Hiker Van Shuttle To/From Fresno, California

Sierra Mountain Shuttle will operate the 2024 van service from the VVR, Edison Lake and Florence Lake (Muir Trail Ranch) locations to and from Fresno, CA. Jim Clement will handle all the shuttle scheduling and logistics.

To schedule the van service, please call 619-709-1382 and leave a message – or email [email protected] with your contact information and/or questions.

Shuttle Details

Note: No other ride services come into this region because of the rough condition of Kaiser Pass Road and the time involved. If you are susceptible to motion sickness, please take an appropriate medication prior to the start of the ride. It is a very curvy mountain road between Fresno and Edison/Florence lakes.

The van service can accommodate up to 9 hikers and their gear. The van service runs between Vermilion Valley Resort - Florence Lake and the Fresno Airport, major hotels as well as the Fresno Train/Bus station. We also serve the YARTS stops for those trying to access Yosemite. We operate seven days a week and Holidays during the season. (June-Sept.)

Rates

The cost of the van service between VVR or Florence Lake to and from Fresno is $230 base charge (includes 2 hikers), minimum fee is $85.00. Typically, the shuttles from the high country into Fresno have more riders and hence lower per person costs, usually around $80.00.

  • 1 passenger - $230.00 - Can be less depending on if we have passengers on the other end. Talk to Jim about final cost.
  • 2 passengers - $115.00 ea.
  • 3 passengers - $105.00 ea.
  • 4-6 passengers - $95.00 ea.
  • 7 or more passengers - $90.00 ea.

All trips are by scheduled reservation or on-demand walk-ins, subject to van and driver availability. There are no set schedules. *Whoever schedules first on a particular day is the schedule we begin with and work around.

Entering & Exiting the High Country

The van service leaves no earlier than 7:30am from VVR or Florence, and the latest we will pick-up at any location, Fresno, Florence (MTR), or Edison (VVR) is 1:30pm. Hikers can call if they wish to make reservations outside of our normal operating hours, but there will be an additional surcharge if in fact we are able to accommodate the request.

The trip is approximately 3 - 4 plus hours - meaning that the earliest you can arrive in Fresno or the high country is about 12:00pm. Please plan your transportation accordingly. FYI: The store at VVR closes at 8:30 pm and the power goes out at 10pm. The store at Florence Lake closes at 6:00pm. Check here for the VVR ferry and Florence Lake ferry schedules.

Note: If you are exiting the High Country and going to Fresno, schedule your flights or ground transportation that evening or the following day. Because of the aftermath and clean-up after the Creek Fire delays have been common. Note: We are not responsible for delays beyond our control, i.e., accidents, road closures, mechanical break-downs etc. So, plan accordingly.

Additional notes

  • The stop at the Prather Ranger Station for permits is a routine stop for us.

  • We can also pick you up or deliver you to Mono Hot Springs for the same price as VVR.

  • Shuttle runs scheduled outside our normal times are subject to a 20% surcharge.

  • Fuel cannisters are available at both VVR/Florence stores and the shuttle van carries them.

  • A 25% non-refundable deposit is required at the time of booking - please call us 30 days in advance of the transportation date in order to schedule the van service. Note that we accept reservations beginning in February but be sure of your itinerary as we charge a $25. fee for changes.

  • We can also provide van service between Florence Lake and Edison Lake (subject to availability) for the rate of $150.00 includes 2 hikers, $20.00 per hiker after that. We recommend that you park your vehicle at your exit trailhead. We will pick you up there and take you to your starting trailhead. 1 hour travel time between locations.

  • We recommend that solo hikers leaving out of Fresno to the high country use the JMT Discussion Site, JMT 2024 Facebook Group and/or PCT-L to find other hikers who need transportation into the High Country to help defray the cost.