lake Tahoe is understandably a major tourist attraction all year around.
Day 13: Lake Tahoe
Circle the Lake: It’s72 miles to circle the Lake with scenic side trips. Its agreat full day. We suggest you go clockwise so you can pull over easily as some of the lakeside viewpoints don’t allow you to pull over if you are going the other way. The western side of the lake is more dramatic with great cliffs and the eastern side a bit lower. We went to Safeway and bought luch and had a picnic along the way. Some beaches to have daily parking rate of around $10, others are private for guests or campers, and most have pay and display carparks. Parking can be hard at viewpoints and they are tough on illegal parking. Here is just a few of the stops:
Emerald Bay State park: Carved millions of years ago by passing glaciers this inlet along the southwest shore is known for its colorful granite cliffs and stunning panoramas. Start at the Emerald Bay Lookout, the park's crown jewel. One of the most popular ways to see the views is the 1.9-mile Eagle Lake Trail. This out-and-back hike takes about an hour to complete, and gives visitors the full Emerald Bay Experience. Hikers will see waterfalls, granite peaks and even have swimming opportunities.
Heavenly ski resort and Gondola: With its summit soaring 10,067 feet above sea level (the highest peak in Lake Tahoe), this is a very popular resort. There are more than 4,700 skiable acres, nearly 30 lifts and a 50-passenger aerial tram. It’s main summer draw is the gondola, running 2 miles through the mountains to a 9,200-foot-high observation deck. It is super expensive at $63 for adults
Visitors searching for dense forests, beautiful lake views and a historic summer home will find all three at Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park.
Lake cruise: Tahoe Cruises, Lake Tahoe Boat Ridesand Lake Tahoe Cruises operates out of Zephyr Cove Resort. Daylong and sunset tours typically include food and/or drinks. Many cruises offer food for purchase as well. Tour prices vary by company, but expect to pay at least $95 per adult for a two-hour boat tour, with prices varying significantly by time of day, tour type and tour length.
Tahoe Vista is located in North Lake Tahoe, CA. Just a few minutes to Northstar-at-Tahoe Ski Resort and the beach shores of all North Lake Tahoe. It's just a 15-to-20 minute drive to Squaw Valley, Alpine Meadows, Mount Rose, Paige Meadows and more. Endless acres of forested back-country for hiking, mountain biking, and snowmobiling. The North Shore's finest and most popular restaurants, shops and outdoor destinations are all right here.
Sand Harbour: A lovely rocky bay similar to the bays in this part of the lake.
And of course, you cross into Nevada for half of the loop so you will see the casino resorts.
Day 14: Lake Tahoe to San Francisco
Leave Lake Tahoe for San Francisco (3 hrs 35 mins, 202 miles, 325 km)
So ends, an amazing 2 week trip!
Have a good one.
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