Road trip to FOUR states, update and need last input! (Merced: home, wedding)

[Kaligirl]

Hi there my City Data friends!!! I posted in an earlier thread, but here’s an update.
I cannot thank you all enough for your input!! We are so excited and will be leaving on our trip soon. We love the outdoors, water, trails, fun family things, entertaining or quirky even. Some of you mentioned places to eat, stay etc. and we truly would love to know of things to do…. Things out of the ordinary,since we have a mall here at home and bowling and theaters etc., we are looking forward to seeing what your state and cities have that make them unique. Some of you mentioned canoeing, tube rides in the river, horsebackriding, train rides and Alpine slides etc. (Everyone in my family is so excited about those ideas). We really need to know where and when are the best to do these? So we can call ahead and work around our schedule, dogs, kids, etc. What other adventures and ideas do you have for us?
We have had a few changes in our route and planning. We also have added a puppy to the mix, just because we didn’t have enough going on. LOL!! Therefore, we will be bringing our travel trailer with us and have booked reservations near the following cities. So it will be two adults, three kids and two dogs.
We’d love your input on where to stop and what to see on the way and what to do when we get there!! Also dog considerations too….Any lakes to take the dogs to? Which lakes are dog friendly and can walk on shore, maybe swim?
Here are our planned stops:
Southern California to Mesquite, NV. (Just an overnighter here)
Mesquite, NV to Salt Lake City. (We would like to see some of Park City too while there, ideas?). Is there a good view of the Lake without going to Antelope Island? Just a thought to keep down the extra driving and give us time to get to Park City. Heard about a train ride to Provo and back, how’s that? Trains elsewhere?
Salt Lake City to Jackson Lake, WY (South of Yellowstone, East of Grand Tetons, North of Jackson) We’d like to see all three of these areas and that’s why we will stay in the middle. We’d like to know what you have us See and Do and explore in all three areas here.) We know there are some things we cannot do because of our dogs, but I heard there might be a few places we could do? Which ones? What time of day is best? How do we find them? Someone mentioned Lower Loop in Yellowstone, which road is that? What to see in Grand Tetons, so excite, which way do we go? Heard wonderful things about Jackson hole, please tell me your favorites to do.
Next from Jackson Lake, WY to Twin Falls, ID (passing Idaho falls and Pocatello on the way. What to stop and see). Thinking of time at the falls? Other falls? Time in Boise? Should we see Lake Lowell while there? Time in Sawtooth? What to do in those places? What’s the best route, most scenic, best drive, etc?
Long drive from Twin Falls, ID to South Lake Tahoe, CA (we ran out of time and sadly must do Oregon next trip) Our drive will take us through North Nevada. Any good stops on the way? What to do in Tahoe when we get there…did I mention we eloped there, almost twenty years ago? And we will be traveling over our 20th wedding anniversary. LOL. So I’d love ideas for Tahoe, things to explore and do. As it’s a special spot for us, but we never did get to explore it the first time around.
From South Lake Tahoe, CA to Yosemite, CA (Any RVers out there? Would you take 89 to 4 to Big Oak flat? Or would you take 50 to 49 and then down?) Okay, so say we get there…here’s hoping! What to do and see in Yosemite? As with Yellowstone, we know we are have with trail usage problems because of our dogs, but I heard there might be a few we could do? Which ones? What time of day is best? How do we find them?
From Yosemite, CA we head home to Southern California. And pass out! LOL….
I want to thank all of you for helping us decide which way to head to get the most out of this trip (and even giving us ideas for our next trip, did I just say that?) Please if you can take a minute to tell me about your favorites in our route it would help us a great deal since our timeline is tight and we are trying to see and do as much fun, local things as possible.
Kindest regards, Kaligirl and family!
PS We leave this Sunday, July 19th, post quickly…… THANKS AGAIN!!

[zugor]

You can board your dog at Yosemite. I think just for the day, not overnight but it does allow you to get some trail time in. Probably expensive but worth it.

Yosemite National Park - Pets (U.S. National Park Service)

Not far out of the park via Rte 140 there is a place called Briceburg, before you get to Mariposa. Mapquest it and you'll see Incline Rd. The road follows the Merced river and you, kids and dogs can all swim there. If I remember correctly there is a day use area not too far from the highway, then campsites further along. Was free back in the day but probably not any more.

Have a fabulous trip, take too many pix, especially of the kids and dogs.

[coyoteskye]

Once you leave Jackson, i suggest that you make your way over to Blaine County Idaho.
This is the beautiful Wood River Valley and it is where Sun Valley Idaho is ... a very old and famous resort town (Sun Valley) and although it is over developed and over rich it is stunning and surrounded by Sawtooth National Forest.
There are some really good campgrounds in the valley.
I can't remember if you're in an r.v. or not.
Just an hour north of Sun Valley (and it's a beautiful drive) is Stanely Idaho in the heart of the Sawtooth and it's stunning.
Then come back through the wood river valley and head down to Twin Falls (really, it's not a place i'd recommend giving any time or energy to) and then hit HW93 down to Wells Nevada and head west across the desert to Reno.
At that point you can stay on HW80 and come down into Truckee, visit Lake Tahoe (just a short drive from Truckee) or, you can stay on the eastern side of the sierra range and head down (i think it's HW395 but can't remember at the moment) to Yosemite that way and enter the park from the eastern side of the Sierra.
I'm just giving you a better Idaho trip and suggesting that you wouldn't be missing anything if you left Boise, Pocatello, and Twin Falls off your trip plans.
You'll be going through Twin anyway if you take my suggestion and will see that it's not much.
And you'll go right by the falls so you can stop if you're inspired to do so.
p.s. If you do decide to visit the Wood River Valley (Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey, etc.) let me know if you need suggestions for things to do there. I know the area very well.
Happy Trails

[gy2020]

Kaligirl: I thought you moved to Houston. Did you move back to SouCal?
gy2020

[DMenscha]

Originally Posted by Kaligirl

From South Lake Tahoe, CA to Yosemite, CA (Any RVers out there? Would you take 89 to 4 to Big Oak flat? Or would you take 50 to 49 and then down?) Okay, so say we get there…here’s hoping! What to do and see in Yosemite? As with Yellowstone, we know we are have with trail usage problems because of our dogs, but I heard there might be a few we could do? Which ones? What time of day is best? How do we find them?

From Tahoe driving with a travel trailer, I'd suggest you take 50 all the way down the hill to 99 and then up 120 in Manteca. Highway 49 is only a 2 lane highway most of the way and is relatively twisty and turny. You will end up spending far more hours driving if you take that route. Do notattempt to take your travel trailer over Tioga Pass (down 395 from Tahoe) as it is not recommended by CalTrans or anyone else for that matter. You could take 89 south from Tahoe to 88 and down to 49 in Jackson if you want to split the difference between scenic and speed.

If you want to go the scenic route, then you could do 49 from Auburn to Groveland and then up 120 to the Valley. Wave when you drive through Calaveras County

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

From Tahoe driving with a travel trailer, I'd suggest you take 50 all the way down the hill to 99 and then up 120 in Manteca. Highway 49 is only a 2 lane highway most of the way and is relatively twisty and turny. You will end up spending far more hours driving if you take that route. Do notattempt to take your travel trailer over Tioga Pass (down 395 from Tahoe) as it is not recommended by CalTrans or anyone else for that matter. You could take 89 south from Tahoe to 88 and down to 49 in Jackson if you want to split the difference between scenic and speed.

If you want to go the scenic route, then you could do 49 from Auburn to Groveland and then up 120 to the Valley. Wave when you drive through Calaveras County

really?
huh.
i didn't know that 395 was not a good idea for travel trailers but it's been like 5 years since i drove it.
and are you saying that it's just the approach from the eastern side of the sierra up to the high country of yosemite that is a no-no for travel trailers or from the west side as well?

[DMenscha]

Highway 120 from 395 into Yosemite is definitely not for trailers. Highway 395 is fine for trailers. Apologies if I wasn't clear on that

Highway 120 into the Valley is OK for trailers from the west side and one can go quite aways toward Tuolumne Meadows on 120 from Crane Flat as well.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

Highway 120 from 395 into Yosemite is definitely not for trailers. Highway 395 is fine for trailers. Apologies if I wasn't clear on that

Highway 120 into the Valley is OK for trailers from the west side and one can go quite aways toward Tuolumne Meadows on 120 from Crane Flat as well.

got it ... that makes sense ... thanks.