While it feels like my family explored every corner of Washington state and even ventured into Oregon plenty, when I was growing up we never spent time in California. I had visited friends in LA and SF during college but I had never had a car on those trips to help me get to the national parks. So as soon as I moved back to Seattle, a California road trip – and a visit to Yosemite in particular – were high on my travel bucket list. I couldn’t believe my luck when I scored a backpacking permit for Labor Day weekend! Tagging a weekend trip to Yosemite National Park on to a visit with a friend in Berkeley, I was determined to make the most of the time I had.
Day 1 – Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point
3pm – The timing of the drive from the Bay Area to the park is, of course, traffic dependent; I managed it in 3-4 hours, which put me at the Big Oak Flat entrance in time to pick up my permit and some park maps before heading into Yosemite Valley. (Note there’s a gas station at the intersection of Big Oak Flat and Tioga Road where I was glad to fill up, so that I didn’t have to worry about gas when covering the long distances inside the park.) Then… El Cap! Yosemite Falls! Take plenty of time to stop and enjoy the views along the way.
6pm – I found my way to the Backpacker’s Campground in the Valley, where you’re able to spend one night before and after the dates on your wilderness permit. You can park temporarily in the North Pines campground loop while you walk your stuff in and set up camp, and then you have to leave your car in the trailhead parking lot or another nearby.
8pm – Check the sunset time, but if you’re there in the summer you should be able to make the drive (about an hour) up to Glacier Point in time for the most amazing view over the Valley and across to Half Dome. (Don’t miss the stop at the Tunnel View turnout on the way up.) Dinner? Best PB&J picnic of my life,
Day 2 – Tuolomne Grove & Ten Lakes Basin
6am – Yup, might as well get up for the sunrise! Well, watch the light crawl up the side of Half Dome at least, because you don’t want to waste a moment of daylight today. Head back out Big Oak Flat Road and take the turn onto Tioga Road, where almost right away you’ll find the parking lot for the Tuolumne Grove trail. At just 2.5 miles it’s a great way to start your day with some stunning redwoods and get warmed up for the longer trail ahead.
11am – My permit was for the Ten Lakes Basin – highly recommended – which leaves from a trailhead farther out along Tioga Road. I won’t go into backpacking tips here, maybe another time (would that be helpful?) so I’ll just say, enjoy!
*Of course there are tons of other one-night backpack trips you might get a permit for, or you could snag a campground reservation and enjoy day hikes in the afternoon of Day 2 and morning of Day 3.
Day 3 – Olmstead Point and Tuolomne Meadows
11am – Back at the trailhead (yes, this did end up clocking in as a literal 24 hour backpacking trip – found myself up early and ready to hike before it got really hot). If you’re aiming to be back in the Bay Area (or heading north on I-5…) by evening, there’s still time to venture further out along Tioga Road before you turn around. Enjoy the views at Olmstead Point and Tuolumne Meadows, and then perhaps lunch at Tenaya Lake. What a weekend!
Google wants me to make sure you know that you can find other sample weekend 48-hour trip itineraries here, and other national park guides here. And, I should probably re-state that this is a post about a weekend trip to Yosemite. Happy walking!
