Yosemite - tips for travel

[Greg44]

We will be including a side trip to Yosemite in August and was wondering if anyone could give us some tips. As I mentioned this is a side trip. So we are figuring one full day. I read where traffic/parking can be very challenging and taking the YART & shuttle is recommended.

Any ideas on overnight hotels in/out of park. Must sees. Don't brothers. etc! We are not campers. :) We would enter via the west side.

Thanks!

[freein05]

We just got back from Yosemite. We stayed at the Yosemite view lodge it is just outside the park on hwy140. It was expensive. You could stay in Merced where YARTS originates. The motels there would be a lot cheaper. With YARTS you can spend about 6 hours in the park. With all of the traffic and people I would take the tram that starts at the Yosemite Lodge in the valley. The tour last 2 hours. It takes you to all of the high points and you can take some really nice pictures. It may not be too late to get a room at the Yosemite Lodge you can go on line and give it a try.

We were in the park last Friday and on a Friday it was busy. We drove to the main parking lot in the valley and used the shuttle to get over to the lodge and decided to take the tram tour. I have been going to Yosemite for over 40 years and this year is the best I have seen the falls flowing. Usually the falls are pretty much dried up by August but I think this year will be different. We are suppose to get snow in the high country this Wednesday. We live on hwy 4 between Yosemite and Lake Tahoe.

I love Yosemite and you will too. That is the problem too many people love it.

A friend from church took AMTRAK form Modesto to Yosemite (Modesto is about 40 miles north of Merced) and than took YARTS to Yosemite and also took the tram tour. They said it was very nice.

[Greg44]

Just back from Yosemite. El Capitan, Bridal Vail Falls (still flowing!), Yosemite Falls, etc. - were breath taking. Worth the trip. We left Modesto about 10:00 am. Very little traffic up the mountain -- I was thinking aw-ha, we picked a good day to go, few on the road...ah that is because EVERYONE was already there!!

Parking was a nightmare, and it was HOT and I had to go pee. FINALLY found a spot, poor signage to the restrooms...got there and they were closed for CLEANING! At this point I am ready to pee in the parking lot. One more last ditch effort, and found another restroom. Ah, now I could enjoy my visit.

After lunch we rode the shuttle around and the nice waiters at the Village Grill showed us on the map one of the best places to see El Capitan and Bridal Falls (just before tunnel).

dw & dd's of course LOVED the gift shop - I found the man bench and watched people and the ground squirrels.

Seems we were driving over to Reno we took the road from HELL out of the park. Road rises to nearly 10,000 feet. NO guard rails, NO shoulders, 35 mph for 2 1/2 hours. Up and down. The scariest time of my life. I would never drive or even be a passenger on that road again. Period. Flat ground never looked so good!

Reno visit - had a bonus - Hot August Nights. Blocks and blocks of classic cars. It was great!

[freein05]

Gregg44 sounds like you took Tioga Pass over to 395. It is a beautiful drive we were on part of it last week. Went hiking at Saddlebag lake it is at 10,000 feet and there was still snow there.

We live off of highway 4 and take Ebbetts Pass over to the east side of the Sierra. Tioga Pass is a freeway compared to Ebbetts Pass. Ebbetts Pass is about a lane and 1/2 wide and no center line you just take it slow.

I am glad you got to enjoy the wonders of Yosemite I consider it in my back yard we are going again for our anniversary in late fall to enjoy the fall colors.

[Greg44]

Gregg44 sounds like you took Tioga Pass over to 395. It is a beautiful drive we were on part of it last week. Went hiking at Saddlebag lake it is at 10,000 feet and there was still snow there.

I am glad you got to enjoy the wonders of Yosemite I consider it in my back yard we are going again for our anniversary in late fall to enjoy the fall colors.

Yep, it was Tiago Pass. I could not enjoy the view - due to the sheer drop offs and fearing for my life!