Program Overview: Spend a long weekend hiking and camping in the Yosemite Wilderness. On this backpacking trip from Tioga Road, you’ll get to pitch a tent near the top of one of the tallest waterfalls in the world: Yosemite Falls.
The trip kicks off with a Thursday evening get-together at Tuolumne Meadows Campground, where you’ll meet your guide and fellow adventurers, and review the route, Leave No Trace ethics, and safety tips, including our COVID-19 procedures (see below). On Friday morning, hit the trail! Spend the day hiking south from Tioga Road along Yosemite Creek, following the water as it flows toward Yosemite Valley, before finding a spot near the Valley’s north rim to camp for the next two nights. On Saturday, take a day hike to Eagle Peak, the highest point of the Three Brothers formation (near El Capitan), where you can enjoy breathtaking views from more than 3,700 feet above the floor of the Valley.
Before you hike back out to Tioga Road on Sunday, you’ll have plenty of chances to bask in the beauty of a summer weekend in the Sierra Nevada, to explore the creek, peak and surrounding terrain, and to learn about the natural history of the park’s famous waterfalls and rock features.
Know Before You Go
- When: Thursday, July 22 (orientation at 7:30 pm) to Sunday, July 25. Depart for backpacking trip on July 23 (morning), return July 25 at around 4 pm.
- Where: Tuolumne Meadows Campground and Yosemite Creek/Eagle Peak (south of Tioga Road).
- 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 (July 22 and 25). 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 prior backpacking experience necessary, but participants must be physically fit and prepared to hike a total of 14 miles over three days.
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.
