Quote
AJaneGirl
So... I have always wanted to go to Yosemite, see trees that have grown from the ground of their own volition. I am a native from Las Vegas and have camped around the general areas here and in very fancy campgrounds in Zion and beaches through southern California, but this will be my first real camping adventure in the great outdoors. I have a 3 night reservation for June and will be bringing my husband and 3 year old daughter. We are all in decent shape but we are not up for doing 6+ hour hikes, especially while carrying the toddler. We are also completely new to camping in bear country. Anyway, my point is, would any of you share any advice on camping as a family and things to do while we are there? Tips and tricks? A young and dear friend of mine passed away recently and this is our chance to finish off her bucket list. I hope I haven't gotten over my head! We are also road tripping from Las Vegas too and if anyone has route suggestions I'll gladly take them! We are staying in Wawona...
PS I have read the basic information on the website, but I feel more overwhelmed by it because I feel there is still too much I don't know that I don't know :white flag:
So you'll be camping at the Wawona Campground for three nights in June and driving from Las Vegas.
In regards to getting to Yosemite, it matters a great deal if Tioga Pass (Hwy 120) will be open by the time of your Yosemite vacation. If your vacation is in the early part of June, it's most likely (a 99% certainty) that it will still be closed. Even if your campground reservations is for late June, the chances are that for this year (2017), Tioga Pass will still be closed.
So getting to Yosemite will probably require a 7 1/2 drive (plus extra time for stops) through Barstow, Bakersfield and Fresno via highways I-15, CA-58, CA-99 and CA-41. It's not a very scenic drive, but it's the only practical route if you want to go from Las Vegas to Yosemite within one day while Tioga Pass is closed.
When camping in bear county like Yosemite, it's most important to keep all your unattended food secured inside the bear-resistant locker each campsite has even if you are still at your campsite. Do not leave any food by itself on the campsite's picnic table even for a relatively brief moment (like leaving your campsite to use the restroom or fetch some potable water). Not only bears, but other wild critters like squirrels, birds and mice will not hesitate to snatch some free human food left out in the open. Also don't leave food inside your vehicle otherwise you are at risk of a bear breaking into your vehicle in search for that food.
When driving through Yosemite, don't be those tourist that STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD if they spot something of interest like a dear, bear, fox or other wildlife. That's very dangerous for you and your family and anyone driving right behind you. Instead find a safe place to pull COMPLETELY OFF the road if you want observe any wildlife you might spot.
As this is your family's first visit to Yosemite, you can spend your days doing and experiencing the classic Yosemite sights like going up to Glacier Point, doing the Valley Tour on the open trams, hiking up the Mist Trail and hiking to Mirror lake. There are many easy hikes one can do around Yosemite Valley. Do you have a toddler bike seat that can attach to your bikes? If so, bring your bikes along and bike around the eastern portion of Yosemite Valley.
A good tip I can give you about minimizing the impact (and avoiding) traffic congestion while visiting Yosemite Valley is to leave very early in the morning (within a hour of sunrise — in other words by 7:00 AM) on the days you're driving in from Wawona to Yosemite Valley (about an hour drive). That way, you'll be able find a parking space and hit the trails while they're still relatively uncrowded.
Leave No TraceEdited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/2017 03:32PM by plawrence.