Best route to Vegas (area)?

norcalkid

norcalkid

Well-known member
How would you all head to Vegas? I was planning the Sanora Pass-Mono Lake and through Death Valley NP. Leaving Mon or Tues but it looks like 108 just closed due to a fire and 120 through Yosemite closed/reservation only due to COVID.

Anybody have any ideas for a good alternate route? I actually don't care about ending up in Vegas just looked like about a day ride from Mono Lake. Leaving from Sacramento area and headed to Sadona, Monument Valley, Zion, etc.

I guess I could just head down 5 to Death Valley but couple hundred miles on 5 sounds kinda lame.

Thanks
 
N

N4teTheGreat

Noob!
I've always thought something like this would be interesting in the fall when it's not as warm but not snowing yet. I don't think this is impacted by fires but it may be smokey in parts.
 

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senpai71

senpai71

Professional troublemaker
Go to Jackson (how doesn't matter - honestly I take 80 to Sacramento and then 16/49 to Jackson, because I hate the Central Valley), then take 88 over Kit Carson down through Kirkwood, 89 through Markleeville and then Monitor Pass. then 395 all the way down to 190 through Death Valley.

88 is a FANTASTIC road - nice clean road surface, beautiful views etc. Ebbetts is awesome. 395 is...well...395.

However, if Hwy 50 is still closed, then 88 might not be great, especially at weekends, because it takes the Hwy 50 overflow traffic - I rode it last Friday afternoon, and there were lots of RV's.

Last weekend there was no smoke on 88 at all. YMMV.
 
norcalkid

norcalkid

Well-known member
senpai71 said:
Go to Jackson (how doesn't matter - honestly I take 80 to Sacramento and then 16/49 to Jackson, because I hate the Central Valley), then take 88 over Kit Carson down through Kirkwood, 89 through Markleeville and then Monitor Pass. then 395 all the way down to 190 through Death Valley.

88 is a FANTASTIC road - nice clean road surface, beautiful views etc. Ebbetts is awesome. 395 is...well...395.

However, if Hwy 50 is still closed, then 88 might not be great, especially at weekends, because it takes the Hwy 50 overflow traffic - I rode it last Friday afternoon, and there were lots of RV's.

Last weekend there was no smoke on 88 at all. YMMV.
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Thanks, I think that's what I'll do(88 to 89). Seems a bit further from the fires than 4. I can't leave till Mon or Tues so no Weekend.

Guna try to camp a bit further South outside of Bishop. Get up early and through Death Valley before noon.
 
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Killroy1999

Killroy1999

Well-known member
120 east of Lee Vinning through Benton Hot Springs is amazing (when the area is not burning). A couple weeks ago I took a road trip though there and there is very little but landscape on that road. There is some park land and classic rock climbing. There is a 5 mile sections of roller coster hills that you can jump if you go fast enough. :laughing
 
H

Hank Wong

Well-known member
road to DV & Vegas

The Sierra Nevada passes are scenic but can be iffy due to fire or when the weather changes. A less dramatic and more reliable way would be to take 178 by Lake Isabella. You can do Sherman Pass if you have the time for a Sierra Nevada pass and feel more adventurous. Getting to Bakersfield doesn't have to be I-5 or nothing. I take Hwy 25 toward Hollister, buy fuel there and ride down to 198. From there, there are two byways to get further South; Peachtree road or Parkfield Grade road. Peachtree road will get you to San Miguel and either River road or some zigzaging toward the Paso Robles airport will get you to 46. Paso Robles is a good place to get fuel and food. Parkfield grade road will also gets you to 46 and further east. You would need a 5+ gallon tank if you take Parkfield Grade road. To avoid slabbing from 46 to 33 or I-5 to Bakersfield, I take Bitterwater road (near the town Cholame) south to the 58. Then go 58 east past the Topaz solar farm toward McKittrick and then on to Bakersfield. Bakersfield is a good place to get food and fuel, Then continue on 178 east toward Lake Isabella and over the bottom end of the Sierra Nevada to highway 14. Take Highway 14 north then 190 east to Death Valley. Alternately, take 395 to 190 east. That also takes you through Death Valley. If you want to avoid DV, there is little choice but to continue on 58 east to Barstow and then Interstate 15 to Vegas. While 58 through Barstow is just slabbing it, it does save you a lot of time and it is good to have that option if you want to get to Vegas in a single day or to arrive there in daylight.
 
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bikewanker

bikewanker

Well-known member
Consider 168 East from Big Pine it’ll get you to 95. If you have time 120 East to 6 to 395 then 168. If you’re wandering Utah and Arizona don’t sweat the local stuff, sometimes you gotta slab to the good stuff far away.
 
HadesOmega

HadesOmega

Well-known member
davidji said:
Why not take Ebbetts & Monitor Passes? Or Carson & Monitor?
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I just rode Ebbets pass a couple days ago heading to the Idaho TAT and it was open and weather was perfect. Can ride that to the 395 and get to Vegas somehow. I went the opposite way towards Reno.

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norcalkid

norcalkid

Well-known member
Thanks everybody.

Looks like this trip will require some detours. Smoke in California and Navaho Nation closed to tourists. Desert View Drive (64, South Rim Grand Canyon), 4 corners monument and the scenic drive in Monument Valley all closed.

Whatever, leaving tomorrow and just guna wing it.
 
berth

berth

Well-known member
norcalkid said:
Thanks everybody.

Looks like this trip will require some detours. Smoke in California and Navaho Nation closed to tourists. Desert View Drive (64, South Rim Grand Canyon), 4 corners monument and the scenic drive in Monument Valley all closed.

Whatever, leaving tomorrow and just guna wing it.
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Ah, that's too bad.

But it's ok, the Navajo don't have an exclusive license on the amazing scenery of the 4 corners area.
 
ScottRNelson

ScottRNelson

Mr. Dual Sport Rider
davidji said:
Great Basin NP is partially open, and that's a convenient place to stop along the way if you can get a campsite.
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There should be lots of campsites available in Great Basin National Park in October. That's the last place my wife and I ever tried camping - five years ago this week. We decided it just wasn't for us and just get motel rooms now. Oh, and it's not exactly on the way to Las Vegas, but at least it's in the same state (barely).
 
D

davidji

bike curious
ScottRNelson said:
There should be lots of campsites available in Great Basin National Park in October. That's the last place my wife and I ever tried camping - five years ago this week. We decided it just wasn't for us and just get motel rooms now. Oh, and it's not exactly on the way to Las Vegas, but at least it's in the same state (barely).
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I don't think all the campsites are open.

If you saw the post I was replying to he was talking about going to places like Monument Valley (closed), and Great Basin is on the way there. Also on the way to North Rim of Grand Canyon (which is open).

Vegas didn't seem like the point of the trip.
 
norcalkid

norcalkid

Well-known member
davidji said:
I don't think all the campsites are open.

If you saw the post I was replying to he was talking about going to places like Monument Valley (closed), and Great Basin is on the way there. Also on the way to North Rim of Grand Canyon (which is open).

Vegas didn't seem like the point of the trip.
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I took 50 back from Yellowstone. I'd rather try something different.

North and south rim are open. It's 64 heading East to 89 that will be closed. So you gota backtrack almost to Flagstaff to head up 89. I think some of the North Rim campsites are closed?
 
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