# Riding near Groveland, Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite



## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

I'm heading up to the San Jose Family Camp next week and am looking to find out more about potential roads in the area. I've done some initial research and will probably ride up to Hetch Hetchy one day, but I'm not familiar with any of the other roads in the area. 

In looking at Google Maps the Smith Station Road between Hwy 120 and Coulterville looks like a good out'n'back ride (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2930060). It's been way too long since I've been up in that area...how is Hwy 120 for riding?

-Thanks, Todd


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## SilasCL (Jun 14, 2004)

120 is a highway much of it has a decent, although narrow shoulder, and traffic is really variable. If it's a weekend and you're riding on sunday afternoon, there will be thousands of people leaving Yosemite that want to pass you. On a monday morning it will be much more reasonable.

The road from the Hetch Hetchy ranger station to the dam will be really nice for riding. The other roads out there are in pretty bad condition, but at least there's no traffic.


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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

I'm also thinking of heading up to Cherry Lake.


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## nrob592003 (Nov 5, 2005)

*groveland riding*

I ride in that area alot. Very pretty and not much traffic on most roads expect for 120. 120 is ok early in day due to nice wide shoulder but traffic picks up later. Note that this area is pretty hilly. 
Nice loop: 120, smith station to greely hill rd towards coulterville and then go across priest-coulterville rd back to 120 (good climb here). On the way back east avoid some of 120 by taking ferriti rd around pine mountain lake.
Ride to hetchy-hetchy is nice along cherry lake and then mather road with great views of the canon. Bit of climb back out from dam
Ride to cherry lake is nice but a big climb on the way back from the river to mather rd.

If very ambitious and like challenging climbs try Old priest grade (one of the steppest climbs in north california) or Ward Ferry rd.


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