You will find the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes beside the road just before Stovepipe Wells. Stretch your legs exploring the large subalpine meadow that is teeming with wildlife and natural beauty. LazyTrips is a trading name of Uncle Bob Media Ltd. How far is Yosemite National Park from Napa - Trippy The top stops along the way from Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas (with short detours) are Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Badwater Basin, and Artists Dr. Other popular stops include Tioga Pass, Bodie State Historic Park, and Mammoth Mountain. With a salinity level overthreetimes that of the ocean, Mono Lake has become a very unique environment, supporting a diverse collection of wildlife. Supposedly the highway and Castle will reopen in April 2023 once construction of the visitor center is done and the ranch's possessions are moved back from storage. With just one day, youll probably only be able to experience Yosemite Valley and not other parts of the park such as Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy, Mariposa Grove, etc. The desert landscapes are incredible! Read More:58 Fun Things To Do In Las Vegas Other Than Gambling and Drinking. The trails give you a lot of access. It was a short hike 0.4m, and not too challenging. The sound is produced by the sands vibrations when it moves along the ridges! The snow here is not always powdery but I believe they make their own snow. Want to see the other type of tall trees? "All the snow will stay up in the mountains, but most mountain areas should . I think its place #1 you should go! Yosemite's flood risk creates problems for springtime visitors | Las Finish your day back near Stovepipe Wells at the Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes. Never hesitate to go here: fall through spring, you wont regret it. Its just such a unique stop, that I had to include it for those who were interested. Even more intriguing is the story behind its construction, which involved a shady gold prospector (Walter Scott) and a millionaire with bad health (Albert Johnson). Level Contributor . For more information about Bakersfield's attractions, check out its website. Check out the Ubehebe Crater, a dormant crater that has a 0.5-mile diameter. It gets very dark out there, which makes it the perfect setting for an outdoor movie night! Despite the distance, the drive is devastatingly beautiful and the stark contrast between the bright lights of Vegas and the natural splendor of the national park is awe-inspiring. Death Valley National Park is only a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas and on the way to Yosemite. Calico is 5 hours and 300 miles out from Yosemite. Travelers that fly to California can rent a car in San Francisco (4 hours away) or Sacramento (3 hours away). The same trail leads further on to Glen Aulin, a backcountry High Sierra Camp, and beyond to dramatic Waterwheel Falls, where gusts of water are blasted off the face of the falls far out into the air. My filet mignon was cooked to perfection! Early Monday morning, river levels peaked at 9.86 feet (3 meters), just below official flood levels and about a foot less than predicted, and are expected to continue to decline throughout the week, according to data from the National Weather Service. A stop in Lee Vining puts you right at the gates of Yosemite. Please don't forget to pay this place a visit you will never regret it. The routes I provide in this post will take you through some of the most beautiful and iconic landscapes in the American West, including Death Valley, the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Yosemite Valley. Its well worth venturing beyond the parking lot and climbing up into the dunes for the best views. Top cities between Yosemite National Park and Las Vegas, Best stops along Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas drive. Driving from Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas should take you 8 hrs 16 mins in normal traffic. The inside is so filled with so much beautiful decorations and the restaurants. Everything was excellent. It's easy to fly into and car rentals can be picked up at the airport and traffic isn't as congested as it is in Los Angeles. On that thought, this is a place best seen in the morning. Consider also checking out the exhibits, ask a park ranger questions, and pay for your entrance to the park if you havent already. Free Wi-Fi is offered. Friendly rangers. 2 hr drive out of vegas right pass Beatty, NV. Located just east of Stovepipe Wells Village along Highway 190, the sand dunes are easy to access from either a parking lot or if you like, you can park on the roads wide dirt shoulder and simply hike a short distance into the thick of them. Tuolumne Meadows is home to some of the most enchanting landscapes in Yosemite National Park. I recommend visiting Death Valley on your way, arriving at Yosemite from Death Valley the next day. However, the local Depot can provide you with maps and souvenirs reflecting the time you spent under the canopy. Im excited to share this Las Vegas to Yosemite road trip guide with you so that you can discover for yourself all the natural wonders beyond just the city of Las Vegas and Yosemite NP. If you want to bask in nature away from the touristy crowd of Yosemite, then you must visit this place. Depending on your route, the trip can be between roughly 330 and 560 miles long. Check them out here: Yes! Red Rock Canyon is located just 13 miles from the central Strip and three miles from Summerlin. Kelso Dunes is probably the most famous attraction in the park. Perhaps one of the most important facts about Arches is that the park is constantly evolving. The most accessible dunes in Death Valley are an undulating sea of sand rising up to 100ft high next to the highway near Stovepipe Wells Village. . And that is the reason we came here to see an old Western-style Nevada town-themed attraction. Scenic, unique place, and beautiful at sunset and for stargazing. Best skiing experience even when the conditions arent the best. So if Tioga Pass is closed, what should you do to get from Las Vegas to Yosemite? That's because that route crosses the Sierra mountains via the Tioga Pass, which is actually inside Yosemite National Park. It's going to be a bit of a drive to get here. Ive been wanting to visit this park for a while and finally made it. Clothing is optional here. Mesquite Sand Dunes are not the only dunes in Death Valley, but theyre definitely the most accessible since youll need a four by four and special wheels to get to the other dunes. If you're planning a road trip, you might be interested in seeing the total driving distance from Las Vegas, NV to Yosemite National Park. Its super rough and craggy so much so that supposedly only the devil could play golf there. This unique formation is a 600 foot deep inverted volcano. Visitors can explore the Mariposa Grove on one of several easy trails or take a leisurely stroll through the sequoia forest. There is an entrance fee to be paid here and with surety grab the map of the park from here. Don't worry about the longevity of these bodies of water, though. Meanwhile, in Mammoth Lakes and the surrounding region, there is plenty of nature to be explored by hikers, horseback riders, mountain bikers, and other outdoors enthusiasts. After all, this post is specifically about the road between Las Vegas and Yosemite - not the park itself. Depending on when you visit, you might appreciate some extra time in the AC anyways. Natural preserve with trails among 4,000-year-old trees, plus a seasonal visitor's center. This is dog friendly so long as theyre on a leash, you clean their poop and you stay on trail. Travel back in time to this two-story Spanish Colonial Revival style villa built in the 1920s and experience the stark contrast of the luxurious home against the harsh desert landscape. Re: Las Vegas to San Francisco via Yosemite. Your trip begins in Yosemite National Park, California. The boardwalk and water jet metal designs throughout the park are testament to the love people have for this place. Depending on the time of year you visit, you may be able to catch the Kern County Scottish Games. Then turn right and move north for 33.4 miles via Scottys Castle Road. Scotty's castle is a beautiful desert castle with a ton of interesting history. So if you want to get inside the drug-induced, mind-altered head space of Raoul Duke (Johnny Depps character), head here. If youre looking for a great place to take a dip, have a lakeside picnic, or get out on the water on a watercraft, head to Oh Ridge at June Lake. Lee Canyon is SO convenient and close to "the strip". The Devils Golf Course is an immense area of rock salt eroded by wind and rain into painful jagged spires. Between two national parks, multiple national monument sites, vista points . No hike is required for the lake and view. Highly recommended! I do hope you find these suggestions helpful! By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies as described in our cookie policy. Although it's hard to quantify, getting from Las Vegas to Yosemite National Park is just as much of an adventure as the park itself, if not more. Where Is Disneyland In California? Mesquite Sand Dunes is another prime spot for photography and for a good reason the beautiful sand formations, along with the surreal mountain rangers surrounding the dunes give a lot of different photographic opportunities. One of the last stops we made inside the park was Ubehebe Crater, and Im glad we decided to make the drive up to here!. (Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) TWIN . Absolutely beautiful. Time your trip to Tuolumne Meadows carefullythis 8,600-foot high area is accessible only from June to October. Its quite different to the other viewpoints and reminds more of a traditional sand desert. Two best hotel place to stay (expensive) are next to this location. If you want to veer off the Strip to discover a movie backdrop, head west to Red Rock Canyon. You will see the pristine mountains, beautiful lakes and green pines everywhere. Those looking to get outside can explore one of Fresnos many parks, including Woodward Park, which is home to a number of hiking trails and a lake. A look at these sand dunes will make you feel as though youve been transported to the Sahara Desert. Distance from Yosemite National Park, CA to San Francisco, CA Its a villa in the middle of the desert, built in the 1920s and 1930s by a millionaire from Chicago as a winter home. Red Rock is the perfect day trip if you are in Las Vegas and want to enjoy the outdoors. The exhibit at the visitors center is informative and boasts beautiful views. Catch the wonderful views of the Pothole Dome, Lembert Dome and the Cathedral Peak near the Tuolumne River Bridge. Located off Highway 190 in the center of the park, the dunes are easy to reach. it was formed when hot magma reached the groundwater and the water turned into explosive steam. Flight distance: 151 miles or 243 km. The 480-mile road trip from Las Vegas to Lake Tahoe takes 8 hours of driving through the Death Valley and along US-395. The surface of the Golf Course is so rough and the temperature so hot during the day, it is said that only the Devils can play golf there. Your email will not be provided to third parties. I would like to come back time and time again. Its a maar volcanic crater that formed when hot magma came into contact with groundwater, which led to a giant steam explosion and a large debris field of cinder all around. Nothing better than loosening your boots at the end of the day and soaking up the sun while sitting at the base of the mountain watching the sun go down. Owned and operated by the state, the park has a number of buildings that date back to the Gold Rush days. Incredible Sight to watch. The area attracts over a million visitors annually, thanks to its proximity to Las Vegas, with more and more coming each year as word of the beauty of Red Rock starts to spread. Or, just wander around. It's only a short distance between the trailhead and one of the most popular bathing sites made possible by the hot spring, but there are several other locations to be found by hiking around the area which is also the best way to explore the topography and understand the curious geology.