Re: Tent camping in Yosemite w/o reservations...questions!

Hello! This is my first post and my first trip to Yosemite! I am planning to come up to Yosemite to do some tent camping next weekend (June 27-June 30) from Orange County, but we do not have reservations (we tried back in February and they were all booked up...haven't been successful in finding cancellations). We were hoping to get a site at Bridalveil Creek but found that they won't be open until July 3. So now we are looking at White Wolf Campground.

Here are my questions (thanks for answering them and I promise I will be back to share my experience once I've gone!)...

1. It is our understanding that if we want a site, we better get there early in the morning. As a result, we were planning to stay overnight in Oakhurst and then drive up early the next morning to get to White Wolf. Which route would be best (41 to 49 to 140, or 41 and through the park?). I would have preferred to go up through the 395 and Lee Vining, but it is unlikely that we will due to it being almost 50 miles longer to go that way.

2. Based on the route that you suggested, how long will it take to get from Oakhurst to White Wolf Campground?

3. What is the likelihood that the campsite will be full on a Friday morning? We had considered Camp 4, but I figure that would be a shot in the dark and we'd have better luck at White Wolf because it has more sites and isn't in the Valley.

Thanks! I appreciate any advice you may have!

You should do ok at White Wolf in the morning. If no, Yosemite Creek is open and it often doesn't fill even on weekends.

Taking 41 or 49/140 from Oakhurst is pretty much a wash if there are no construction delays. Using 41, you enter the park sooner, but it's a long winding way to the Big Oak Flat/140 intersection. I think 140 is the more scenic of the two, but there's usually a few minutes delay at the slide detour on 140. Since they're working on the Wawona tunnel, there may be some delay there, I don't know, but if you take 41 that's something to consider. On 140 you can turn directly onto Big Oak Flat Road, where on 41 you'll go past it and have to head back a little to get to that intersection.

I've never driven directly to White Wolf from Oakhurst, but it should be around 2 hours, possibly allow 2 1/2 to be safe, and if you like to stop for scenery (after all, it IS Yosemite), more. I generally figure an hour and a half from Oakhurst to being parked in the valley campground, regardless of which way I go, and it's maybe 15-20 miles further to White Wolf at park road speeds.

Camp 4 can be tough, as people line up very early, and it's not for everyone, as campsites are shared with several tents of their choice.

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Gary
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