Yosemite park to lake tahoe route

Hello everyone,family trip this july where going to yosemite park for 5 days,then next stop is lake tahoe,i stay at west entrance.what is the best route going to lake tahoe in 5th wheel trailer..thanks for advance.

I really wish someone would respond to this as I have the same question.

If Tioga Pass through the Yosemite highlands is open, go over it to US 395 on the east side of the Sierras, then take 395 north to Carson City.  From there it's a fairly long but manageable 4 lane climb on US 50 to Tahoe's south shore.

If it's not, the most direct route is to go west on CA120 to US 99 and take that north to Sacramento.  CA 140 is an easier drive but longer.  In Sacramento,  US 50 is the preferred route into Tahoe.

If you have the time, you could take CA 49 through the heart of gold rush country, just be advised it will be slow going through the gold rush towns and can easily take twice as long as going via the freeway.  Do not take CA 49 between Mariposa (CA 140) and CA 120 - you'll be going up and down through several winding, steep switchback grades as you go up and down the foothill ridges.

The rest of the trans-Sierra routes (88 east of Luther Pass, 89 and 108) have long, steep grades and aren't recommended for RVs.

I prefer 120 to 49 to 50 to get from Yosemite to Tahoe. The back route down 395 is shorter but there is a really steep grade leaving Yosemite.

We are heading to Yosemite late June. I've made the trip by car many times and didn't really give the trip in much thought. The one time that I did go east over Tioga Pass, I just remember it being pretty steep.

I've done some research and came up with a pretty interesting route heading north from Fresno. My main concern isn't necessarily the roads but the weather. If it's as hot as I think it may be (we've had a very hot Spring this year and it's supposed to be 107* in Fresno this week), I want to break up the mountain part of the drive into 2 parts. I found an interesting looking CG at Lake McClure (about half way from hwy 99 to Yosemite Lakes Resort on hwy 120.

I just thought that I would share because it seems scenic. It's a little longer but the grades don't seem as brutal. It also allows us to get an fresh, early start (when it's cooler) to tackle some of the steeper grades.

After a week in Yosemite, we plan to head to 395 via Tioga Pass. I realize that road is steep. I inspected my brakes and they are in good condition (only 20K miles on the coach). I replaced the b/fluid with DOT 5 and I plan to take it nice & slow.

Just thought I'd put it out for comments from some of you guys that have made this trip in heavier RVs.

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CA-99 N toward Sacramento.    Go for 54.0 mi/     
  Take the G exit     
  Turn right onto G St.    Go for 6.6 mi/ (G st changes names to Snelling Rd) 
  Continue on Snelling Rd.    Go for 9.4 mi/     
  Turn right onto N CA-59 (CA-59).    Go for 1.5 mi/        Where it turns into Cty J16
  DO NOT Turn left onto La Grange Rd (CR-J59).
    Continue on Cty Rd J16 for 8 mi/        to Lake Mc Clain CG (2m past J16 Merced Falls Rd).
Total 81.5 miles

CAMP OVERNIGHT
Next day....... head back on J16 (Hornitos Rd at that point) 2.0 miles
  Turn right onto Merced Falls Rd.    Go for 10 mi/     
  Turn right onto Yosemite Blvd (CA-132).    Go for 21.6 mi/     
  Bear left onto CA-49.    Go for 150 ft/     
  Turn right onto Main St (CR-J20).    Go for 7.8 mi/     
  Bear right onto Old Converse Rd (CR-J20).    Go for 436 ft/     
  Bear right onto Greeley Hill Rd (CR-J20).    Go for 0.6 mi/     
  Bear left onto Smith Station Rd (CR-J20).    Go for 5.6 mi/     
  Turn right to stay on Smith Station Rd (CR-J20).    Go for 0.1 mi/     
  Turn right onto CA-120.    Go for 10.3 mi/     
Total 58.1 miles from CG to Yosemite Lakes