Program Overview: Stroll to May Lake for a two-night backpacking trip with storyteller and naturalist Brian Shoor! The trip kicks off with a Thursday evening get-together at Tuolumne Meadows Campground, where you’ll meet Brian and fellow adventurers, and review the route, Leave No Trace ethics, and safety tips, including our COVID-19 procedures (see below).
On Friday, hike a few miles from Tioga Road to your home for the next two nights: May Lake Backpackers Campground. Located near Yosemite’s geographic center, at the base of Mt. Hoffmann, May Lake offers classic high country scenery — and the perfect setting for some entertaining, and enlightening, stories. Brian, who spent 20 years as the manager of the May Lake High Sierra Camp, will regale you with tales, from the story behind May Lake’s name and the history of the old road that once passed nearby, to the many stories that nature has to tell us. Hike out on Sunday with plenty of your own tales to spin from a weekend in Yosemite’s stunning high country.
Know Before You Go
- When: Thursday, August 5 (orientation at 7:30 pm) to Sunday, August 8. Depart for backpacking trip on August 6 (morning), return August 8 at around 2 pm.
- Where: Tuolumne Meadows and May Lake.
- Registration includes: Guided backpacking trip, park entry (as needed), bear-proof canister rental, Yosemite Wilderness permit, and two nights of tent camping at a shared group site at Tuolumne Meadows Campground before and after the trip (August 5 and 8). There is no discount if you choose not to use the included gate pass or campsite.
- Lodging options: Tent camping included. Camping dates cannot be adjusted. No additional lodging options have been arranged for this program, but guests are welcomed to find their own alternate accommodations if desired.
- Experience level: No experience necessary!
View a suggested packing list.
COVID-19: We have implemented special safety measures to keep participants and instructors safe during the ongoing pandemic. For example, participants will hike single-file and keep moving to avoid crowding the trail, and instructors will stop to offer interpretation only when there is ample space to stay at least six feet apart. Please review our COVID-19 procedures for details.
