Yosemite backpacking.

[Rosario O]

Hey Friends.

I am heading to Yosemite in August. When I made the reservation last year I only had one backpacking trip under my belt and it was so tough to get a reservation I just took what I could. I have 5 nights at house keeping camp. The pros are that it’s convenient glamping and we can bbq, we are right near the merced river and we can bike around the park…. (I forgot to mention I always have my wife and 2 boys ages 10 and 6)

I’d like to eliminate 2 nights of glamping and trade it in for some good old primitive backpacking.

We have done at least 4-5 trips thus far and we are all geared up for 3 season trips so no real questions about this but I am looking for suggestions on relatively short hikes (3 miles or less) that will take us to a nice desination near water preferably in Yosemite national park. I’ll be hammock camping and my wife and kids will be in a tent.  My boys are troopers but any more than 3 miles each way and I’ll start regretting it.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts

[Rosario O]

https://www.superfeet.com/national-parks/yosemite/backpacking/

 

[Bruce Tolley]

You might get a copy of Jeffery Schaffer’s book <span style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Yosemite: Must Do Hikes for Everyone”</span> which lists 45 dayhikes most of which could be short backpacking trips.

Any hikes starting from the valley floor will be a zoo in August.

Research the availability of permits from Trailheads on the North Rim, Tamarack Creek toward Cascade Creek and up the El Cap trail for example, and other trailheads off SR120.

Towards Mt Dana is a good hike, not sure about trees for a hammock.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

TAKE BEAR SPRAY!

nuff’ sed.

[Ken Thompson]

Illegal in Yosemite, nuff’ sed

[Paul Wagner]

We have a bunch of suggestions on our website:  backpackthesierra.com.  Note that for four of you, it might be difficult to get your first choice for a permit, due to trailhead quotas in Yosemite.  And note that There are relatively few really short backpacking destinations in Yosemite, since in most cases you have to hike at least four miles off the trailhead to camp legally.  Among the options you might consider are:

May Lake–the shortest and easiest, less then two miles, and a High Sierra Camp at the lake.

Cathedral Lakes–about five miles, and very busy due to its location on the John Muir Trail

Mono Meadows/illilouette Creek.  might be your best bet–hiking down to the creek.  But the hike back out is all uphill.

Ten Lakes Basin and Young Lakes are very popular, and about 6-7 miles each way.

Simplest would be to go just outside the park and do Saddlebag Lake/20 lake basin.  No quotas, so it is often a bit crowded, but there are lots of lakes (not 20!) and the boat ride across Saddlebag Lake is expensive for four people—but the kids would love it.

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