Car Rentals Las Vegas Nevada - Would It be Advisable to Drive a Rental Car from Las Vegas to Yosemite NP in End December in a Rental Minivan?
Car Rentals Las Vegas Nevada - I would be on a vacation in USA west and plan to drive to the Yosemite National park from las vegas or los angeles. Is the drive difficult during the winters . does it snow in the last week of December ? Need help on this las vegas nv rentals.
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Comments on Car Rentals Las Vegas Nevada - Would It be Advisable to Drive a Rental Car from Las Vegas to Yosemite NP in End December in a Rental Minivan?
It would be safer to walk. Yes, it snows in December in Yosemite.
Sure, you can drive to Yosemite from either area in December. It rarely snows in Los Angeles, or Las Vegas so the rental vehicle will not have “snow tires”. Ask for a set of tire chains that fit the vehicle at the time you rent it.
Yosemite is roughly 315 miles from L.A., and 410 from Las Vegas. It’s not an one day excursion. I would suggest you go there from Los Angeles. The park entry you would use coming from Las vegas (Hwy 120) is usually closed due to snow from December to April. Some roads in the park will be closed, but roads to most of the popular tourist sights are kept open. The winter driving problems in the park is more from lots of sharp curves rather than steep grades.
It definetly snows in Yosemite. It makes for a very picturesqe, but cold visit. However, the California Department of Transportation works very hard at keeping the higway leading into Yosemite Valley open. It only completely closes down during the worst storms, which are very hard to predict this far out.
I recommend you rent some snow chains before you start out, and learn how to install them. You may not be required to install them, but when a heavy snow is predicted, you may be inspected to show that you, at least, are carrying them in the minivan.
Most of the drive is NOT difficult. The worst parts would be, if coming from Vegas, is the short stretch over the Tehachape mountains, or, from LA, over the Grapevine. And even then, only if the weather is severe, which, even in winter, is usually not. And, of course, the last forty or fifty miles leading into Yosemite. Again, only if the weather is bad.
Otherwise, the whole distance is a pretty easy drive, much of it very pretty and relaxing.
Oh, “peedlepup” reminds us of one thing I forgot. Since I live on the Coast, the only way I have ever approached Yosemite is from the West. I have forgotten that 120 can close up for an entire season. That’s why I suggested the route from Las Vegas, via Barstow, over the Tehachape Pass and up CA 99 to Fresno or Madera before cutting East towards the Park. It is, literally, the only way I know to get there.