Best route to Clear Lake?

[toby3494]

Can you guys tell me what the best route to Clear Lake is coming from Concord? Thanks in advance!

[Hollywood]

Bones, you must of lost pretty quick to make that trip and be done in 4 hours.

[G-Ko]

Take 680 North over Benicia Bridge, then onto 80 West for one exit to hwy 12. follow that onto 29 and you can take that all the way up to clear lake, or break off and take silverado trail. Bones is right as well with the vacaville way, but I prefer the 12. Either way, I also live in concord and travel every weekend pretty much and that is the way I go.

[Big Rick KFOG]

I like to hit 29 to Silverado Trail to Deer Park Road, then turn right to Angwin, keep going down the hill, (some slow curves at the end) and turn left on Pope Valley Road.

Go past the hubcap ranch then that turns into Butts Canyon Road and hits 29 just north of Middletown.

It is the same time as going over St. Helena, but less traffic, and much more mellow on your vehicle than the passing lane full throttle then full brakes the mountain can dish out.

Coming back just turn left before Middletown on Butts Canyon then right at Pope Valley at the tow truck garage.

On a late Friday night or early Saturday morning sometimes I'll head up 80 to 505 to 20. If I make it in time I'll have dinner at Granazella's and if they are open a mexican grocery store in Williams (called Roy's I think) has killer fajita's at the meat counter in back. 2 pounds to go for the wekend!

But coming back that way can be really slow on 80 after 505 on a Sunday night so I always come back as above.

[Kevin Evans - Kap]

What Bassbones said is exactly how I go there myself....

Kap

[toby3494]

Thanks eveyone!

[Big Rick KFOG]

2:15 from Clearlake (city of) to 680 and Hy. 4 leaving at 4pm this afternoon towing a boat. Not pushing it at all, just a nice drive back.

I took 29 south to Butts Canyon road, then left, right at Pope Valley Garage, past Angwin to Silverado Trail then left on 29

Then 29 to 37 to 780 to 680.

Kind of a crazy connection of hwys, but it works for me.

[toby3494]

Rick, how does the drive on silverado trail compare to 505, 5 and up 20? Do you hit the NApa traffic on the weekends!

[Big Rick KFOG]

Some traffic, but not much. Coming up 80 I think I have hit more traffic in Fairfield on a Saturday morning. I am almost always doing the speed even with traffic on Silverado, 29 is really busy, it can be stop and go. Coming home late Sunday afternoon is ok, everyone is heading out the same way.

There can be lots of enforcement on Silverado Trail, so speed limit is fine.

If I haul *** on the 505 to 5 to 20 way I can make pretty good time, but I have to push it to equal a normal pace up the valley.

There are lots of ways up and lots of reasons to go the different way, I like to mix it up. Just be safe.

[toby3494]

Thanks Rick!