Yosemite Creek Campground and General Help?

Hello all,
I'm heading to Yosemite for my first time next week (7/20-7/24) and had some questions that maybe yall insiders can help out with so I'm not overwhelmed once I get there. I as I'm sure most people do, want to get as far away from the crowds as possible. I would prefer to backpack but due to a broken collarbone and recovering from a severely sprained ankle ive decided to just setup camp and head out for 5-10 mile day-hikes and save myself a lot of pain. So......
1. My plan is to head towards Yosemite Creek Campground for one of the first-come sites and I'm wondering if I should have alternate plans or should I be able to find a spot ok?
2. Do I need to get there on a Monday really early like 8am or is Noon ok?
3. Should I bring firewood or is there reasonably priced wood close by...assuming you cannot collect wood?
4. Are there any 'gypsy' shuttles that I can find to get me from the campground to the Valley so I don't have to drive or spend the money on one of those $25 shuttles?

Any suggestions or guidance is always appreciated, especially recommendations on hikes or general planning. And just to throw it out there I'm leaving from SF so if anyone wants to split costs let me know.
Thanks,
Jeremy



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2009 04:08PM by girdog.

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girdog
1. My plan is to head towards Yosemite Creek Campground for one of the first-come sites and I'm wondering if I should have alternate plans or should I be able to find a spot ok?

You should have no trouble finding a site since your start date is a Monday.

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2. Do I need to get there on a Monday really early like 8am or is Noon ok?

Noon should be fine; 10 AM if you are paranoid.

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3. Should I bring firewood or is there reasonably priced wood close by...assuming you cannot collect wood?

You can collect wood. There is a lot along the road to the campground.

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4. Are there any 'gypsy' shuttles that I can find to get me from the campground to the Valley so I don't have to drive or spend the money on one of those $25 shuttles?

A thumb might work.

Sweet, you saved me a deal of worries-thanks eeek! If you're still around whats your general impression of the campground....you feel its a good place to escape the crowds? good trail heads and hiking opportunities close by?

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girdog
If you're still around whats your general impression of the campground....you feel its a good place to escape the crowds?

For car camping in the park it's quite good for escaping crowds. The road tends to weed people out.

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good trail heads and hiking opportunities close by?

There's the Yosemite Creek trail right at the campground.

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girdog
Hello all,
I'm heading to Yosemite for my first time next week (7/20-7/24) and had some questions that maybe yall insiders can help out with so I'm not overwhelmed once I get there. I as I'm sure most people do, want to get as far away from the crowds as possible. I would prefer to backpack but due to a broken collarbone and recovering from a severely sprained ankle ive decided to just setup camp and head out for 5-10 mile day-hikes and save myself a lot of pain. So......
1. My plan is to head towards Yosemite Creek Campground for one of the first-come sites and I'm wondering if I should have alternate plans or should I be able to find a spot ok?

If you don't have reservations, always have an alternate plan. Perhaps Oakhurst or Merced.

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2. Do I need to get there on a Monday really early like 8am or is Noon ok?

Eeek already handled that.

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3. Should I bring firewood or is there reasonably priced wood close by...assuming you cannot collect wood?

They don't recommend bringing in firewood from [edit] more than 50 miles away, although it's not illegal to do so. There's a quarantine of wood from several Northern California counties due to Sudden Oak Death.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/forest-pests.htm
http://www.nps.gov/yose/parknews/qwood.htm

I would note that wood collecting is not legal in Yosemite Valley. Just wanted to clarify that, in case anyone thinks that legal firewood collecting extends into Yosemite Valley.

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4. Are there any 'gypsy' shuttles that I can find to get me from the campground to the Valley so I don't have to drive or spend the money on one of those $25 shuttles?

Those would be illegal, although I suppose the general definition is of an "unlicensed taxi". That would be operating a commercial service inside the park without a permit. As far as I know, no permits have or would be granted. It's not as if there's so much traffic that something like that could be sustained anyways. It's not illegal to hitchhike though. I'd think your best bet would be on Tioga Road, but definitely pick a safe spot where a car could safely stop. You might also try asking others in the campground.

Just check out the following:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campregs.htm



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2009 08:50PM by y_p_w.

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y_p_w
If you don't have reservations, always have an alternate plan. Perhaps Oakhurst or Merced.

I'd just go out the east side if the campground was full. You can always do dispersed camping east of 395 in the Mammoth area.

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They don't recommend bringing in firewood from less than 50 miles away, although it's not illegal to do so. There's a quarantine of wood from several Northern California counties due to Sudden Oak Death.

There is absolutely no need either. There is plenty of firewood along the road and it's quite legal to gather it.

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girdog
I as I'm sure most people do, want to get as far away from the crowds as possible.

I would note that most Yosemite visitors don't particularly want to or make much of an effort to get away from the crowds. If you judge by popularity of the Pines campgrounds, Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, or other popular areas around the park - most people don't seem to give it a second thought that it'll be crowded.

I think a minority of Yosemite visitors look for experiences away from the crowds. Sometimes I find myself in that mood. There are some sublime places to visit, but the popular areas are generally crowded because they're worth seeing.

Now - I would highly recommend a visit during the winter. Not only is it less crowded, but there's something magic about the Valley in the snow.

I'll just go with the flow and hope the camping situation is cool but if not your advice is appreciated. On the shuttles...I thought about hitchhiking but figured you'd be cut down pretty quick by the rangers or get stranded and left to sleep with the bears. I just think its a shame the cost is so high for the shuttle service especially after paying entrance and camping fees, seems if it was more reasonable in price I feel more people would probably use the service and it would probably equal out, oh well. And for the crowds I do want to avoid them! I plan on biking and doing the Mist Trail in the Valley but that will be probably the only day I spend there. I understand these places are busy for a reason but not really what I'm looking for on this trip, maybe next time with the girlfriend though. I really don't have an itinerary for this trip but it will involve avoidance of crowds. Finding my trails is my next task to do so if you have any recomendations shoot em at me. Was thinking Tenaya lake, Yosemite Falls Trail (but sounds like its busy?)...hmmm? Looking again for 5-10miles with no more then 3,000 ft elevation gain.
Thanks again yall!!!!!!

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girdog
I thought about hitchhiking but figured you'd be cut down pretty quick by the rangers

No, they wouldn't have any problem with hitchhiking.

I just hiked Yosemite Creek Campground to Yosemite Falls on Friday July 10 - while we saw about 10-12 folks along the way, it wasn't what I'd call "crowded".

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vdrummer
I just hiked Yosemite Creek Campground to Yosemite Falls on Friday July 10 - while we saw about 10-12 folks along the way, it wasn't what I'd call "crowded".

How many people camping?

I think the part of the campground that was open was full. A huge part of the area is closed (eeek, I'm guessing you know this) because the condemned bridge across the creek that leads to the campsites on the east end of the campground.

To vdrummer (and any others who have done the hike)

Hi!

I was planning to do that hike in August. I just wanted to go one-way, from the Yosemite Creek campground to the falls and then down to the falls trailhead (camp #4, I think). Does the creek trail meet up with the falls trail? Do you know if I can hop a shuttle back to Yosemite Creek campground? How difficult was the hike? Do I need a map or can I just follow the creek? Thanks a million--I've been searching for a few days for info.

Amy

vdrummer wrote:
Re: Yosemite Creek Campground and General Help?
July 15, 2009 11:11PM Registered: 3 months ago
Posts: 30
I just hiked Yosemite Creek Campground to Yosemite Falls on Friday July 10 - while we saw about 10-12 folks along the way, it wasn't what I'd call "crowded".



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/27/2009 10:19PM by amyjbd.

The Creek trail is the falls trail. It's 9.6 miles from the campground. Bring plenty of water.

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girdog
I really don't have an itinerary for this trip but it will involve avoidance of crowds. Finding my trails is my next task to do so if you have any recomendations shoot em at me. Was thinking Tenaya lake, Yosemite Falls Trail (but sounds like its busy?)...hmmm? Looking again for 5-10miles with no more then 3,000 ft elevation gain.

Starting out at the Ten Lakes trailhead on the Tioga Road, the hike up to Ten Lakes Pass (immediately past Half Moon Meadow) is just about 10 mi. RT with about a 2.2k elevation gain at the pass. Great view of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and surrounding mountain ranges. If you start out at the Yosemite Creek campground, add about another 3 mi. RT and 0.3k elevation gain.
[Cresting Ten Lakes Pass is reminiscent of that scene from 'Close Encounters' where Devils Tower seems to rise from the ground as the protagonists reach the top of a hill after abandoning their car. The mountain ranges here are much more distant but the effect is similar.]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/16/2009 07:03AM by szalkowski.

Thanks everybody, your help is much appreciated! I've taken your advice and along with what I've found, made what I believe to be a good itinerary which I have posted in a new topic that also has questions on trails including Yosemite Falls....if you all get a chance to review what I've posted it would be cool.
Much love!