Hyw 88 vs 50 Groveland to South Tahoe

[KevinH]

I will be traveling from Yosemite Pines RV campground in Groveland to South Tahoe. Has anybody made this trip? Can’t decide whether to take 49 to 88 or 50. Traveling in a 42 foot beaver, patriot thunder pulling a Jeep Wrangler. Thanks Kevin 

[Tom Wallis]

It's been a long time since I was on 88 but my recollection is that there is lots of up and down. I travel 50 regularly and I like it because it follows the American River most of the way and therefore there is a minimum of up and down. It's a pretty decent road in my book.

[amphi_sc]

I've traveled several times between Yosemite Lakes (NW entrance to the park) and Folsom (Sacramento area where family lives) and S. Tahoe.  Be aware of 49 to Placerville but as I head to Folsom I turn onto 16 where 49 goes toward Placerville. Check the Calif bus route info   https://dot.ca.gov/programs/traffic-operations/45-buses-motorhomes/bus-map The parts of 49 I've driven with my 45' and towing toad are doable but curvey... takes time and many CA drivers are impatient behind you. As for 88,  before the fires there were some good boondocking forest road areas off 88, haven't been there since to see how it's recovered, but it was a nice area to get away from it all.  Traffic isn't bad. If you want mostly flat easy grades and easy curves I've also gone all the way out to 99 up to Elk Grove and across Grant Line Road (to miss the traffic mess on 50 close to Sacramento) and caught 50 at Folsom / El Dorado Hills.  I made the "mistake" once of using pullouts on 50 to be kind to let traffic pass me going up 50 but had a devil of the time trying to get back into traffic, so now they can wait behind me until the passing lanes.

Which route depends a lot on your travel goal.  99 has heavy 2 lane freeway traffic, 88 used to be pretty scenery but don't know now, and 49 to 88 still has plenty of curves. By the way we've often come over Tioga pass through the park and also after camping in S Tahoe going around the West side of Lake Tahoe to I-80.

[Rick Chambers]

I have gone both ways several times in a 41’ Diplomat.  88 is slow driving but beautiful drive.   steep downhill is on the east side of Carson Spur, 7-8% grade but only a few miles long.  Road is narrow just over the spur with big g cliffs on your driver side but you will be on the “inside” side of the road.Slow and easy with engine brake makes it safe.  Then you have Carson Pass, same as the spur, slow and easy and you will be fine.  Carson Pass has thousand foot cliff on passenger side looking down to Red Lake. Absolutely beautiful drive.  Once you turn onto hwy 89 off of 88 towards lake Tahoe, you will have another 6-7% grade going down into the Tahoe Basin.  Same as above and you will be fine.  88 has far less traffic than 50.  Echo summit on 50 is a long windy road up from Placerville, but faster driving than 88.  When you go over Echo summit dropping into the Tahoe Basin, thst road will get your attention with a several thousand foot cliff on your passenger side.  Slow and easy you will be fine, short downhill to the tahoe basin.  I personally would do 88 to avoid the longer 49 hwy in the gold country foothills.  I live not too far from Kirkwood ski resort  which is on hwy 88.

[KevinH]

Thanks for everybody’s input. I’m meet  a guy in the campground that lives in Placerville. He suggested taking 120 out of Groveland to 99 to 50. That adds about 75 miles to the trip. I think I’m gonna go with Rick suggestion 120 to 49 to 88. That’s also a route on the DOT bus route. Slow and easy. Thanks