I'm flying into Orange County on May 26th. I'm (plannong on) buying a car in Laguna Beach then have to head to Monterey by the next afternoon for a meeting. I'm planning on heading up 1/101 as much as possible. The real question which way to go to Las Vegas on Sunday when my meeting is over. Yahoo has me heading back down 101 over 46 to 58 to I-15 with a total time of about 8 hours. Looks like it could be a pretty boring drive and at the mercy of a lot of traffic. As an alternative, I was thinking of heading 152 to 59 to 140 through Yosemite over to 95 down to las vegas. It adds about 3 hours but I think both the scenery and the roads would be more interesting. I'm a little afraid of that route though since it is memorial day weekend and the park itself may be overrun with RV's etc. Anybody have any experience with the route or the traffic that time of year? Thanks!

 

How much time do you have?

Consider.. 101, 198, 33 to I-5, 46 to 99, 99 North to 155 to Wofford Heights, then:

1. head north on 155 to Sierra Hwy to go around Lake Isabella on the north side, then east on 178 to 395 then 58 to I-15
1a. or head North on 395, to 190 thru Death Valley to Pahrump, then south on 160 to LV.

2. head south on 155 to 178, back towards Bakersfield thru the Kern Canyon Rd (178) to 184, south to 58 to I-15.
2a. or head south on 155 to Bodfish, then CR483 to Caliente which dumps out to 58.
2b. or CR483 to Caliente Creek Rd, then Back Canyon Rd to Jawbone Rd to 14s then 58e to I-15 (this could be goat)

 

Is that this could be "great" or am I missing a euphemism for something?

 

goat = poorly maintained road, cracks with weeds growing out of them, etc.

CR483 was paved in 08 i think, maybe late 07. Back canyon was fine last time I was there. It's Jawbone's current condition i'm not sure of. Pashnit might have a report that's more current.