[Bloated Chipmunk]

So, now that I live in CA there's no more excuses...gotta check out Yosemite! I've never been there before so I'm not sure where to start. Some of you may know that I really don't like crowds & normally hike in obscure places, but yes I realize that for Yosemite I must make an exception since there's prolly no way of getting around the hoards. We'll be going there in early/mid-October & have about a week to spend...I'm hoping that at least by going there after LDW it won't be quite as crowded. I'm thinking it'll just be day hikes w/car camping in between, though if someone knows of a really cool backpacking trip that gets away from the crowds, I'm all over that. Any particular things that are must-see? Or good to see in the Fall? I have no interest in climbing up 1/2 Dome...too exposed & prolly no permits anyway. Any areas closed now due to either the fire or the off-season? I have yet to do any research on this...I plan to but thought I'd get y'alls advice 1st. I'm a really slow hiker, so super long day hikes are out of the question.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

The Yosemite Valley is the epicenter of the crowds, but it's such a one-of-a-kind place, you could probably bite the bullet and spend a day or two there. Might not be so bad by October, anyway. Vernal Falls is really cool. Lots of shorter hikes in the Valley, lots of waterfalls. If you're there, it's not too far to head a bit south and then up on Glacier Point Road. If you don't want to go all the way to Glacier Point, at least going as far as Tunnel View will give you, well, a really good view. Back down to the Valley w/ El Cap and Half Dome prominently visible. Taft Point and the Fissures, most of the way out on the Glacier Point Road and then a short, easy hike, is also cool. However my favorite part of the Park is easily the east side, around Tuolumne Meadows. Doesn't really matter where you go up there. Just park somewhere and hike a trail, or ramble around on some beautiful polished granite slabs or domes. The stuff is like flypaper, you can cruise up fairly steep slopes and get great traction. Tenaya Lake and Olmstead Point are a couple of good roadside attractions. Cathedral Lakes is a nice, moderate hike. Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne is cool. Clouds Rest has a nice view looking down to the Valley. It's not as iconic but it's higher than Half Dome, you're looking down on it in the near distance. There's some exposure the last little bit, but it's easy scrambling, I wouldn't call it knife edged. Currently I think the fire is blocking access to quite a bit of the park, but hopefully it's nearly contained by then. You'll have to monitor that situation as it gets closer to the time frame when you'll be there.

[olderthanIusedtobe]

Oops, Clouds Rest is around 14 miles roundtrip, maybe longer than what you're looking for. Still plenty of other good options on the east side.

[puzzlr]

I think a one-way route from Glacier point down past Vernal Falls is one of the best hikes I've ever been on. You'll need a car shuttle, or take a bus up to Glacier point to start. I talked to a person that used to hike there a lot and he said there was a spectacular abandoned trail up to Glacier Point from the valley floor. Sorry, that's all the specifics I got, but when I go back I'm looking for that trail.

[hikermike]

Wrong time of the year for the valley and you already said you don't like crowds. The valley is for winter and spring and then the falls are at the greatest. What you want to do now is head to the Tuolomie Mdws. You want the north country now and should head towards Matterhorn Canyon or the area north of Hetch Hetcy. Both sometimes better accessed from the north.

[day_hike_mike]

I went through Yosemite on the way back from some training in southern California. Didn't spend as much time there as I wanted, but I had so many places to hit on the way back to Washington, and so little time! Best thing I did was a loop hike on the south rim. Started at the Sentinel Dome trailhead, about a couple miles before road end at Glacier Point. Went west out to Taft Point, going right by the fissures. Then back east following the trail close to the rim. You see Sentinel Dome, but wait for it, that's the finale. Keep going until you get to Glacier Point. This was the only part of my hike, done on Monday, July 1st, that was crowded, but not excessively so. In fact I enjoyed the fun facts talk given by a tour bus driver while some their bunch were eating lunch, and I was eating mine, at the amphitheatre. I can never get tired of looking at Half Dome, it is so cool! After that, explored around the Glacier Point area for a bit and then went back east up the dome. The dome is easy, not insane like Half Dome. View from up there was fantastic. You could see the whole valley from it. Watched some awesome thunderstorms over the northern and eastern part of the park. Finally, finished the loop back to the trailhead. Whole loop around 8 miles. Not tons of elevation gain as you're staying up on the rim. Crowd level, medium, but the loop away from GP was not at all. Did notice from up there that Nevada and Vernal Falls looked great. If I had another day, the puzzlr one-way hike down from Glacier Point to the valley floor would've been my next hike. After camping at Crane Flats I checked out the Tuolumne Grove of sequoias. I love big old trees, and they were neat, but a bit underwhelming. They're scattered around in the rest of the forest. But it's a short hike so still worth it. Crowd level, minimal. I drove out the east side of the park through Tioga Pass. That's a beautiful area! Guaranteed good hiking up there, if only there was time. More days there and this is where I would've spent time. For a change of pace you can leave the park and check out Mono Lake, not far from the pass. There was a county or city park just off 395, north of the visitor center, with a boardwalk out to the shore and some of the tufa towers. Crowd level, non-existent.

[bobbi]

Polly Dome Lake........

[Hutch]

I'm usually the guy that bitches when crowds ruin a wilderness experience, but the Yosemite Valley is one of those places that's so special it can't be ruined. Nevada Falls is the only day hike I did in there and it was out of this world. Cathedral Lake in the upper part of the park is also pretty amazing and not near as crowded. Did it in late September and saw less than a dozen other people the whole day. I think my National Park count is 15+ and Yosemite remains my favorite, crowds be damned. A National treasure.

[smithad]

[Trailhead]

The Valley is awesome but it can be overwhelming. Some of the falls may be dry. You must check out Tuolomne Meadows. You can even take the bus up there (Y.A.R.T.S. if it's still running) Hike around and/or even scramble up Lembert's Dome. It's like a mini half dome. Visit Soda Springs and the Sierra Club Lodge. Hike up to Cathedral Lakes. Head up the Lyell Fork on the PCT/JMT and loop back. Or Tuolumne Meadows Lodge. Even the grill by the store. Sigh..... You are going to have so much fun! I can't wait to read your trip report!! P.S. The deli in Lee Vining is tops!

[Steve]

Going in october will mean the weather will be mild and fewer people, but don't expect to see a single waterfall. Sentinel Dome is a cool place to see most of the valley from 8000'.

[ree]

[marta]

The valley is amazing even in the crowds. During the week in October, it should be much less crowded. We went first week of May, Sunday was busy but tolerable but when we went back on Monday -it was quite pleasant and you could get away. I found the site Yosemite Hikes good for planning. I wanted to know good places to take photographs and it was useful along with good information on the hikes. I would definitely recommend Vernal/Nevada Falls. We didn't have the time to do much hiking but we did go to Artist Point - Short easy way to get away from the crowds at Inspiration Point. We saw only one other party on hike on a Sunday late afternoon and it is just a short very easy 2.0 mile hike. Cathedral Peak area is gorgeous. If it is not too crowded, a bike ride around the valley is a great way to see the sites including areas that are not as accessible by car (Mirror Lake). You can rent bikes in the valley. I also joined Calphoto which is a Yahoo group focusing on photographing flowers but they have good information on current conditions. It is mostly No California. They have been discussing Fall Color in Eastern California and a couple of people have recently traveled over hwy 120 through the burn area. This was recently posted - stopping along Hwy 120 is prohibited as pullouts and trailhead parking is blocked off between Rim of the World and Crane Flat. You can also check out Natural History Wandering for other current condition reports. This blog includes a lot of information Nationwide but does tend to focus more on California.

[Bloated Chipmunk]

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions! Looks like there's tons of cool options but definitely a few places that stand out as being particularly drool-worthy. BTW the Yosemite Falls webcam definitely shows that the falls are all dried up now.

[goinbigg17]

My wife and i took the shuttle bus up to Glacier Point on our trip there last September. We did it as a one way trip, tour/bus guide was great and the hike down was AWESOME! Highly suggest it for a great day hike. In the warm weather there are several great river side spots to stop, relax, and dip your feet to cool off. 20 Lakes Basin out of Tuolomne although not in the park is a wonderful, short, easy day hike or overnight trip that you start at over 10k feet!