California hwy 120 between 395 & 6

[DouglasBriggs]

Has anyone on here traveled SR hwy 120 between 395 and 6 ? Any steep grades or tight curves ? I have a 40' Class A

[profdant139]

Wonderful road. I have had no problems towing my trailer both ways on that road. Take your time. The views are spectacular. No traffic. Wide open sky. The authentic Old West.

(Can you tell I am stuck in town and wish I could be out in the Big Empty?)

[ppine]

Great route. Remote but not difficult. I travel it every couple of years. Keep an eye out for wild horses. Stop at the old sawmill and the hot springs.

[D_E_Bishop]

Back in my younger days I did bike rides from Mono Lake Park to Benton Crossing and from that point of view, yes there are two steep down hills. By steep I mean "Oh crud, in an hour I'll be going up at 6 mph instead of down at 50 mph". But you should be fine.

About 14 miles from Benton is Adobe Valley, there is a herd of wild horses that call the Valley home. They number somewhere between 200 and 250. A great sight for young eyes, our grand kids love it and so do we. If you are ever there with time to kill, it is BLM land and you can spend a few nights in old ranch sites without fear of being run off by the BLM.


Old Water trough


A few mustangs


Just East of Mono Lake

[jmtandem]

Has anyone on here traveled SR hwy 120 between 395 and 6 ? Any steep grades or tight curves ? I have a 40' Class A

This is a perfect motorcycle road. Very steep near Benton and lots of whoops and curves. Scenery is great. A 40 foot class A? Take your time driving it.

[Garry_Gayle]

I have driven it, right out of Benton there is a short steep upgrade with a couple tight turns after that its a nice scenic drive all the way to the 395. I have seen tour busses on that road, so no worries. Ski Pro 3 is on the west side of 395 you are asking about the east side.

[Ski_Pro_3]

There's a tunnel on 120 where drops into Yosemite Valley heading West. From the valley to this tunnel has lots of twists, but also lots of turn-outs. The tunnel is an arch roof. Every time I go through it, I straddle the yellow line so as not to loose my AC off the roof as the arch is a lot less clearance on the sides than the center.
Long as you got good brakes, it's not bad.

****EDIT****
Found this;

Big Oak Flat Road

Continuation of Highway 120 from the west into the park

Maximum vehicle length: 45 feet for single vehicle.
Height restrictions: tunnels, from Yosemite Valley: 10 feet 3 inches; into Yosemite Valley, 13 feet 8 inches (the height of the tunnel at the white fogline is higher and California-legal vehicles are able to drive through the tunnel while remaining in their lane).
Seasons: Open all year (chains may be required in winter).

Tips for Pulling a Trailer over Tioga Pass

Highway 120 between Tioga Pass and its junction with US 395 is a steep, winding mountain road. The steepest portion of the road is an eight-mile section that ascends about 2,500 feet (from Lee Vining toward Tioga Pass). Portions of the road have a grade as steep as eight percent.

Other considerations:

1. Adhere to the towing capacity of your vehicle (you might be able to tow a trailer that is heavier than what your vehicle is set up to tow on other roads, but it might not work if you're going up or down this grade); adjust your braking system if you can.

2. Know your driving skills and what you are capable of doing.

3. Many vehicles towing trailers make it up to Tioga Pass (slowly and patiently). However, you may not be able to keep up with other traffic--if you try to, your vehicle may overheat. So, don't try to drive the same speed as other cars that aren't towing vehicles; use the pullouts when you can to allow them to pass you.

4. If you do break down (engine overheating, brakes fail, etc.) be aware that you might be waiting several hours for help (especially if you come through later in the day when fewer people can help you). Have a plan if you break down.

[ArchHoagland]

Google maps says it is closed from October to May.

Looks like it would be an interesting drive.

[DouglasBriggs]

azdryheat wrote:
Looks fine to me. Having Google Maps on my laptop I went down to the street view, just like I was there, and took a look around. Next I consulted my Motor Carrier's Atlas and saw that the 120 is approved for truckers.

FWIW my truck and trailer are 58 feet long. I've been all over the US and have yet to find a road I couldn't negotiate. Class A's are much easier to maneuver than my rig.

Thanks. I have a Mountain Steep Grade Directory that didn't list it but found out first hand that they don't list all the steep grades and roads.

[azdryheat]

Looks fine to me. Having Google Maps on my laptop I went down to the street view, just like I was there, and took a look around. Next I consulted my Motor Carrier's Atlas and saw that the 120 is approved for truckers.

FWIW my truck and trailer are 58 feet long. I've been all over the US and have yet to find a road I couldn't negotiate (there were some roads I wished I wasn't on). Class A's are much easier to maneuver than my rig.