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Recommendations SF - Yosemite moto trip?

C

cozy

Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2020
Location
Marin, Ca.
Moto(s)
2001 Suzuki Bandit 600
Hi Barfers. I bought a pass into Yosemite for this coming week. Apparently now they are requiring people reserve passes just to enter and only allow a certain number of people into Yosemite at a time.

This will be my first time riding my motorcycle from SF bay area to Yosemite. Not interested in spending most of the time on a large freeway.

Recommendations are appreciated for enjoyable ride routes to Yosemite & back, affordable space places to camp overnight nearby ( apparently cant camp in Yosemite without reservation also and they are booked up ), travel & camping suggestions, etc..?
 
I would head to Coulterville, take 49 to Mariposa, then head in on Highway 140. Be sure to go up to Glacier Point if you can.

I was going to show you on Google Maps, but my latest Firefox update broke the feature that allows dragging the route around, so I can't give you the exact route.


Time to play Bob Dylan's song, Everything is Broken :rolleyes
 
What Scott said. Hwy 132 Modesto to Coulterville is a nice ride. Hwy 49 to Mariposa goes through the little dragon. +100 on going to Glacier Point.

I scored a campsite in Yosemite on June 8th. Expect to wait in line to get in the Park even with a pass. Get a picture of your bike on the road into Glacier Point and put that picture on the "Photos of your bike on location" thread:thumbup. The attached pic is my Class B van on the road to Glacier Point.
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The first time I went to Glacier Point, I stopped at the spot above for a photo, but didn't walk out all the way to the great view. Park in the parking lot and walk the paved trail. It's not very far and it's relatively flat. It might be one of the greatest views in the world, looking down into the valley from the lookout.
 
ScottRNelson said:
The first time I went to Glacier Point, I stopped at the spot above for a photo, but didn't walk out all the way to the great view. Park in the parking lot and walk the paved trail. It's not very far and it's relatively flat. It might be one of the greatest views in the world, looking down into the valley from the lookout.
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View from the rail, a short walk from the parking lot.
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Good advice in this thread. Definitely hit Glacier point as it will be closed for a year starting in 2022. Expect traffic, or, if staying at the park get up STUPID early and ride up for sunrise (probably still traffic, but maybe less). On the way back I enjoy taking 120 east to 395 and then enjoying a Sierra pass or two. 89 > 4 is generally awesome, but 108 is also spectacular.
 
N4teTheGreat said:
Expect traffic, or, if staying at the park get up STUPID early and ride up for sunrise (probably still traffic, but maybe less).
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The last ticket I got in California was riding up that road early when there was very little traffic. It was just wonderful flying up that twisty road - until I saw the Ranger with the radar pointed at me, then not so much fun. :laughing

Don't give in to the temptation to really enjoy that road. :cool
 
ScottRNelson said:
The last ticket I got in California was riding up that road early when there was very little traffic. It was just wonderful flying up that twisty road - until I saw the Ranger with the radar pointed at me, then not so much fun. :laughing

Don't give in to the temptation to really enjoy that road. :cool
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Is it bad that sometimes I'm just thinking the riding is going so well it'll be worth if should I get a performance award?

Riding through the park a few years back with a big group, I may or may not have run out of gas in the first tunnel on the way east out of the valley on 120. Someone alerted a friend at the gas stop who came back with gas, but we were a ways behind the group. Turned out that was the ticket as they had the rangers attention and we had a mostly traffic free run all the way through the park until we caught up with them at a stop. :ride
 
Sounds like lots of traffic and LE, is it even worth going for the twisties? Vistas are nice but always unimpressive compared to photography and would rather ride.
 
First time I went to Glacier point I hiked there from the valley, not doing that again.
 
dittoalex said:
Sounds like lots of traffic and LE, is it even worth going for the twisties? Vistas are nice but always unimpressive compared to photography and would rather ride.
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Don't go to ANY national park if you want to ride quickly. But many of them have great twisty roads.

As an example, the highest speed limit in Yellowstone is 45 mph. My car got great gas mileage driving around there a month ago even though we were going up and down a lot of hills. The south end of Joshua Tree NP has some truly great sweepers, but again, a speed limit that's too low to make it fun.

The biggest problem with Yosemite whenever I've been there is that there is just too much traffic there. If you want great twisties near Yosemite, but outside the park, ride between Coulterville and Mariposa.
 
I rode through the park a few years ago on my way back from Hawthorne on a Sunday afternoon
Swore I would never do that again
 
All the NP are crazy busy with post covid rush. I was at Crater Lake last week and there was a long line getting in. Senior pass got me past much of the line!
 
bmwbob51 said:
All the NP are crazy busy with post covid rush.
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Not all of them. I bet Pinnacles, down by you, isn't super busy.

And the three that I visited most recently, Wind Cave, Badlands, and Theodore Roosevelt weren't all that busy either. Well, you had to get to Wind Cave before they opened and get in line to get tickets to take a cave tour, but other than that it wasn't too crowded.
 
ScottRNelson said:
Not all of them. I bet Pinnacles, down by you, isn't super busy.

And the three that I visited most recently, Wind Cave, Badlands, and Theodore Roosevelt weren't all that busy either. Well, you had to get to Wind Cave before they opened and get in line to get tickets to take a cave tour, but other than that it wasn't too crowded.
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Don't bet on it. Since Pinnacles became a National Park and Covid hit even that one got busy. 100+ degrees isn't a deterrent any more.
 
ratpick said:
Did that years ago, coming down was tough on the knees.:teeth
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One time when my wife and I were up there we met a couple of girls that had hiked up and didn't want to hike back down. We gave them a ride back down to the valley. :cool
 
That hike fully exposed to the sun, in the summer ?
I wouldn't.
I have done the slog up into little Yosemite valley, five times, three with full pack on a weeks hike
Once I went too fast downhill, my knees were mush that nite, hurt so bad my face leaked, aspirin helped a little. Never again.



Pssssstt,

backpackers hike in camp next to the stables,
 
Everything in yosemite is already booked for this coming week.
I was able to reserve a campsite in twin lakes campground for this week.
It appears to be maybe 30 miles or so from Yosemite park?

According to map, it is at least a 6 and a half hour drive straight through from SF Bay area to the twin lakes spot! Im no early riser, so will be spending much of my day just getting there.

Looks like Ill ride to and camp overnight at Twin Lakes campground, then go ride around and be in Yosemite the next day. I reserved a 3 day pass at Yosemite beginning this coming Tuesday.

But due to a commitment, i wont be able to head out of sf bay area until at least 4pm ish Tuesday. With campsite reserved for Wednesday afternoon to Thursday noon. So may just wait to ride to the site until Wednesday late morning.

Reviews of twin lakes are mostly positive. Hard to tell with many campsites if they will actually allow us to ride to and park our motorcycle right in our campsite with us and our tent. Hoping they allow that here, as it appears since they allow rvs.

Google maps shows taking 1580 to 205, to 5, then 120 to 395, to 203 into twin lakes.

Ive not travelled that road, but it appears it maybe a major freeway type road.? Not particularly scenic? Wondering if taking highway 4 from 80 may be more enjoyable? Albeit add maybe another 30 minutes or so to ride.?

Any recommendations for reliable gasoline availability on the eastern half of ride?
 
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