Yosemite Forum

I have a wilderness permit with Tamarack Creek as our entry trailhead. It would be nice if we could drive into Tamarack Flat Campground and start from there, but I'm guessing the road is closed since campground camping is closed. Can anyone verify whether that road is open or closed?

Thanks!
- JB

Have you had the zoom pre-trip lecture yet? That will be your opportunity to ask that question.

I'm going to go with "no." but it's not a bad walk down the road... unless it's 100F, then I hope you have a shade umbrella coming back up it.

Yes I just attended the meeting this afternoon and asked the question. The ranger was "90% sure" it was closed. I was curious if anyone could verify 100%. The extra 2.5 miles at the beginning impacts my choice of camping spots for the rest of the route. There is one new hiker and one hiker recovering from a back issue in my crew, so I am planning to accommodate their needs.

Consider using the trailhead at the junction of the Foresta Road and Big Oak Flat Road.
You can use that as an alternative if the Tamarack Flat Campground access road is closed (the Old Big Oak Flat Road), or as your first choice.

I sure did consider that, but while it saves a mile (before meeting up with the original route at Cascade Creek) it adds a 1600' climb right a the the beginning of the trip, followed immediately by another 2000' up from Cascade Creek to Ribbon Meadow that we've got to do in any case. While it would be beautiful, it just might kill my newbie to hit them with that first thing. I think the plan will just be to start at Tioga Road if we must, and then just take a good long swimming hole break at Cascade Creek. It's flat to there anyway. Then make the climb up to Ribbon Meadows. At least the additional distance hiking in from the road is almost perfectly flat.

The road is a long hilly asphalt walk. Mostly down in, and a steep uphill out. Not flat....

yeah, if you mean the road to the campground, it sure is. but if we cannot park at the campground, we'll park on Tioga Road at the trailhead and would hike in along the trail from the trailhead, which just follows Tamarack Creek in and is a pretty gentle descent. It's a drop of 400' over 2.5 miles.

To be clear, I have looked at the topos for the area, I am just wondering whether the gate is open. I will see if I can find out anywhere else.