Yosemite Forum

I'm planning a trip to Yosemite in early June and I'll be just 7 months pregnant. I know I won't be up for anything too strenuous but I'm in pretty good shape so far and have been hiking regularly (4-6 miles). Would love to get some hiking or other trip recommendations. For hikes, I am esp interested in the 4-6 mile range, not too difficult and maybe not too crowded.

Also, where's the best place to camp outside of the park (coming from the bay area)?

"Not too crowded in June"

It is going to be crowded in the 4-6 mile ranges, sorry. You will be able to all the valley falls, Bridal Veil and Yosemite are very short hikes to the bottom of the falls (like under 1/8 mile). Vernal and Nevada are a little more strenuous but will be doable if you take your time, there is more vertical on them. Glacier Point will be a wonderful view and you can drive there. Take Tioga road and check out the high country, there are some nice trails up there too. (Assuming both of the roads are open...)

It all depends on what you want to see. Go check out http://www.yosemitehikes.com/ and read on the trails, it has helped my wife decide on where she wanted me to take her.

I would count on the shorter stuff in the valley for the first day or two to allow your body to adjust to the altitude.

I don't know about the camping outside of the park, I always stay in the valley or Ninja camp in some obscure location.

Hope this helps. Have fun on your trip!

That's interesting. My mom went to Yosemite when she was 7 months pregnant--June and I was born in August.

Early June is not as crowded as mid-summer, especially if it's not the weekend.

I like rafting on the Merced River. You can rent a raft at the Bike Shop/Ice Rink in Curry Village, float down, and they take you back up downstream.

I like hiking the Valley Floor trails that run along the north and south side of the Valley. Here's a good map of trails
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/maps/yosemite ... p_2006.pdf
It's crowded near the falls, Mirror Lake, Happy Isles, but the other trails are uncrowded.

Also the Pohono Trail that runs along the South Rim of Yosemite Valley. Start at Glacier Point or Taft Point or Sentinel Dome. Great views along the rim.

Hiking Tuolumne Meadows is nice, although there are a lot of people it's not as crowded as the Valley.

Nice trails in Wawona Grove. It's crowded though.

There's a few obscure Forest Service campgrounds west of El Portal off of Highway 140. There may be some on 120--I don't go that way--sorry. Check the Forest Service website for Sierra National Forest.

I am guessing that you asked about camping outside the park because you do not have reservations. But if you go to the campground office (in the northeast corner of Curry Village parking lot) you can put your name on a list.

Quote from the site, yosemitefun dot com click on camping on the left side

"Get there at 7 or 8am to leave your name for daily no-shows. At 3pm, they read the names in the order they were received and if you are within the first 5 or 6 names you'll get a site."