Planning a route from Yosemite back to San Francisco

[rachel.rosenbaum27]

Hi all!

I am planning to ride the ACA Western Express from San Francisco to Tahoe and then take the ACA Sierra Cascades route from Tahoe to Yosemite this August. I'm having trouble finding a way back from Yosemite to San Francisco. I've heard the central valley should be avoided and the roads and busy. Any suggestions for how to get back to San Francisco? Are there any routes already mapped of this area? I'm also open to taking public transit to the coast and riding north, but not sure what options are available.

Thanks in advance for your help and ideas!

[JHamelman]

I don't have a route recommendation for you but you might be interested in checking out this prevailing wind direction map for August when thinking about heading north from Yosemite.

https://wrcc.dri.edu/Climate/climate_map_show.php?simg=winddir8.gif

Jennifer

[rachel.rosenbaum27]

Thank you, Jennifer! Very helpful to know Just learned there's an amtrak that goes from yosemite valley to merced and then north back to San Francisco, so that would allow me to come South to Yosemite and avoid a week of headwinds! Just need to confirm they take bikes.

Thanks again for the response!

[JHamelman]

Hi Rachel,

We have a whole page dedicated to train travel with your bike. It should help clarify if the route you are looking at will take your bike.

https://www.adventurecycling.org/advocacy/train-travel/

Jennifer

[rachel.rosenbaum27]

This is amazing!! Thank you so much!!

[Pat Lamb]

I thought the connections in Yosemite were busses connecting to maybe Emeryville.

[aggie]

There is an Amtrak train running from Bakersfield to Oakland.  It is called San Joaquins.  According to Amtrak the trains are equipped with racks for bikes and they allow unboxed bikes to be put in the storage bins of thruway buses although they are not responsible for any damages.  There is a bus connection between Merced and Yosemite.

[rodgers1918]

It's probably too late, but....

I live in and ride a lot through the Central Valley on routes associated with Yosemite. The best way to get down from Tioga Pass road and across the valley is as follows: Down HW120 (wide shoulder) almost to Groveland. Turn west on Smith Station Road (lighly travel, but no shoulder) down to HW 132. 132 to Waterford/turlock/modesto (some tight sketchy spots). There are a few back roads that you could take, but use Maps. Amtrak picks up on Denair and Modesto and would take you to Emeryville. The trains are great for bike transport. If you want to ride all the way, take back country roads through the valley to Patterson and go up and over Del Pueto Canyon and down to Livermore. Most of the country roads I ride on have no shoulders but are lightly traveled.
Hope you had a good trip.

[jamawani]

I have toured from the Bay Area to Yosemite many times.
Jennifer is right about the wind.
Summer winds are almost always out of the northwest.
Strongest in the afternoon.

From the east you enter the park on Tioga Pass Road.
It's a killer downhill into Yosemite Valley, but not all downhill.
I cannot imagine visiting Yosemite without seeing the valley.

There are then 3 routes heading west from the valley -
Hwy 120 - to Stockton and most directly to SFO
Hwy 140 - to Merced
Hwy 41  - to Fresno

Hwys 120 & 41 are busier and have huge climbs up.
Hwy 140 follows the Merced River with a moderate climb.
YARTS offers summer bus service on all 4 routes (E & W).
Bikes go under the bus if space is available.

I strongly prefer the Merced Hwy 140 option.
It is narrow with little shoulder in the canyon,
But riding early or late reduces traffic.
(All roads into Yosemite are busy - a given.)

In general, I have used two routes from the Bay.
Down the coast to San Juan Bautista, then across via Firebaugh.
Or thru the Delta and down via the Sierra foothills.
Both have super back roads
And limit riding on the Central Valley floor.

Glad to share details with anyone interested.

Pic - Empty Road in the Sierra Foothills

[staehpj1]

I cannot imagine visiting Yosemite without seeing the valley.

Any option that didn't include seeing the Valley, I'd automatically dismiss.  I took a week off there and I rarely take even a full day off anywhere.