7 Famous Landmarks on a Road Trip between Phoenix and Yosemite

Covering over 1,200 miles, a road trip between Phoenix and Yosemite National Park might not sound like the most convenient way to visit the famous park. On a normal year, we would have flown to Reno and driven from there. But in 2021 we opted to drive.

It was the time they introduced reservations to visit the park, to keep down the crowds. So, before setting out on our road trip from Phoenix to Yosemite, we bought a pass.

It was our first road trip that summer, taking us through some of the most spectacular – and famous – landmarks in the US.

Driving through the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts

To get from Phoenix to the high mountains and most famous landmarks of California, we covered a lot of desert. We drove through both the Sonoran and the Mojave Deserts for hours upon hours.

We started off in the greener Sonoran Desert, home of the giant saguaro, in bloom at the time. Since it is a night bloomer, the gorgeous white saguaro flowers were still open in the morning, when we set off on our adventure. During the first part of our road trip we enjoyed the views of blooming saguaros, surrounded by low hills and high mountains.

We drove through tiny towns with a handful of homes, and through unending views of desert landscape. Eventually, the environment changed slightly, as we passed from the Sonoran to the Mojave Desert, and from Arizona into California.

From there, we drove through large fields of wind-powered generators, and solar panels, giving us hope for the future. But we also drove by farmlands that didn’t seem to belong in the desert, and cattle ranches that belonged even less.

1. Joshua Tree National Park

Depending of the time of the year you travel, your first stop along a Phoenix to Yosemite road trip is Joshua Tree National Park. The distance between Phoenix and Joshua Tree National Park is about 220 miles, most of the time a three-and-a-half-hour drive. So, after this amount of driving it is worth to stop for a while.

Unless you are driving through in the summer. With temperatures hovering above the 100F (over 38 degrees Celsius), summer is not the ideal time to visit this park. However, a short stop is still worth it.

The park offers a great place to experience the best of the Mojave Desert, and learn about this unique environment. Though we didn’t linger this time – it was too hot to even get out of the car – we visited the park a few times before, and always enjoyed our experiences.

The Visitor Center offers plenty of material to learn about the agave plant known as Joshua Tree and the surrounding desert ecosystem. A short interpretive trail starting at the Visitor Center gives you more choices to explore the surroundings.

The main road through the park leads through a few famous landmarks and large patches of Joshua Trees. If you have time, and you are there at the right time of the year, enjoy a few hikes through the park. During a hot Sumer day though, you could just drive along on your road trip to Yosemite. But before you reach your destination, you have a few other places you can stop to explore.

2. Mount Whitney

Another 250 miles later we reached one of the highlights of our Phoenix to Yosemite road trip, Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. For us, it was one of the highlights of the trip.

With its highest peak at 14,494 feet (4,418 meters), Mt Whitney lays at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada. You’ll find the road leading up to it in the small town on Lone Pine, worth a stop for its famous landmarks featured in old Western movies.

Since a road trip between Phoenix and Yosemite passes right it, we felt we needed to stop and enjoy some time on the mountain.

From what we read about the mountain’s popularity, we weren’t sure we’d even find a parking spot near any of the trails. But we wanted to drive up to the famous mountain regardless, at least for the scenery.

Enjoy the Scenic Road to Mount Whitney

The road to the mountain, fittingly called Whitney Portal, starts in the center of Lone Pine. It is easy to miss it though if you are not looking for it; We drove by it and had to turn around when we realized we left the town and were driving away from Mt Whitney.

The scenic road is worth a drive even if you don’t plan on spending much time on top.

However, if you are a mountaineer and want to summit, you’ll need a permit for your hike, and you should come prepared.

If you’re like us, just stoping on your way to Yosemite, drive to the trailhead, hike about a mile or so on the summit trail and enjoy time in the pines. Be aware of bears in the area.

The day after a holiday weekend, we had no trouble finding a parking lot at the trailhead. Part of the reason might have to do with CoVid, and the permit system. Or maybe it was just good timing and luck.

Take a Short Hike and Have a Picnic Under the Pines

Since we had no desire to hike the 10+ miles to the top, this was a great stop for us. We had a wonderful time exploring the surroundings at the 8,300 feet elevation, enjoying the cooler weather in the pines, and a picnic lunch after a short hike on the famous Whitney trail leading to the summit.

Note: Please do not attempt to hike the length of the summit trail, unless you are prepared for it, have the proper gear, and experience. By which I mean you’ve hiked other 14,000+ elevation peaks. Even if you do get a permit, you need training and proper gear for the trail, especially at higher elevations; I read about too many hikers getting injured and killed on this trail because it seems easy.

If you are on a road trip to Yosemite, enjoy a short stop and the scenic road, then drive on to your next stop.

3. Mammoth Lakes (and maybe Devils Postpile National Monument)

About two hours later, 100 miles past Mt Whitney, you’ll reach Mammoth Lakes, with its surrounding pine forests and lakes. Take a stroll in the charming center of town, then find a hike by one of the lakes. At the foothills of Mammoth Mountain, the town lays at an elevation of 7,880 feet, and it is the gateway to the scenic mountain, and to the Devils Postpile National Monument.

Unfortunately, when we visited, in early June, the National Monument wasn’t open for the season yet. Since they don’t have an exact opening date, if you want to visit Devils Postpile, you need to check their website for updates. Generally, if you visit in July and August, I’m sure it’s open, but in June and September, you should check.

However, spending time at Mammoth Lakes is definitely worth it even without going further. You’ll find a few of the lakes surrounded by pine forests and hiking trails.

4. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is your main destination on this road trip, or round trip. From this side, you will enter Yosemite National Park from Tioga Pass, only open seasonally.

You’ll reach the park’s gateway city on this side, Lee Vining, about 30 miles from Mammoth Lakes. Remember though, Tioga Pass is only open in the summer. Since its opening dates vary depending on they snowfall in any given year, you need to check the park’s website for updates. If the pass is not open, you’ll have a 200 mile (about four hour) drive to get to the main entrance.

Here, we reached the final destination of our road trip between Phoenix and Yosemite. One of the first and most famous parks established in the US, Yosemite National Park features some gorgeous scenery. The most famous sites are in Yosemite Valley, but the surrounding wilderness is just as spectacular.

How to Visit Yosemite

In 2021 Yosemite introduced a reservation system, in place until 2023. I thought it worked great to limit crowds at the popular National Park, but you no longer need to worry about it. This helps make your trip more spontaneous, but hope it doesn’t cause overcrowding. So, the only thing to worry about when you enter on this side is that the pass is open.

It is always a good idea to check the park’s website for road closures, especially in the winter months, when several of the roads at the highest elevations might be closed.

Spend Time Along Tioga Road During the Hottest Summer Days

On a hot day, you’ll find the best hikes on the higher elevations, surrounding the alpine lakes along Tioga Road. Yosemite Valley usually gets congested; it was even busy in 2021, when they had the reservation system. You’ll find the most famous views from Glacier Point, where you can see the entire Valley, with the famous rock formations and waterfalls.

For the Best Experience, Spend Multiple Days at Yosemite

We didn’t stay in the park overnight, though we visited it for three consecutive days, adding some of the best experiences. Since at the time lodging inside the park was extremely limited because of the pandemic, we spent the nights in the tiny town of Lee Vining on the shore of Mono Lake. From there, we re-entered Yosemite through Tioga Pass. However, you can stay in the park now, or in another gateway town.

5. Kings Canyon National Park

Since we made the drive from Phoenix to Yosemite, we felt we needed to see Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks, too. Though they are off the main portion of the road trip between Phoenix and Yosemite, they are so close, you can’t miss visiting these giant trees.

The entrance to both parks is the same, about 100 miles from Yosemite, or about two to two-and-a-half hours drive.

Once passed the gate to the two parks, we visited Kings Canyon National Park first. With its deep valleys, towering sequoias, and distinctive rock formations, Kings Canyon resembles Yosemite.

Home to Redwood Canyon, the largest remaining grove of sequoia trees in the world, Kings Canyon is worth at least a few hours to visit.

The highlight of my visit was the trail surrounding General Grant Tree, the third largest three in the world, also known as “the Nation’s Christmas Tree”. Winding through large groves of sequoias, and showcasing a fallen log you can walk through, the trail follows a flat terrain, with few obstacles.

6. Sequoia National Park

The more famous of the two parks, Sequoia was busier. We were still able to find a parking spot leading to a short trail through sequoia groves the park got its name from. Of course, we couldn’t leave without a look at the world’s largest tree (by volume, if not height or width), the General Sherman tree. Though I don’t necessarily appreciate these names for the majestic trees, it was worth seeking them out to finally see them.

The trail to the General Sherman tree is a half-mile long and paved, making it easy for just about anyone to follow it. However, coming back up I noticed many people having trouble. If you go, pace yourself, especially on the way back up. With plenty of benches and gorgeous viewpoints, it is worth stopping often, to soak up the views.

7. Along the return route: The London Bridge at Lake Havasu City

To make it a round trip, and take a different route back to Phoenix, we drove through Lake Havasu City, home to the famous London Bridge.

The approximately 450 miles would take over seven hours without stops, but you can stop at Bakersfield, about 130 miles from Sequoia National Park.

Once in Lake Havasu City, you can spend some time enjoying the waterfront. And, to see the original London Bridge, the same one the children’s rhyme claimed was falling down. It was, indeed, getting swallowed by the Thames River, before it ended up in the middle of the desert of Phoenix.

Now it sits on Lake Havasu, surrounded by an oasis in the arid desert of Arizona. Stop for lunch or a snack, and a stroll along the lake, then walk across the famous bridge.

Rounding up the road trip between Phoenix and Yosemite, back to where we started

From Lake Havasu City you have 190 miles from Phoenix, and it generally takes three-and-a-half hours to drive it without stop. However, several places are worth a stop.

You are back in the Sonoran Desert, and drive through driving Kingsman and Wickenburg. Other than the two small Arizona towns, you’ll drive through a Joshua Tree forest, in certain parts more dense than Joshua Tree National Monument.

You’ll also pass Lake Pleasant Regional Park, one of the popular outdoor recreations place, another opportunity for a stop before the city.

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