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Transportation to Tuolumne

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:30 pm
by mitchell
We're backpacking from Tenaya Lake to the Valley via Sunrise Lakes, Clouds Rest and Halfdome in a couple of weeks.
We want to camp in Tuolumne Meadows the night before and leave our vehicle in the valley.
We were planning to pick up our wilderness permits along with a parking permit for the Valley's backpackers parking lot at 7:30 when the Valley Wilderness center opens .
We'd like to catch the bus to Tuolumne at 8:00 am but that's cutting it close.
The only other alternative I see is to take the 5:00 pm bus but we'd rather not.
Can we get a parking permit earlier and get our Wilderness permits in Tuolumne Meadows?
Should we try to hitch a ride up there?
Any help very much appreciated.

Re: Transportation to Tuolumne

PostPosted: Tue Jul 08, 2008 8:19 pm
by dan
You can pick up wilderness permits from the Wilderness Office, which is in the Tuolumne Meadows area. It is about 1/4 mile east of the store on the south side in a parking lot. It's immediately west of a side road that heads to Tuolumne Lodge and the Ranger Station and stables.

In fact, I think you can only pick up your permit from the Valley if you start out from the Valley, but I'm not sure. I am sure you can pick them up from Tuolumne.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:26 am
by bill-e-g
You can pick up your permit at any Wilderness Station.
If you are not going to be there by 10am though you need to
call and tell them so that they do not give your permit away
to a walk up.
"Reserved permits are held until 10 am on the day of your trip. If you are arriving later than 10 am on the day of your trip, please call 209/372-0308 to hold your permit for a late arrival."

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 6:31 am
by bill-e-g
Forgot to mention... It's 9 miles from Tenaya to the Tuolumne Wilderness Center.
Can you not get to the park early enough the previous day to pick up your permit? (Valley is only open until 5pm though)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 09, 2008 7:52 pm
by dan
If you don't have a car, there's a shuttle bus running between Tenaya (east end I think) and Tuolumne Meadows in summer during daylight hours. It's not frequent though. Here's the schedule and more info on the NPS site:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tmbus.htm

PostPosted: Thu Jul 17, 2008 12:59 pm
by BadPepsi
Hi Mitchell,

Get to the park the day before, early enough to pick up your permit at any wilderness permit office. Camp in the valley and ride the shuttle to Tenaya in the morning.

On the other hand, if you can get there early the day before, it can't hurt to spend the night acclimating at Tuolumne.

I've never felt unsafe hitchhiking in Yosemite, but it's probably easier and safer to hitch a ride with a fellow backpacker in Tuolumne, rather than with some of the riff-raff down in the Valley :)

Hikers bus

PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2008 9:38 am
by adrianhoff
Check with the park to verify, but someone at the Sunrise HS Camp last week was telling people that the hikers' bus that leaves Yosemite Valley in the morning has been cancelled. She said only the afternoon YARTS bus (from the valley) and the returning morning YARTS bus (towards the Valley) remain active.