438 mi · 13,400 ft of climbing · high point 6,339 ft · start/finish downtown Napa (First St & Main St)
Ridden May 11, 2026 · High Sierra
The ride
The way out is mostly about distance: American Canyon, I-80 across the Yolo Causeway, I-5 south and the back roads by Peltier Road to Lockeford. Then CA-12 climbs into the foothills through Burson to San Andreas.
CA-49 runs south through Angels Camp and Tuttletown, then Chinese Camp, and Highway 120 climbs through Groveland toward the park. Big Oak Flat Road takes you into Yosemite and all the way down to the Valley floor around Curry Village. That's the payoff, granite walls on both sides. The route tops out around 6,339 ft on Big Oak Flat Road.
Back up Big Oak Flat Road and out 120 through Groveland, then down O'Byrnes Ferry Road past Lake Tulloch and CA-4 by Copperopolis, then Farmington Road, Stockton, I-5 and CA-12 across the Delta past Rio Vista. It's about 438 mi and ~13,400 ft of climbing, so it's a big full day. Fuel up in Groveland: there's no gas in Yosemite Valley. The park has entry fees and sometimes requires reservations, and Big Oak Flat Road gets snow and chain controls in winter, so check the park's current entry rules and road conditions before you go.
[Steve: add your full write-up here]
Key roads and highlights
I-80 and I-5 to Peltier Road
CA-12 through Lockeford and Burson to San Andreas
CA-49 through Angels Camp, Tuttletown, Chinese Camp
CA-120 through Groveland
Big Oak Flat Road into Yosemite, high point ~6,339 ft
Yosemite Valley (Curry Village)
O'Byrnes Ferry Road by Lake Tulloch
CA-4 by Copperopolis
Farmington Road, Stockton, I-5, CA-12 home
Gallery
Ride photos coming soon
Not starting in Napa? No problem. Every Two Wheel Touring GPX is a loop that begins and ends at First & Main in downtown Napa, but you don't have to. Join the line wherever it's closest to you, ride any section you like, or flip the whole thing and run it the other way. For step-by-step help in Garmin, REVER, Calimoto, Scenic, Google My Maps, and a free GPX editor, see Riding a route from your own start.
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