Little Yosemite Valley campsite

[dan]

Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Greg Higgerson (---.foodbankcentralflorida.org)
Date: 03-30-04 13:01

My father-in-law and I will be hiking to Half Dome from Happy Isles trailhead in mid-June, and we would appreciate some advice from those who have made the trip--particularly if you've used the campground at Little Yosemite Valley.

1) I've read conflicting accounts online--are bear canisters required by park rules for staying overnight in Little Yosemite Valley, or simply recommended?
I know there are bear boxes there, and we're really trying to go ultralight on this overnighter.

2) I've read that many people prefer the longer John Muir Trail on the way up, and the shorter but steeper Mist Trail on the way down. Any thoughts or comments?

3) Any other advice?

Thanks!


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Dan Anderson (---.drydog.com)
Date: 03-30-04 13:22

Bear canisters are required in Little Yosemite Valley and above 9600'. The current rules are at
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/bfoodstorage.htm and
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/

Only the National park Service webpage is authorative, as the rules do change from year to year.

I understand canisters are required even though there are bear lockers is the bear lockers fill up. People tend to bring excessive food and leave them in the lockers. Little Yosemite Valley is very popular with bears--it's bear haven in fact--they know where the easy food is.

I recommend hiking the Mist Trail up, NOT down. The Mist trail is wet and hiking down, especially with a backpack, is a lot trickier than hiking up. Also, hiking up you get to spend more time in the cooling mist.

I recommend hiking down the John Muir (high) trail, for the views and because it heads higher than the mist trail, so you will be less tired hiking it on the way down than up.

The Little Yosemite Campground is the most popular backcountry campground in the park. Don't expect peace and quiet.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Ken Paquia (63.87.39.---)
Date: 06-02-04 11:15

Do you need a wilderness permit to camp at the Little Yosemite Valley?


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Greg Higgerson (---.foodbankcentralflorida.org)
Date: 06-02-04 11:41

Ken,

A permit is required to camp overnight in Little Yosemite Valley. The park uses a quota system per trailhead that limits the number of people who can camp in the backcountry on any given day. 40% of available permits are issued on a first come first served basis either on the day of, or one day before your hike. The rest are available by reservation. You can find out more by visiting www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/permits.htm As I learned on this web board, a bear-resistant canister is required for overnight campers, even though bear boxes exist at the campsite.

I'll be staying at LYV on June 17th (I applied for our permit reservation back in late December). Can't wait!


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Doug Starns (---.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net)
Date: 06-27-04 16:48

Can you leave your backpack at the LYV campground, so you don't have to lug it to the top of Half Dome? I hiked Half Dome last year and saw several people near the top with full packs, while LYV camp was empty. If you can leave the backpacks in camp, is there a special place or are there special precautions to take?


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Dan Anderson (---.drydog.com)
Date: 06-27-04 17:38

You can leave your backpack at the Litle Yosemite Valley Campground or any campground. The food must be left in a bear locker.

I don't know why people would bring a full pack, except for exercise or they are heading on to another campsite. I've always left mine at camp. It's a good way to keep your campsite also (leaving your pack at camp).


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Mike Jensen (---.directcon.net)
Date: 06-28-04 16:16

You can leave your backpack and gear at LYV campground. Many people do. I even stuffed my new backpack into our bear locker. Yes, you should have a wilderness permit, but polling the people sitting around the campfire, I found that only two of ten had one. Bears are there - chased off two during one night. Also came across a rattlesnake on the trail nearby.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Greg Higgerson (---.foodbankcentralflorida.org)
Date: 06-29-04 06:33

Mike,

My father-in-law and I had two bears in our campsite about a week earlier than your hike, and in broad daylight. We had taken off to Half Dome in the early morning, and the bears apparently visited our camp some time around 8:30 a.m. A man camping near us chased them away.

On the night we stayed at LYV (6/17) a female ranger came around to each and every campsite just before dark and checked wilderness permits. She waited patiently while I pawed through my entire pack looking for it. I'm not sure what the penalty is for camping in the backcountry without a permit, but I personally wouldn't chance it.

In general, camping at LYV is a great way to do the Half Dome hike.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: john smithyman (---.client.comcast.net)
Date: 08-07-04 16:09

Hi,

Read your post about Little Yosemite. Can we expect to get a wilderness permit the day before or would it be the day of our planned trip to Little Yosemite? Where/when/how do we get one? We would like to take our three teenage boys to the top of Half Dome but don't want to take the long drive to Yosemite if we aren't reasonably sure we can go up.

Appreciate any info/advice.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Dan Anderson (10.11.12.---)
Date: 08-07-04 17:25

You can get a wilderness permit the day before. It's best to get it in the morning the day before. Go to the Wilderness Center in Yosemite Village, next to the Post Office. Can't tell you of your chances. It's certainly better if you're not heading up Fri. - Sun. I would call them. I don't have the phone number handy, but it would be in the link below.

For details see http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Chris Saunders (162.123.17.---)
Date: 09-07-04 11:20

Hi,
I'm heading us to LYV soon, but haven't packed in years. I have a couple questions....

Can we build campfires up there?

How crowded can we expect it to be the weekend of September 25th?

I'm hiking in from Glacier point. I understand that it's just a little over 5 miles. I haven't been able to find any information about that hike. Can you tell me a little about it?

Lastly, other than Half Dome, what day hike would you recommend from LYV?

Thanks.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Charlie Crail (---.dsl.irvnca.pacbell.net)
Date: 09-22-05 21:45

Go here and you will find all your answers about routes and fires.

http://www.yosemitefun.com/index.htm


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Dan Anderson (---.sun.com)
Date: 09-23-05 08:34

Yes, you can have campfire at Little Yosemite Valey.
After Labor day shouldn't be crowded at all. The crowds are from mid-June to Labor Day in that campground.

The hike from Glacier Point heads down to Illiouette Falls, hard-to-see falls from the Valley floor. Then heads up 1000' or so up, then down to the Muir Trail, which hugs the South wall of canyon to Nevada Falls, then Little Yosemite Valley. Nice hike.

Good hikes from LYV is, of course, Half Dome, and hiking up the Valley along the Merced to Merced Lake.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: K Allison (162.116.29.---)
Date: 01-18-06 14:13

Can you make reservations for Little Yosemite? If so, how?

I hope to camp there this year, but did not have luck on the nps website or phone. They support other valley campsites, just not this one.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley campsite
Author: Dan Anderson (---.west.biz.rr.com)
Date: 01-18-06 14:23

A reservation is highly recommended for Little Yosemite campground during the summer.

You have to backpack in, but you probably know that.

You need a wilderness permit, which you can get at
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/
(click on "Permits")

The other Valley campsites are mostly drive-in. Reservation information is here:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/trip/camping.htm

[archive]

Little Yosemite Valley
Author: Ken Paquia (63.87.39.---)
Date: 02-17-05 10:46

How is the hike from the Little Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point? I am planning to go in May 05 from Happy Isles-LYV-CloudsRest-LYV-Glacier Point. I appreciate any input.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley
Author: Dan Anderson (---.west.biz.rr.com)
Date: 02-17-05 11:01

It's a scenice hike, and not crowded at all. You get rarely-seen closeup views of Illiouette Falls. It's some uphill, first out of LYV and then out of the Illiouette Creek drainage to Glacier Point. But there's great views of the valley along the way. Can easily be done in one day.

The LYV backpackers campground is rather crowded. That's great if you want to socialize, but not if you want peace and quiet. For the latter, I recommend a campground on the trail down from Cloud's Rest. It's at the junction of 2 creeks and the trail junction of the Cloud's Rest trail with another trail coming from Tuolumne and going towards Half Dome.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley
Author: Ken Paquia (63.87.39.---)
Date: 02-17-05 11:09

Thanks Dan. Is there a campsite in the valley for backpackers? At least to sleep-in prior to the hike.


Backpackers Campground
Author: Dan Anderson (---.west.biz.rr.com)
Date: 02-17-05 11:41

Yes, there's a campground in Yosemite Valley for backpackers.

It's not the "Camp 4" or "Sunnyside" campgrouund near Yosemite Lodge, although that's fine if there's room.

It's located just north of North Pines campground, on the north side of Tenaya Creek.

You have to walk-in to get there--no cars.

To get there, walk or take the shuttle to North Pines Campground.
Walk to the north end of the campground. Theres a trail and a footbridge crossing Tenaya Creek.
The campground is immediately north of Tenaya Creek.

Sometimes it's overwhelmed with little kids screaming their heads off all night. It seems to also be used as a group camp, and the kiddies are unsupervised. Maybe you'll be lucky and will have no youth group or have a supervised group.


Re: Little Yosemite Valley
Author: Adrian Hoff (---.usouthal.edu)
Date: 03-03-05 15:45

Except for noise from the adjacent car-camper campground (North Pines?) I’ve never been disturbed at night in the Backpacker’s camp. I’ve stayed there only on weeknights, which may explain my good fortune.

There used to be a backpacker’s parking lot near the backpacker’s campground. You could leave your car there if doing multi-day hikes originating on the valley floor. Is it still there?

I found the Panorama trail, from the top of Nevada Falls to Glacier Point, an excellent photo trek. But carry water. Even in spring it was pretty dry between Nevada Falls and Illiouette Falls.

I’m interested in the campground (mentioned above) near Clouds Rest. It is a campground with bear boxes, or just a convenient place to pitch a tent. I’m doing a mid-June hike that starts Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley. I’d like to get one more night on the trail before having to fit everything in the bear canister. I’ve heard there are bear boxes near Sunrise High Sierra Camp, but I’d rather hike along the rim on the way out and go by the Sunrise Lakes on the return trip.



Yosemite late June
Author: Marianne (---.hsd1.ca.comcast.net)
Date: 05-27-05 18:36

Hi !

My friend and I are going to Yosemite in late June, but we do not know very
much about it, and the web pages does not always give you accurate
answers. So maybe some of you could help? I was wondering if the Little Yosemite Campground is requiering booking? Would we be allright going to
Yosemite for three nights without any reservations?

Thank you!

Marianne


Re: Yosemite late June
Author: Dan Anderson (---.west.biz.rr.com)
Date: 05-28-05 09:50

You need a wilderness permit for Little Yosemite Campground. You also need to backpack in to stay there. You can reserve a wilderness permit or wait in line the previous day early in the morning (before they open) to get a first-come, first-served permit. For details, see
http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/


Re: Yosemite late June
Author: Matt (---.dia.cnc.net)
Date: 06-13-05 15:56

Can anyone shed any light on which campground I need to specify on my reservation request?

I am going to half dome and would like to stay in the Little Yosemite Campground but do not see where that is an option.

[baseline bum]

The LYV backpackers campground is rather crowded. That's great if you want to socialize, but not if you want peace and quiet. For the latter, I recommend a campground on the trail down from Cloud's Rest. It's at the junction of 2 creeks and the trail junction of the Cloud's Rest trail with another trail coming from Tuolumne and going towards Half Dome.

Is this area next to Sunrise Creek and just west of Moraine Dome?

I thought I recalled reading there was no camping allowed between Little Yosemite Valley and Moraine Dome, though I can't provide a link. That area you're speaking of sounds ideal though, because I'm doing a trip starting at Tenaya Lake and I want to do Clouds Rest and then camp as close as I possibly can to Half Dome (so I'll have lots of energy for the steps and cables). Can someone please clarify whether or not it's still ok to camp there? I have my wilderness pass reserved already, so that's no problem.

[adrianhoff]

I was told by a ranger that camping is not allowed within a mile of the designated LYV camping area. And there is a “No Camping This Area” sign on the Merced Lake trail that’s more than a mile out from LYV. But the area around Sunrise Creek (adjacent to the Clouds Rest trail / JMT intersection) is definitely legal. As recently as last July, I’ve had rangers ask to see my permit and bear canister there. They didn’t say anything about it being a restricted area. There were several other tents scattered around -- but nowhere near as crowded as LYV.

[baseline bum]

Thanks. I'll almost certainly camp in that area then.