Originally Posted by
abmj-jr
Agreed. Tough doesn't cover it. Well nigh impossible is probably more accurate.
I think the OP was planning on driving a rental car for the whole trip but leaving the car in Merced in favor of riding the bus into and out of Yosemite on a day trip. That is probably a good plan as the roads are a bit challenging for someone who has never done mountain driving. SR 198 from Visalia to Giant Forest in Sequoia NP is also under repair in at least one place but shouldn't present any real problems, barring really bad weather. The flag station will just slow things down a bit, perhaps making the drive less stressful for the inexperienced. I just wanted to point out that he/she could use the bus as an alternative for Sequoia as well as Yosemite. It just isn't quite as well advertised or as easy to locate as the YARTS service from Merced.
Yes, I am planning renting a car and only to Yosemite go by public transportation as it seems to me more convenient. As I metnioned I will be the only driver.
The rest of the trip - Joshua Tree NP, Mojave NP I dicided to skip. If there is some time left we will do it but our priority goes to Death Valley.
Please, if there is a public transportation option to Sequoia as well, I would be grateful for more details - a name of provider or a web page. Although I did my reaserch on it, I found only that there is a summer service shuttle bus.