¤ Turn left on J37 (Balch Park Road) (look for the old white barn on the left)
¤ Turn left onto Yokohl Valley Road (this is a fun, tight and twisty road)
¤ Turn right at the T
¤ Turn right onto Hwy 198 (have your $10 per person park fee ready)
¤ Follow Hwy 198 through the park (Lodgepole makes a good lunch stop)
¤ Turn left on Hwy 180
¤ Turn left on Hwy 245 (curvy, twisty, winding to sweepers in the valley)
¤ Follow Hwy 245 over Hwy 198 to Road 204 (you’ll find yourself in grove country)
¤ Turn left on Hwy 65 (look for the fruit stand on the right)
¤ Go east on Hwy 190 to Jaye St. and back to the Best Western
Route #1 dates from the very first gathering and is one of the rally’s two traditional rides. It is generally run counter-clockwise, but it is just as fun the other way.
It starts off by heading east on Hwy 190 through the valley towards Springville. Just past Springville’s town center at about the 18 mile mark look for a large old white barn on the left marking the intersection of J37 (Balch Park Road). Turn left and follow the road for about 6 miles to Yokohl Valley Road. This road appears suddenly on the left after a big right turn so be sure and keep an eye out for it or you’ll end up on the nasty broken roads of the Bear Creek area.
Yokohl Valley starts off as a narrow, bumpy, twisty road that just gets tighter before opening up again through farmlands. When you come to a ‘T’ turn right and follow the road to Hwy 198 where you’ll make another right. This puts you back on a main artery through the towns of Lemon Cove and Three Rivers – good places to top off your gas tank and/or pick up some munchies if you want to avoid paying for over-priced hamburgers in the Park. Remember, gas is not available within the Park.
Sequoia National Park charges $10 per person (two-up means $20) for motorcycles to enter the park. The National Park Service’s ‘National Parks Pass’ will also get you in. This double-yellow road has been undergoing restoration for the past number of years and usually has cars and motorhomes making their way up to the Village. Many will pull to the side for motorcycles, but be aware if you do decide to cross over the double-yellow that there is a turnout near the top of the grade where the Park rangers can sit and see most of the road below. Fortunately, a traffic ticket in the Park doesn’t go on your driving record, but it could still put a serious (read: expensive) damper on your day.
A few miles past the Giant Forest Village and the some of the world’s largest living trees you’ll see a turn-off on the right for Lodgepole. Here, there’s your typical park visitor stuff – market/gift shop, snack bar, deli, post office, and other facilities. It’s a good place to stop for lunch and relax.
After Lodgepole, the traffic thins and the road straightens out a bit as it wends it’s way west across the mountains. Look for the Kings Canyon Overlook on your right if you want to stop and take in the view. At the intersection of General’s Highway and Hwy 180 turn left and keep a sharp eye out for the turn-off for Hwy 245 on your left. (Turning right on 180 will take you past Wilsonia and into Kings Canyon. This 29 mile dead-end road is a lot of fun if you have the time and inclination.)
Hwy 245 starts out curvy, twisty and winding at the top and becomes progressively more sweeping as it nears the valley floor. Watch for decreasing radius turns and gravel near the top. On the valley floor, Hwy 245 does a number of direction changes (follow the signs) before settling into a straight line. Cross over Hwy 198 and you’ll find yourself amid groves and farmland. Keep going until you get to Hwy 65. The intersection is marked by a stop light with a gas station on your right. Turn left and follow the Hwy 65 to Hwy 190. Exit east. Jaye Street and the Best Western will soon appear on your right.
