Scenic route from SoCal to SLC?

[bryson]

My family and I will be driving to Santa Clarita, CA for a wedding this coming weekend, and afterwards we have a few days before obligations at home begin again. I'd love some advice on a route/destinations that aren't too far off a realistic route home that my kiddos (6, 10) would enjoy. If the wife and I enjoy it even better! We're not really interested in amusement park type stuff - more natural and outdoors type destinations. Could make the return-home trip 3 or so days. We'll be in the Land Cruiser, but won't have camping gear, so we'd be restricted to the hotel/motel life.

Tentative (very tentative, very general) route is Santa Clarita>Yosemite-ish>Lake Tahoe>Home. Leaving Santa Clarita mid-day Sunday 5/29 and have to be home by the evening of Thursday 6/2.

Open to any and all suggestions. Even if very different than the above route.

Whatcha got?

 

[DAA]

If doing that route, stop at Bodie for a few hours while Yosemite-ish.

- DAA

 

[mbryson]

If doing that route, stop at Bodie for a few hours while Yosemite-ish.

- DAA

You get stuck there?

 

[Hickey]

I guess it depends on what you consider scenic. I Like to cut across Nevada, personally. It is longer by almost 100 miles for me from Grantsville, so even longer for you. If it were me I would head for Ely->Tonopah->Beatty and then cut across Death Valley and catch 395 south of Bishop.

Ely has that Ghost Train that is super rad, but I haven't done it. Beatty has burros wandering about, and Goldfield is just a ways north of there with some goofy mining history shops and stuff.

You could also head south from Beatty to Amorgosa Junction and take that through Death Valley to Baker, CA where it hits I-15... But I think that would add even more miles for you, since you're going to Santa Clarita as an end point. The Dumont Dunes are just north of Baker on that same road.

 

[DAA]

You get stuck there?

No. I wasn't riding in the F-150. I waited out a rainstorm there though. Cool place.

- DAA

 

[mbryson]

No. I wasn't riding in the F-150. I waited out a rainstorm there though. Cool place.

- DAA

I misremembered (who would guess at my age? ) Bodie for Lodi....

 

[bryson]

Due to time and an already-made hotel reservation in Mesquite on the way down, that route is decided. I'm trying to decide which route to take from Santa Clarita to get back home.

Bodie would be cool for sure. Is it cool enough to warrant staying on the East side of the Sierras for the whole return trip?

 

[bryson]

The more I look into the logistics involved with getting into and around Yosemite, the less appealing it sounds...

 

[skippy]

The more I look into the logistics involved with getting into and around Yosemite, the less appealing it sounds...

I just spent a few days in yosemite and it was glorious, definately worth the detour if you have never been!

 

[DAA]

You can access Yosemite from the east side too.

- DAA

 

[DAA]

I guess I should add... I didn't think Yosemite was all that great, either. Couple of spectacular views but the rest was pretty meh, to me. But, at least there weren't as many Californians as most of California.

- DAA

 

[TurboMinivan]

Ely has that Ghost Train that is super rad, but I haven't done it.

I'll upvote this. I have visited Ely, and I did go on the historic train ride--I thought it was a neat glimpse into our country's past.

As an added benefit that might appeal to the kiddos, they have these passport-like books (called "survival guides") for Highway 50 across Nevada. I believe they are free. There are specific locations in each of the seven largest towns that Hwy 50 accesses where you can have your book stamped (much like a passport). It's a great way to be interactive. Maybe your kids would dig it?

Nevada Highway 50 Survival Guide | Loneliest Road in America, Nevada's Highway 50

loneliestroad.us

 

[Hickey]

I'll upvote this. I have visited Ely, and I did go on the historic train ride--I thought it was a neat glimpse into our country's past.

As an added benefit that might appeal to the kiddos, they have these passport-like books (called "survival guides") for Highway 50 across Nevada. I believe they are free. There are specific locations in each of the seven largest towns that Hwy 50 accesses where you can have your book stamped (much like a passport). It's a great way to be interactive. Maybe your kids would dig it?

Nevada Highway 50 Survival Guide | Loneliest Road in America, Nevada's Highway 50

loneliestroad.us

There's also that creepy weird castle thingy on the west end of Austin that looks rad and creepy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokes_Castle

Personally, I absolutely love highway 50 across NV because it's so empty and desolate. And because PET.

 

[moab_cj5]

Yosemite is cool, but there are so many trees and RV's it's hard to enjoy. I'd look at the HWY 50 route.

 

[Thursty]

Ely is a cool town and the Nevada Northern Railroad is a must do. It really is a time capsule.

 

[Corban_White]

My wife and I absolutely loved driving on Hwy 50.