SF Bay Area - Best driving roads for a Sunday morning blast?

[1mang]

Here's an all day drive I did recently. It's a bit far depending on where you are coming from but well worth the views and quality of road. This goes through Kings Canyon and Sequoia National park so expect entrance fees of $25-30. You might get bogged by some visitors but most people are aware of turnouts (unlike some people of Hwy9!). My favorite part is hwy 245 section as its tight/technical/elevation changes with good visibility to look ahead. It reminds me of Mount Hamilton San Jose side but a lot smoother and wider. There was no one else on the road so you can really enjoy the drive.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/K...ab96ea!1m0!3e0

[wjk_glynn]

Thanks, I’ll add it to the top post this weekend.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

• East
  • Through Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park - https://goo.gl/maps/WEYFSHVGnuuLVdLt8 (~174 miles)
    • Recommended by 1mang
    • West side of this route is ~165 miles east-south-east of San Jose (as the crow flies)

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

North Bay

• From Stinson Beach up to Ridgecrest Blvd. via Panoramic Hwy. - https://goo.gl/maps/aTYt9p8nVT7KgrE57 (~9 miles)
  • Recommended by visitador
• From Suisun Valley Rd. up and into Napa Valley:
  • sgt1372 has three recommended variations (with followup comments here):
    • Shorter - https://goo.gl/maps/V8GY9hvsKUuYYMXH6 (~34 miles)
    • Medium - https://goo.gl/maps/tpok7fNyF1Je1ArRA (~48 miles)
    • Longer - https://goo.gl/maps/F5JLmKtwmP99NuwK6 (~74 miles)

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Originally Posted by 1mang

Here's an all day drive I did recently. It's a bit far depending on where you are coming from but well worth the views and quality of road. This goes through Kings Canyon and Sequoia National park so expect entrance fees of $25-30. You might get bogged by some visitors but most people are aware of turnouts (unlike some people of Hwy9!). My favorite part is hwy 245 section as its tight/technical/elevation changes with good visibility to look ahead. It reminds me of Mount Hamilton San Jose side but a lot smoother and wider. There was no one else on the road so you can really enjoy the drive.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/''/K...ab96ea!1m0!3e0

Hi 1mang,

For some reason, that link doesn't work any more.

Can you either recreate the link, or just give the start/end points & route?

Thanks.

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Originally Posted by wjk_glynn

Hi 1mang,

For some reason, that link doesn't work any more.

Can you either recreate the link, or just give the start/end points & route?

Thanks.

Karl.

For some bizarre reason, Google Maps can't/won't route from Hwy-180 over to Hwy-245 in a Web browser... but it will on Google Maps on iOS

So broke up what I think is the route into two legs as follows:

1. Kanawyers to Big Stump Entrance via Hwy-180: https://goo.gl/maps/HP9CRDEcgBVSrNC97 (~38 miles)
2. Big Stump Entrance down to Citro via Hwy-245: https://goo.gl/maps/uA9WDN8k7ZcsQQhw8 (~43 miles)

Let me know if that's correct.

Thanks.

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

EDIT: jsullivan worked out the more accurate route in this post. Have updated the Google Maps link accordingly...

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

• North
  • Head east from Willows, and then take Hwy-70 up and over to Bucks Lake, back up and over to La Porte, and then up Hwy-49 to Truckee and Donner Pass - https://goo.gl/maps/G7eNGPfgiaS7mPB49 (~328 miles)
    • Road & Track drove this road in the following article, and spoke highly of the Hwy-70 section:
      • 2020 Performance Car of the Year: https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...r-of-the-year/
    • West end of this route is ~80 miles north of Santa Rosa (as the crow flies)

Karl.

[dtla1]

Originally Posted by wjk_glynn

Added...

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

• North
  • Head east from Willows, and then take Hwy-70 over to Bucks Lake, and then down to Truckee and Donner Pass - https://goo.gl/maps/rVi2Kefi7JHutsC1A (~220 miles)
    • Road & Track drove this road in the following article, and spoke highly of the Hwy-70 section:
      • 2020 Performance Car of the Year: https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-car...r-of-the-year/
    • West end of this route is ~80 miles north of Santa Rosa (as the crow flies)

Karl.

I'm guessing this route is most likely not advisable in the winter?

[wjk_glynn]

Updated/corrected the Google Maps link for the Road & Track route above.

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Originally Posted by dtla1

I'm guessing this route is most likely not advisable in the winter?

Depends on the recent levels of precipitation.

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

Peninsula / San Mateo County

• Roads orientated around Alice's Restaurant (well known weekend hangout for bikers across the area):
  • Loop from Woodside up to Skyline, and back down via Kings Mountain Rd. - https://goo.gl/maps/W1c8QnnneW5qRTT78 (~16 miles)
    • Recommended by Kelly

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added the following to the top-post...

East Bay

• Marsh Creek Rd (east of Mount Diablo) - https://goo.gl/maps/kQAHsHz7uGDcSnHj8 (~15 miles)
  • Connects to Morgan Territory Rd (see following)
  • See RugbyBro's recommendation for some caveats
• Morgan Territory Rd (through Morgan Territory Regional Preserve) - https://goo.gl/maps/2a8zYoiCaCz73yVU8 (~15 miles)
  • Connects to Marsh Creek Rd above
  • See RugbyBro's recommendation for some caveats

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

RugbyBro just drove Morgan Territory Rd again and agrees with sgt1372 that it's simply too tight and narrow for a spirited drive in a car.

So I've moved it into the following category in the East Bay section.
...

• Roads to perhaps avoid...
  • Morgan Territory Rd - https://goo.gl/maps/2a8zYoiCaCz73yVU8 (~15 miles)
    • Connects to Marsh Creek Rd above, and goes through Morgan Territory Regional Preserve
    • Both RugbyBro and sgt1372 thinks it's simply too tight and narrow

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added the following...


East Bay
...

• Alhambra Valley Rd in Martinez - https://goo.gl/maps/aXRgUorUubde4z5g9 (~9 miles)
  • Recommended by FireM3
  • He notes it can be bumpy and narrow, but he likes it
  • It connects to Bear Creek above

Points further away from the SF Bay Area

• North
  ...
  • Pleasant Valley Rd and Marysville Rd, east of Yuba City - https://goo.gl/maps/EUbtphE8JYBMY8HL7 (~69 miles)
    • Recommended by Jartin
    • West end of this route is ~80 miles north-east of Santa Rosa (as the crow flies)

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

North Bay
...

• Lake Sonoma to the coast using Skaggs Springs Rd. - https://goo.gl/maps/TigZHm2J7wR4oZa5A (~35 miles)
  • Recommended by propchef
  • ///M3-=FiN=- also recommended a section of this road (and he included some video) - https://goo.gl/maps/eS4rLk9T3ZD2 (~6 miles)
• Loop from Cloverdale to Calistoga, west to Jenner via Guerneville, north to Stewarts Point, and back to Cloverdale - https://goo.gl/maps/X8QvAfXWgJyi9sUp8 (~148 miles)
  • Recommended by sgt1372

Karl.

[wjk_glynn]

Added...

East Bay

• sgt1372 recommends a variety of options heading east out of Antioch...
  • First take Antioch to Isleton, then to the Georgiana Slough Bridge in Walnut Grove - https://goo.gl/maps/YD68tKRUudKfFJ7e9 (~29 miles), with stop-offs at:
    • Mei Was Beer Room in Isleton - https://meiwahbeerroom.com
    • Walnut Grove Iron Works - http://wgironworks.com
  • Then take one of these options...
    1. Turn left and take River Rd., then Freeport Blvd. into Sacramento - https://goo.gl/maps/4Jn5i7VkvuWhWEPq6 (~30 miles), with stop-offs at:
       • Al the Wop's - http://www.locketown.com/als.htm
       • California Automobile Museum - https://www.calautomuseum.org
    2. Or turn right, and head to one of these...
       • Lockeford Meat & Sausage Services in Lockeford - https://goo.gl/maps/wvuhf6Y59v8pWahz8 (~24 miles)
       • Wines & Roses Hotel in Lodi - https://goo.gl/maps/5ee5goqvyopdj6tj7 (~17 miles)
       • Or route back to Antioch via Stockton and Discovery Bay - https://goo.gl/maps/sL8SMnficKencQLM8 (~65 miles)
         • With a stop off at Boardwalk Grill - https://www.boardwalkgrill.net
  ...
• Through Livermore / San Ramon Valley - https://goo.gl/maps/xrNMybJJ3f45RdkK6 (~19 miles)
  • Recommended by sgt1372

Karl.