Spring on US395
I am thinking of driving down US395 from Reno to LAX. I want go sometime between late March and May. I know it is probably best to avoid Easter & Memorial Day but otherwise when is the best time.What would road conditions be like in the north, would motels etc. be open? I saw one in Lee Vyning which it "opens for the season" May 11th, is that common?
Many thanks
Rocky
1
If there has been recent snowfall, you may need to wait for the highway to be plowed. There is not as much traffic between Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Ski Resort in the winter, so the RV campgrounds and many motels are closed. Highway #395 south of Mammoth will be cleared more quickly and the motels should also be open close to Mammoth because thousands of skiers drive along that highway from Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. Bishop is another nice place to spend the night.2
It all depends on the weather that day or the previous day. If the sun is out and it is not actually storming ( a rare thing in early spring) it could be glorious weather. Spring runoff could have many streams high with a little roadside flooding in the meadows. Check the highway reports and weather forecast before you leave, plan ahead a little. It is only about two hours to Bridgeport CA with several motels, there are also motels at Topaz Lake, Lee Vining, June Lake Loop and Mammoth.3
How many days do you want to spend on the trip?You should be able to find lodging in Bridgeport The Redwood Motel says they open mid-March.
Motels in Lee Vining. I only looked at one, Murphy's. They are open all year.
4
Lee Vining is at the intersection of Tioga Pass Road, which crosses into Yosemite and gets closed in winter because of deep snows. It may be that the motel doesn't get enough business until that road is opened in the Spring.5
As noted, a snowstorm could affect your route, in which case you could conceivably have to cut over to Hwy. 95 through Nevada to Las Vegas. I've stayed in a hotel in Lee Vining in December, and inone at Topaz Lake (north of Bridgeport) in March. Roads into the Sierra can stay closed for a while, but 395 generally open except for brief periods. Roads to Bodie State Park (ghost town, northeast of Lee Vining) and to the Ancient Bristlecone Forest (near Big Pine) may well be clsoed, but you could still see many other attractions, including Mono Lake, Laws Railroad Museum (near Bishop), Manzanar National Historic Site, Alabama Hills, etc.6
in which case you could conceivably have to cut over to Hwy. 95 through Nevada to Las Vegas.
Las Vegas is not exactly on the way to Los Angeles.
