Lake Tahoe from LA

[Meaney77]

We are planning on heading up to Lake Tahoe staying at Zephyr Cover over the 4th of July. We will be traveling north from the Ventura County area. A friend of mine was recently up there and he said the 395 is a very scenic route however the roads are a little sketchy the closer you get to Lake Tahoe. Sketchy meaning windey, steep grades, and 2 lane highway and it might be a bit of a white knuckle drive in my 40' coach towing my truck behind us.

The other option is to take I5 north.

Does anyone have any input?

[knit]

395 is a great drive. Pretty much any way you get to Tahoe has at least some two lane roads even from I5. If you do 395, look at taking 50 east out of Carson City. It’s the best road into the Tahoe basin.

[drdarrin]

Earlier this spring we took our 35’ 5er from Quartzsite thru Death Valley and Tahoe to Sacramento. There are a lot of passes on that stretch of 395 but nothing we couldn’t handle. Only one small stretch I remember being 2 lane and that was no big deal either. Each lane is still 10+ feet wide.

[Harrysait]

Going north on 395 is scenic, not a big deal in any size RV. Sure, there are passes, you are going up to 7,000 or more, some 2 lanes mostly 55 & 65 mph. Camp at Concivt Lake, if you can get space, just south of Mammoth. Bring fishing poles!
Better turn West, not East at Carson City!!!!

[rattletrap]

We live at North Tahoe, Tahoe City. Have driven from and to Tahoe on every paved road around. The roads I wouldn't want to drive again are 120 across the Sierras through Yosemite, 89 over Monitor Pass. 395 is no problem unless you buy fuel around Bridgeport. Very pricey! Carson City or Minden is the least expensive. Almost $1.00 less than California. 5 or 99 north is the most direct, boring until you turn east on 88, 50, or 80. Whatever way you choose it is up hill to 6300 feet.
I assure you, you won't be alone at South Tahoe, Zephyr Cove on the 4th of July.

[Bipeflier]

Originally Posted by knit

395 is a great drive. Pretty much any way you get to Tahoe has at least some two lane roads even from I5. If you do 395, look at taking 50 east out of Carson City. It’s the best road into the Tahoe basin.

Better go WEST our of Carson City if you want to go to Tahoe. LOL

[Joe11]

I like my truck and fiver too much to subject them to the I5 between So Cal and Sacramento ever again. I’d rather negotiate Roadrunner/Coyote stuff that take that horizontal rubble strip they call Interstate 5.

North of Sacramento is ok though.

[twogypsies]

395 is the way to go with any size RV.

[knit]

Originally Posted by Bipeflier

Better go WEST our of Carson City if you want to go to Tahoe. LOL

Oops. Bipeflier is right. I should had said west to Tahoe. But east has some neat places like Great Basin National Park.

[knit]

Originally Posted by Joe11

I like my truck and fiver too much to subject them to the I5 between So Cal and Sacramento ever again. I’d rather negotiate Roadrunner/Coyote stuff that take that horizontal rubble strip they call Interstate 5.



North of Sacramento is ok though.

The vast majority of I5 is fine in my frequent experience. 99 is a bit rougher.

[Coarsegold]

395 is a great drive and you will really be pleased if you take it! Should be no issue at all for your rig. I was just on it 3 weeks ago. Zephyr Cove has been my favorite place for 40 years. Be careful in there as it is a little tight for a 40' and toad.

[Joe11]

Originally Posted by knit

The vast majority of I5 is fine in my frequent experience. 99 is a bit rougher.

I didn’t think I should see daylight under the rear tires of the truck in front of me. My rear wheel hub cover that flew off somewhere south of Sacramento cost $135 to replace and last time I drove a Ryder truck for someone moving up there my feet came off the floor board three times.

Maybe I’m spoiled driving in Nevada and Arizona so much.

[Meaney77]

Originally Posted by Coarsegold

395 is a great drive and you will really be pleased if you take it! Should be no issue at all for your rig. I was just on it 3 weeks ago. Zephyr Cove has been my favorite place for 40 years. Be careful in there as it is a little tight for a 40' and toad.

Thanks for your input, we just returned. Had a great trip and tight squeeze is an understatement, they pack you in there like sardines!!!

So I have to ask, if you have been going there for 40 years, whats the secret to making sure they dont mess up your reservations? We booked spots for the week of the 4th over a year ago and received confirmations. about 6 months later we received an email that the reservation for the 4 spots we reserved were all canceled- which we never cancelled.

My wife finally got that straightened out and then during our trip my brother in law rented a trailer and had it dropped off. Half way thru our trip the park people came around and told us he had to move and move his trailer. Obviously we couldn't since it was a rental. We again got that straightened out but there were several people around us who had similar issues and were complaining about how bad the reservation desk/Aramark screwed things up.

We want to book another trip but are a bit reluctant of having issues again with our reservations.

[Meaney77]

Thanks for everyone input, we just returned from a great trip. We left Socal on Friday before the 4th. We stopped in Mammoth and stayed in the Mammoth Mountain RV park which was awesome (We have stayed there before). We woke up the next morning and proceeded on the rest of our drive up the 395 to Highway 50. Was a super easy drive into Lake Tahoe.

We spent a week at Zephyr Cove enjoying Tahoe and the surrounding areas including the Truckee River and Heavenly Valley Ski Area.

We left Zephyr Cove on Saturday and headed to Santa Cruz for the weekend to see my wifes family. We stayed at the Santa Cruz Redwoods RV Park which was awesome. My kids really enjoyed it! A great spot to stay in if you are eve in the area.