Hitchhiking In Yosemite
Hitchhiking in Yosemite National Park pretty straight forward. It's pretty easy to get to a destination even where the park's shuttles do not travel. Drivers are affable, hitchhikers are grateful, and everyone is blissed out from being in Yosemite. While hitchhiking around the Wawona area and along Tioga Road is pretty straightforward, hitchhiking out of Yosemite Valley to start a backpacking trip can be a bit confusing. Be sure to check out the NPS maps found here for park transportation information. Read more about transportation in Yosemite on the NPS website.
Over the years, we have come across many backpacking parties that hiked out of Yosemite Valley to start their trip, underestimating the great ordeal it is to make it to the rim with full packs. |
All of the valley trails are amazing, but they are all steep, all starting at about 3,500 feet in elevation, and going up very quickly, not a great way to begin a backpacking trip.
The awesome 4 mile trail: 4.8 miles long, 3,200 ft. elevation rise. The incredible Yosemite Falls trail: 3.6 miles long, 2,700 ft elevation rise. The wonderful Nevada Falls trail: 2.7 miles long, 2,000 ft. elevation rise. The magnificent Snow Creek trail 4 miles long, 2,900 ft. elevation rise. The humble Panorama Trail to Inspiration Point 2.5 miles long, 1,000 ft. elevation rise. |
I've done Yosemite Falls trail about 30 times, the Nevada Falls trail about 20 times, the 4-mile trail about 10 times, the Snow Creek trail about half a dozen times, and the Inspiration Point Trail a few times. They're all great trails, but they're no way to start a backpacking trip in Yosemite unless you're a local. If you want to do these trails, the way to do them is while hiking down.
Don't get me wrong. If you want the challenge, then go for it. Otherwise, hitchhiking is an excellent way to start a non-loop backpacking trip in Yosemite. It's also a good way to start a trip along the Tioga or Glacier Point Roads when traffic is allowed but overnight parking is not. (Parking restrictions begin annually on October 15 and end when the roads are plowed and reopened in spring.) |
Here's how to plan a trip out of Yosemite Valley to start a backpacking trip by hitchhiking, which is the focus of this article.
After taking care of permits and getting trail beta at the Wilderness Center in the valley, park your car in one of the visitor parking lots listed in the NPS Visitor Guide, which can be picked up practically everywhere in Yosemite, as well as online here. |
Find a bear box near your car and make sure you empty everything smelly from your car. Once you've taken care to clear out your car, lock it up and take the shuttle (free) to bus stop #7, then walk North across the road to Camp 4.
We prefer to hitchhike in front of Camp 4, near the bus stop. This location hits all of the tourists that are going out of the valley, either north past Crane Flat, possibly onto Tuolumne Meadows or to the Glacier Point and gives them space to pull out. It's best to get there early, around 7AM to 9AM. Bring some coffee, bring a snack.
Most likely you'll wait a little bit. I've never waited more than 30 mins when solo - and less when my wife is with me. But, there is always stuff to see. I mean - it's Yosemite! |
When stopping to give you a ride, most people won't know where your trailhead is, but if you have a map on hand and ready, you can easily show them.
If we're heading up Tioga Road, we'll happily accept a ride to Crane Flat, because we can hitch farther up to our entry along Tioga Road from there. If you get dropped off at Crane Flat, walk to the end of the gas station parking lot along Tioga Road and hitch from there. If you're heading up the Glacier Point road, you may wait a little longer. Don't fret it though. You're in Yosemite Valley. Enjoy the views, check out the rock climbers in the Camp 4 parking lot, have fun hitchhiking. People are more likely to pick up smiling people! |
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Think outside the box.
We once arrived in front of Camp 4 to see another party already there, waiting for rides. Not to be discouraged, we started chatting and joking with the others only to find that we could actually all help each other out. One of the parties was a solo woman who was not only vegan, just like us, but also doing the exact same trail as us. The other party was three guys that just finished a trip. As it turned out, the party of three needed a ride to their car at the Inspiration Point trailhead. So, we gave them a ride back to their car, and in exchange, they dropped us off at Tamarack Flat! Jessica, the solo backpacker, did the North Rim trail with us and we ended up making a great friend! |
When disembarking, we make sure we have everything. I once gave a ride to a PCT hiker who left his phone with me. I got hold of his family, but by the time he was able to contact his family, he ended up just buying a new phone. It's prudent to have a tidy pack that is buttoned up tight.
I lived in Yosemite Valley for eight years and gave hundreds of people rides. I've never had a problem, and I've almost always found the people I've given rides engaging and interesting. They're backpackers and climbers, after all, and usually had great stories to tell. We're still in contact with some of these backpackers and climbers years later.
When traveling in Yosemite, we try to ensure that we have a clear space in our vehicle for people and packs. We never turn down an opportunity to give someone a ride.
When traveling in Yosemite, we try to ensure that we have a clear space in our vehicle for people and packs. We never turn down an opportunity to give someone a ride.
Naturally, all the usually life precautions apply and all the usual backpacking research still needs to be done. Traveling to the trailhead to start a backpacking trip in Yosemite is just one of the many logistical elements that need to be planned out beforehand and we hope this short article sheds some light on how to safely and delightfully hitch in Yosemite. As of the publication of this article, hitchhiking is permitted in Yosemite National Park, but that may change at any time. It's always best to check through the park regulations to make sure that a backpacking trip's plan is keeping within park rules. Read more about Yosemite on the NPS Yosemite website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm |