Wilderness Permit Trailheads, availability

[lazyriverstudio]

Hello everyone.
A friend and I had a last second opportunity to visit Yosemite over labor day weekend. Hoping to backpack Tuolumne to the valley. Called the wilderness permit office and none of the trail heads in Tuolumne meadows or Cathedral Lake are available. Two questions:

1) If there is any hope of making the "Tuolumne to Valley" hike happen: Are there any other trailheads I have a chance of getting a wilderness permit? If it means we have to add several miles to the trip, we would not mind.
2) If above trip is not possible, any other 3 day/2 night hikes that will be in less demand... where I could get a permit this late in the game.

My friend has never been, so hoping he gets to experience some of the grandeur of this park.

Thanks in advance!
Scott

[balzaccom]

A couple of thoughts:

1. Every trailhead will have some "same day" permits that you can request the day before the hike starts. Labor Day is crazy busy, but there are still a few of those for each trailhead. Get there early teh day before, and you might score one.

2. Twenty Lakes Basin, just east of Tioga Pass, has no quota for permits. You can always get one of those, and explore that beautiful area. Yeah, there will be people there...but there will be people everywhere on Labor Day. Permits are also easier if you hike in from the East Side through Walker Lake, etc. Those permits are through the USFS, not the NPS.

3. I'll bet you didn't ask about a permit to Budd or Nelson Lakes. Those permits leave Tuolumne Meadows and follow a trail for the first couple of miles. Then the follow a use trail for a couple miles more. Then you need to hike cross-country for another two miles to get to your likely campsite. But those trailheads usually don't show up on the quota maps, and they are almost always available for those who aren't afraid of a little navigation by map and compass....