Re: advice sought on Ten Lakes route and bus

Hello, I'm trying to plan a getaway in early September, parking in Tuolumne Meadows and taking YARTS to some point westward and hiking east. It looks like hiking the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne is out because White Wolf is closed, and with the road gated off I don't see a place where the bus could stop. Then I was thinking, what about Ten Lakes? Will the bus stop at Ten Lakes when traveling westward? I ask because the parking area is on the south side of the road, and I'm wondering if bus drivers are generally willing/able to make left turns into the lot and then again back on to the highway.

P.S. The route I was thinkng of is:

1. Ten Lakes
2. 11mi E down to Polly Dome lakes
3. continue N along Murphy Creek trail, camp somewhere along the Tuolumne
4. back to Tuolumne Meadows

Thanks!

In general, the bus will stop at any point along the road, as long as there is a place to pull out/over, and a hiker requests it in advance. I think White Wolf is still an option, if you are willing to hike the distance from the Tioga Road to the trailhead...

---

Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/
Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Thank you for the advice. My bus driver said he couldn't pull into the Ten Lakes TH parking lot (he said the turn was too tight, it didn't look any harder than pulling into the TM store parking lot, but what do I know). But he dropped me off at a turnout about a half-mile before the trailhead and that was just fine.

BTW the route I described above was great. I know this is a baby route compared to what you hike, but it was a good extension of my backpacking abilities, with some gorgeous scenery.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2021 04:51PM by gjanee.

I've hiked the GCT when White Wolf was closed. You just won't have services (potable water, restrooms, store) there, but you can still camp in the backpackers' camp and draw water from the creek. I'd be concerned whether the creek has water now, though. And the GCT is really too hot this time of year. I wouldn't choose it after May.

Hitchhiking shouldn't be difficult. Look for Subarus.

From Polly Dome Lakes, cross-country isn't hard. Alternatively, you can easily wade across the Tuolumne now. Either can get you a more secluded spot on the river. That said, you're not allowed to camp within four trail miles of the road in TM, so nowhere from TM to Glen Aulin. And that off-trail section along the river from the bridge to Pothole Dome is used by staff. There are some ponds behind Cottage Dome, but they're kinda stagnant meh.