California roadtrip : Yosemite - Sequoia - Highway 395…
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California roadtrip : Yosemite - Sequoia - Highway 395 - Oregon
Hello, everyone. I formatted this tentative MAY 2026 road trip itinerary with help from Gemini and wanted to see if my fellow humans had any thoughts.
Some context:
My wife and I are in our 50s, fit and used to doing a lot of walking when travelling. We are big on beautiful nature vistas. My wife is not a huge fan of heights or steep, difficult trails, so I've tried to pick easier "walks" vs "hikes."
We've been to the PNW four times already, including a good deal of time on the Oregon coast, which we love. In fact, we are considering finishing off this trip with a stay in Coos Bay, where we've been before and are evening considering moving.
I wanted to see some national parks in Utah (Zion, Bryce) as well as the north rim of Grand Canyon, but my wife prefers the look of the Sierras, so I created the following itinerary, instead. (In an ideal world, I might combine the two.) It's definitely not final. I may add some trails on one or more days, for instance, if they are too light in that regard.
As it stands, we'd fly in to Fresno and out of Oregon (either Medford or Portland).
Any suggestions are welcome.
We are budget-friendly travelers, always looking for value.
**Day 1 (MAY 4, 2026): Arrival & Prep**
* **Arrive:** Fresno (FAT) - 1:00 PM.
* **Drive:** Hwy 41 to Hwy 140 into El Portal.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge (El Portal).
**Day 2: Yosemite Valley (The Classics)**
* **Hwy:** El Portal Rd into the Valley.
* **Trails:** Lower Yosemite Fall (0.5 mi, Paved), Cook’s Meadow Loop (1.0 mi, Flat).
* **Viewpoints:** Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan Meadow.
* **Activity:** Stargazing at Sentinel Bridge.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge.
**Day 3: Yosemite (The High Views)**
* **Activity:** Relaxed morning in the Valley or Merced River area.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge.
**Day 4: Sequoia (The Anti-Nausea Route)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 41 South to Fresno, then **Hwy 180 East** (avoiding the Hwy 198 switchbacks for car sickness).
* **Trails:** General Grant Tree (0.5 mi, Paved), General Sherman & Congress Trail (2.0 mi, Paved).
* **Viewpoints:** Kings Canyon Overlooks via Hwy 180.
* **Drive:** Descent via Hwy 198 into Three Rivers (easier on the stomach than the climb).
* **Stay:** Comfort Inn & Suites (Three Rivers).
**Day 5: High Desert & Ancient Lava**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 198 to Hwy 65 to Hwy 14 (Red Rock Canyon).
* **Trails:** Hagen Canyon (1.2 mi, Flat), Fossil Falls (0.4 mi, Flat).
* **Nature Drive:** Whitney Portal Road & Movie Road (Alabama Hills).
* **Viewpoints:** Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center (Whitney views), Mobius Arch (0.6 mi loop).
* **Activity:** Auto-tour of Manzanar National Historic Site; Stargazing on Movie Road.
* **Stay:** Best Western Plus Frontier Motel (Lone Pine).
**Day 6: The 395 North (Nature & Lakes)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 395 North.
* **Stops:** Coppertop BBQ (Big Pine), Erick Schat’s Bakkery (Bishop).
* **Nature Stops:** Convict Lake (Paved shore path), Hot Creek Geological Area (Brees Lookout).
* **Nature Drive:** June Lake Loop (Hwy 158).
* **Trails:** South Tufa at Mono Lake (1.0 mi, Flat).
* **Viewpoints:** Conway Summit.
* **Stay:** SureStay Plus by Best Western (Susanville).
**Day 7: The Waterfall Trio (Susanville to Medford)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 139 to Hwy 89 North.
* **Trails:** Lower McCloud Falls (0.5 mi, Paved), Burney Falls Overlook (0.5 mi, Paved), Hedge Creek Falls (0.6 mi, Dirt).
* **Viewpoints:** Mt. Shasta Vista via Hwy 89.
* **Stay:** Best Western White City/Medford (**Night 1 of 2**).
**Day 8: Crater Lake Day Trip (Out-and-Back from Medford)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 62 North (Approx. 75-min drive each way).
* **Trails:** Discovery Point Trail (2.0 mi, Flat dirt/snow).
* **Nature Walk:** Rim Village Promenade (1.0 mi, Paved).
* **Viewpoints:** Wizard Island overlooks, Vidae Falls (Roadside).
* **Activity:** Rocking chairs/Fireplace at Crater Lake Lodge; Pie at Beckie’s Cafe (Union Creek).
* **Stay:** Best Western White City/Medford (**Night 2 of 2**).
**Day 9: The Rogue River to the Coast**
* **Hwy:** Check out of Medford. Hwy 62 to Hwy 234 to I-5 to Hwy 42 West.
* **Viewpoints:** Rogue River Gorge, Natural Bridge (Hwy 62).
* **Activity:** Coastal nature drives and seafood in Charleston.
* **End:** Coos Bay / Charleston, OR.
**Fly back home from Portland or Medford (return rental car at selected airport).**
#travel #activities
source
Hello, everyone. I formatted this tentative MAY 2026 road trip itinerary with help from Gemini and wanted to see if my fellow humans had any thoughts.
Some context:
My wife and I are in our 50s, fit and used to doing a lot of walking when travelling. We are big on beautiful nature vistas. My wife is not a huge fan of heights or steep, difficult trails, so I've tried to pick easier "walks" vs "hikes."
We've been to the PNW four times already, including a good deal of time on the Oregon coast, which we love. In fact, we are considering finishing off this trip with a stay in Coos Bay, where we've been before and are evening considering moving.
I wanted to see some national parks in Utah (Zion, Bryce) as well as the north rim of Grand Canyon, but my wife prefers the look of the Sierras, so I created the following itinerary, instead. (In an ideal world, I might combine the two.) It's definitely not final. I may add some trails on one or more days, for instance, if they are too light in that regard.
As it stands, we'd fly in to Fresno and out of Oregon (either Medford or Portland).
Any suggestions are welcome.
We are budget-friendly travelers, always looking for value.
**Day 1 (MAY 4, 2026): Arrival & Prep**
* **Arrive:** Fresno (FAT) - 1:00 PM.
* **Drive:** Hwy 41 to Hwy 140 into El Portal.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge (El Portal).
**Day 2: Yosemite Valley (The Classics)**
* **Hwy:** El Portal Rd into the Valley.
* **Trails:** Lower Yosemite Fall (0.5 mi, Paved), Cook’s Meadow Loop (1.0 mi, Flat).
* **Viewpoints:** Tunnel View, Bridalveil Fall, El Capitan Meadow.
* **Activity:** Stargazing at Sentinel Bridge.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge.
**Day 3: Yosemite (The High Views)**
* **Activity:** Relaxed morning in the Valley or Merced River area.
* **Stay:** Yosemite View Lodge.
**Day 4: Sequoia (The Anti-Nausea Route)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 41 South to Fresno, then **Hwy 180 East** (avoiding the Hwy 198 switchbacks for car sickness).
* **Trails:** General Grant Tree (0.5 mi, Paved), General Sherman & Congress Trail (2.0 mi, Paved).
* **Viewpoints:** Kings Canyon Overlooks via Hwy 180.
* **Drive:** Descent via Hwy 198 into Three Rivers (easier on the stomach than the climb).
* **Stay:** Comfort Inn & Suites (Three Rivers).
**Day 5: High Desert & Ancient Lava**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 198 to Hwy 65 to Hwy 14 (Red Rock Canyon).
* **Trails:** Hagen Canyon (1.2 mi, Flat), Fossil Falls (0.4 mi, Flat).
* **Nature Drive:** Whitney Portal Road & Movie Road (Alabama Hills).
* **Viewpoints:** Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center (Whitney views), Mobius Arch (0.6 mi loop).
* **Activity:** Auto-tour of Manzanar National Historic Site; Stargazing on Movie Road.
* **Stay:** Best Western Plus Frontier Motel (Lone Pine).
**Day 6: The 395 North (Nature & Lakes)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 395 North.
* **Stops:** Coppertop BBQ (Big Pine), Erick Schat’s Bakkery (Bishop).
* **Nature Stops:** Convict Lake (Paved shore path), Hot Creek Geological Area (Brees Lookout).
* **Nature Drive:** June Lake Loop (Hwy 158).
* **Trails:** South Tufa at Mono Lake (1.0 mi, Flat).
* **Viewpoints:** Conway Summit.
* **Stay:** SureStay Plus by Best Western (Susanville).
**Day 7: The Waterfall Trio (Susanville to Medford)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 139 to Hwy 89 North.
* **Trails:** Lower McCloud Falls (0.5 mi, Paved), Burney Falls Overlook (0.5 mi, Paved), Hedge Creek Falls (0.6 mi, Dirt).
* **Viewpoints:** Mt. Shasta Vista via Hwy 89.
* **Stay:** Best Western White City/Medford (**Night 1 of 2**).
**Day 8: Crater Lake Day Trip (Out-and-Back from Medford)**
* **Hwy:** Hwy 62 North (Approx. 75-min drive each way).
* **Trails:** Discovery Point Trail (2.0 mi, Flat dirt/snow).
* **Nature Walk:** Rim Village Promenade (1.0 mi, Paved).
* **Viewpoints:** Wizard Island overlooks, Vidae Falls (Roadside).
* **Activity:** Rocking chairs/Fireplace at Crater Lake Lodge; Pie at Beckie’s Cafe (Union Creek).
* **Stay:** Best Western White City/Medford (**Night 2 of 2**).
**Day 9: The Rogue River to the Coast**
* **Hwy:** Check out of Medford. Hwy 62 to Hwy 234 to I-5 to Hwy 42 West.
* **Viewpoints:** Rogue River Gorge, Natural Bridge (Hwy 62).
* **Activity:** Coastal nature drives and seafood in Charleston.
* **End:** Coos Bay / Charleston, OR.
**Fly back home from Portland or Medford (return rental car at selected airport).**
#travel #activities
source
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