Yosemite Forum

My husband and I will be visiting Yosemite for 5 days in August. We will be flying into San Franciso and are wondering what might be the best mode of transportation into Yosemite. We are planning to spend 5 days in the backcountry, so renting a car seems like a waste of money since we would be paying for it to sit unused for several days. We've looked into Amtrak, but roundtip fare for two is as much as renting a car! Does anyone else have any suggestions for getting to the park?

Thanks!

Don't take the train--there fun to ride if you're not in a hurry and there's a direct route, but there it's really going against the grain to go from San Francisco to Yosemite via train. The last leg in the mountains is by Amtrak bus.

I recommend a bus--Greyhound or Continental Trailways are the main lines.
Greyhound Bus Lines 1(800)231-2222 http://www.greyhound.com

You can also take the Yosemite Bug Bus, which is oriented toward the young and broke set: http://www.yosemitebugbus.com/

From Yosemite Valley, take the morning "Hiker's Bus" that heads up the Tioga Road and drops you off anywhere you want (any turnout that is). Ask at any hotel lobby or transportation desk.

There is a backpackers campground for use one night before and one night after the wilderness permit. Ask where it's located when you get your permit.