San Francisco to Yosemite Road Trip: Routes, Stops and Timing
One hundred and ninety five miles and about four hours to Yosemite Valley without stops, and closer to five with them. Highway 120 through Groveland and the Big Oak Flat entrance is the fastest. Highway 140 through Mariposa and the Arch Rock entrance is 20 minutes longer, stays lowest and is the one to use in snow. Highway 41 from the south through Oakhurst is for people continuing to Los Angeles. Leave by 6am, fill the tank in Groveland or Mariposa, and expect the last hour inside the park to be slow. Our Yosemite 2 day itinerary picks up where the drive ends.
The three routes
- Highway 120 west, via Groveland. One hundred and ninety five miles, four hours. The standard route: I-580 to I-205, Highway 120 through Manteca and Oakdale, then the climb through Groveland to the Big Oak Flat entrance. Best in summer, and it puts you 45 minutes from the valley floor at the gate.
- Highway 140, via Mariposa. Two hundred and ten miles, four hours 20 minutes. Follows the Merced River in through the Arch Rock entrance, reaching only 2,000 feet at the gate. This is the all season route, the one that stays open in storms, and the one to take if there is any snow in the forecast.
- Highway 41, via Oakhurst. Two hundred and thirty miles, four and a half hours. Comes in at the south entrance next to Mariposa Grove and delivers you at Tunnel View. Worth it if you want the sequoias first or are driving on to Los Angeles afterwards.
Tioga Pass on the east side is a summer road only, usually shut from November into late spring, so it is never the answer from San Francisco.
Stops worth making
- Knights Ferry on Highway 120, with the longest covered bridge west of the Mississippi.
- Groveland, a gold rush main street with the last reliable fuel and coffee before the park.
- Rainbow Pool on the South Fork Tuolumne, a swimming hole 20 minutes before the entrance.
- Mariposa on Highway 140, with a mining museum and the last supermarket.
- Hetch Hetchy, a 45 minute detour off Highway 120 inside the park boundary, open all year, and almost empty compared to the valley.
Timing the drive
Two queues decide your morning. The Bay Bridge and I-580 through the Altamont Pass back up from about 7am on weekdays, and the park entrance stations back up from about 9am in summer. Leaving San Francisco at 6am clears both. Leaving at 9am can add 90 minutes to the same journey.
On the way home, the reverse applies: leaving the valley after 4pm on a Sunday puts you into the I-205 crawl. Either leave by 1pm or eat dinner in Groveland and drive late.
Winter, chains and closures
From November through April, Caltrans can require chains on any of the three approaches, including on dry roads if there is snow at elevation, and hire cars almost never come with them. Two solutions: rent an all wheel drive vehicle and carry chains anyway, or take Highway 140, which is the lowest route and the last to be restricted. Snow tyres alone are not always accepted at a chain control. Our Yosemite winter guide covers what is open once you arrive.
The train and bus alternative
You do not need a car. Amtrak's San Joaquins runs from Emeryville, with a bus connection from San Francisco, to Merced in about four hours. From Merced the YARTS bus goes straight into Yosemite Valley, and your park entry fee is included in the fare. Total time is longer than driving, and once you are in the valley the free shuttle reaches every trailhead, so you never queue for parking. In peak summer that trade is often worth it.
Making it a road trip rather than a drive
If you have a spare day each way, the better shape is a loop. Out on Highway 120 to Yosemite, then south on 41 and west to the coast for Big Sur, and back up Highway 1. Or, in summer only, over Tioga Pass to the east side for Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra, which is one of the best drives in California and covered in our Eastern Sierra loop.
Have us plan the trip
Tell us your dates and we will pick the entrance that will be open, time the drive around the queues and book the beds. Planning is free, and we earn only if you book through us.
San Francisco to Yosemite National Park Road Trip: The Routes FAQs
About 195 miles to Yosemite Valley via Highway 120, which takes four hours without stops and closer to five with them. Highway 140 through Mariposa is 210 miles and 20 minutes longer.
Highway 120 through Groveland in summer, because it is the fastest and the entrance is closest to the valley. Highway 140 through Mariposa in winter or any time snow is forecast, since it stays lowest and is the last route to close.
It is eight hours of driving for perhaps five hours in the park, so you would see Tunnel View, Lower Yosemite Fall and the valley floor. One night in Mariposa or El Portal doubles what you get for very little extra money.
Often. Caltrans imposes chain controls on all three approach roads between November and April, and rental cars rarely include chains. Carry a set or take Highway 140, the lowest of the routes.
By 6am. That clears the Bay Bridge and Altamont Pass traffic and gets you to the entrance station before the summer queue builds around 9am.
Yes. Amtrak to Merced then the YARTS bus into Yosemite Valley, with park entry included in the fare. The free valley shuttle then covers the trailheads, though Glacier Point and Tioga Road need a tour or a car.
