Yosemite?

dans2992

dans2992

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Dans2992
Does anyone know what the most convenient airport to Yosemite is and if there are any other viable transportation options from the airport into the park other than a rental car?

Looking to go on a wilderness hike next week and don't need to rent a car to park it for four days...

Also, I don't suppose anyone can suggest a good wilderness hiking route in Yosemite that I don't need reservations for...?

Dan
 
There is a bus from the gate, but you will need a car or ride to get there. None of the airports are real close. If you are day hiking, you will only need a permit for Half Dome only. If you are backpacking overnight, you will need permits throughout the area. Yosemite is a popular spot, so you need to do a little planning, but it is the crown jewel of our national park system and worth the effort. They don't limit permits for Emigrant, which is jus North of Yosemite (you just pick them up at the ranger station on your way to the trail head), so you might consider that hike instead. Again, transportation will be required. Bear canisters are required in Yosemite and I heard that those clear blue ones aren't allowed anymore. Columbia would probably be a good airport for Emigrant and they have rental cars.


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I would lean toward either Mammoth (MMH) or Fresno (FAT). It's fairly easy to get a rental car at either.
 
There is an FBO at KMPI that claims to handle rental cars. There also appears to be a bus from Merced (KMER) and Lee Vining (!! O24 -- it's isolated, no fuel, and high DA is an issue). www.yarts.com .

Never used any of these, except I've picnicked at Lee Vining Airport -- the gas station is across 395, about a 1/2 mile walk from the tiedowns. I don't like to visit Yosemite during tourist season.
 
Yosemite best seen by backpacking. I have done the day hike out of the valley to Half Dome. It is a 17 mile round trip with 5,000 feet of elevation gain. You basically start out in the dark and finish in the dark (long day). If you backpack it, you can take your time and check out Clouds Rest (my favorite) and some of the other sights. Getting permits to Half Dome has to be done months in advance and even then, it is basically an online lottery. All the stuff in the valley is pretty busy (around the falls), but not too bad. You are unlikely to find any last minute camping in the valley and they limit backpacking permits in Yosemite, so again, last minute trips probably won't work, unless you can find a group that has some extra slots on their permit (search Meetup.com or something like that), but you would have to hang with that group. Emigrant Wilderness is pretty and you can actually see Half Dome off in the distance. There are a number of lakes there that make great spots for setting up camp. They don't limit permits, but you need to go to the ranger station and register and pick up the permit. You will need a car, because it is a fair drive to the ranger station and then further to the trailhead (I have used the Gianelli Cabin trailhead a couple of times).
 
Just went this week. There are no buses from Mariposa KPMI to the south entrance. I believe there are buses available from Mariposa ( the city is 4 miles from the airport) to the other entrances (Yarts). We were staying at the south entrance. There are 4 rental cars owned by the airport, but reserve early. Fantastic park.
 
We ended up getting walk-in permits. We went on a 41 mile hike over 3 days from Tolumene (sp?) to Yosemite Valley.

It was a lot to carry that far, but the scenery WAS incredible.
 
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