Driving Through Nevada

[TromboneAl]

We're planning another car/bike trip in Utah. I mentioned to Jenny (DD) that she could join us if she wants, and she said yes. I really don't get why she'd want to hang out with her old Mom and Dad for a few days, but it's great for us.

The plan is that she flies into Las Vegas, we pick her up and drive to Zion, do hiking & biking there and elsewhere, then drop her back at the airport.

One question concerns the best route to LV.



We've done the southern route shown here. Has anyone tried the northern route? This will be in the fall when temperature is less of an issue.

 

[haha]

We're planning another car/bike trip in Utah. I mentioned to Jenny (DD) that she could join us if she wants, and she said yes. I really don't get why she'd want to hang out with her old Mom and Dad for a few days, but it's great for us.

The plan is that she flies into Las Vegas, we pick her up and drive to Zion, do hiking & biking there and elsewhere, then drop her back at the airport.

One question concerns the best route to LV.

View attachment 12142

We've done the southern route shown here. Has anyone tried the northern route? This will be in the fall when temperature is less of an issue.

I have driven both routes on your map, from way up here, although I take a different route across the Cascades and into Susanville. I may continue to do this as far as Reno occasionally, but I do not like the drive from Reno to LV. Boring, and although low traffic, dangerous.

Consider flying to Vegas and renting car and bikes while there. I think that is the only way I would even consider this trip.

Ha

 

[TromboneAl]

Why more dangerous?

We also were thinking "Oh, we don't want to do all that driving," but then Sarah posted about her mototaxi junket, so now we feel that we can't wimp out about a little easy travel in a normal car.

 

[nphx]

Option C - i did las vegas to sacremento via death valley through independance ca and north ... i liked it. (on 1100 cc)

 

[haha]

Why more dangerous?

We also were thinking "Oh, we don't want to do all that driving," but then Sarah posted about her mototaxi junket, so now we feel that we can't wimp out about a little easy travel in a normal car.

As they say, YMMV. I don't particularly like two lane roads with lots of dips and blind spots, especially when there are likely to be no cell towers or services for long stretches. My impression is perhaps partly formed by a terrible accident I saw there one day which wiped out an entire family. Only when someone came along witha ham setup were we able to call for help, and it was too long and too late getting there. This was some time ago, maybe the road is different now. But this is not a heavily traveled route as you might imagine.

Ha

 

[flyfishnevada]

The US 95 route isn't all that dangerous. It's not a freeway, it's a typical 2 lanes US route. It's not heavily traveled, but has enough fellow travelers so you won't get lonely. Lot's of speed traps. Know where you are. If your within 20 miles or so of one of the towns, keep it reasonable. Between the towns, and there is a lot of between, you can push it a little. Great candy store in Beatty. We just drove this in March and it's a nice, but not especially scenic route. The major excitement is when the rabbit brush gives way to mesquite. Woohoo!

 

[Rambler]

I've never done the route thru Nevada, but I'm pretty sure if getting there faster is what you want, then going down I-5 to Bakersfield is probably the route to take. I'm guessing the two lane road thru Nevada would keep you at a lower speed, and being a two lane road, I would guess it to be more dangerous. But if a nice drive is what your after, you may enjoy driving thru Nevada.

Note, our home is in central valley CA and we take the south route in the winter to see our son in SLC. In the summer we go across Nevada via winnemucca and Wendover.

R

 

[meierlde]

On the cell phone coverage front it looks like on Verizon at least US 95 is pretty well covered from Reno to Las Vegas. You could check your cell phone companies web site for their coverage. Actually it looks like the loneliest road in America (US 50) has about 2/3 coverage in NV, cross into Utah and there is a 100 mile hole (also no services in that area also)
Note that unless you go into LA Cal 58 has about 30 miles of two lane between east of Mohave and Barstow.

 

[pimpmyretirement]

Meet her in St. George, stay away from Vegas. Driving in Vegas sucks.

Have her fly into Vegas and take the shuttle between Vegas and St. George. It is pretty cheap and runs every hour or two:

St George & Executive Shuttle

The executive shuttle is much nicer and well worth the extra couple of bucks.