1seans

Hi,
I'm hoping to ride from Mammoth Lakes to Truckee early Sept. I'm planning on 2 days but I would add a day for an interesting detour.
Do any of you have route suggestions, tips, or cautions?
Thanks!
Sean

dstke

Definitely take 89 up over Monitor Pass through Markleeville, continue on up to Hope Valley, 89 turns right and continues up and over Luther Pass. Just after the summit take a left onto S Upper Truckee Rd, when you reach hwy 50 take a quick left then right onto N Upper Truckee Rd which turns into Lake Tahoe Blvd. At the junction with 89 take a left and ride around the west side of Lake Tahoe, stay on 89 all the way to Truckee (take the bike path from Tahoe City to Squaw Valley)

skidder

How about a visit to the historic Bodie ghost town. Its just north of Mono Lake, about 15 miles off of Hwy 395. Its a California State Park, and the 'town' (what remains of it) is being preserved as best the State can do. Kind of interesting to see how folks lived back in the late-1800s in that place, where the snow piles up 10 ft deep (minimum) in the winter.

If you are staying close to 395 you'll pass right through Carson City (Nevada's state capitol). Nice railroad museum at the south end of town just after the casino area. The original State capitol building is now a museum and makes for an interesting tour; all three branches of government were housed in it for many years.

Skip Virginia City. Mark Twain made it popular in his writings, but today its just a tourist trap.

Have fun riding up the hill on 395 just north of Mono Lake - that's got to be a b!tch on a bicycle at +7000 ft!

1seans

Thank you @dstke-- I Appreciate the tips. Bike path on the west shore of Tahoe sounds good. Monitor Pass... not so much.

1seans

Great tips @skidder. Thank you. Yeah, that hill after Mono Lake will be a slog at altitude but it should be the only climb that day.

Riding north from there 395 is OK though?

CAT7RDR

The ride up Hwy 395 to California State Route 158 (June Lake Loop) is a scenic ride. Hwy 395 has wide shoulders on this portion with rumble strips but you will encounter high speed truck traffic. The June Lake Loop is a must do and will drop you back onto Hwy 395 six miles south of Lee Vining.

stevepusser

Are you motelling or camping?
Whereabouts are you planning to stay the night? Those are some long, mountainous days at altitude, with a lot of scenery and interesting stops, so take three days if you can.

Consider taking the "Emergency Volcanic Eruption Escape Road" (Mammoth Scenic Loop) north out of Mammoth to 395.

Once you get descend Luther Pass into the Tahoe Valley and hit US 50 at Meyers, ignore the bike path along the hiway; it has cute little stop signs at every driveway it crosses and the main highway has a good shoulder. However, after you get past the South Lake Tahoe "Y" and head north back on 89, look for West Way on the right and get on the parallel bike path there, it's worth it until it ends and you get dumped back on a shoulderless 89 to climb around Emerald Bay. The bike path resumes shortly before Sugar Pine State Park and continues to the Truckee River, albeit with a lot more cute little stop signs.

1seans

Hi @stevepusser-
Thank you for the tips about the Mammoth Scenic Loop and avoiding the cute little stop signs.
I plan to motel it. Not sure of the stops yet but I'll do three days-- maybe stop in Bridgeport and Topaz Lake. That allows for some exploration the first two days but it leaves a loong, climby day to Truckee on the last day. At altitude.
Cheers,

stevepusser

Too bad--I always loved the hike and bike campsites at Grover Hot Springs State Park, a few miles west of Markleeville, when I passed by on a tour, but they don't have any cabins at that particular campground.