Hi folks.
I'm coming out to Yosemite for the first time at the end of July and I'm looking for itinerary suggestions. My girlfriend and I are relatively inexperienced (recently- I did lots of Boy Scout stuff in the day, but it's been 15 years) but pretty fit and athletic.
I'm mostly looking for suggestions for good 2-night or 3-night backpacking trips. We would be hitting the trails on July 29 or 30, so all major trailheads are fully reserved. (Except first-come-first-serve: what's the word on getting those and how early does it need to happen). We don't want anything super-strenuous. We aren't hard-up to see the essentials, unless they are really worth it. We will probably day-hike the Valley on the first day and spend the first night in the backpackers campground. Once we're out in the woods, I imagine we'll have plenty of quiet.
If anyone has good general info on dealing with pre-hiking logistics, that would be appreciated. Is the backpacker campground just drive up and claim a spot? How to pay? How is parking at the Trailheads? What to do for a day before starting the overnight hike?
I've gotten some suggestions for what seem like good 3-day hikes (Glacier to Red Peak Pass was mentioned somewhere else; Glacier to Buena Vista).
There's a fair chance this will be our only time in Yosemite, being east coasters.
Thanks for any help and suggestions!