CityBoy Wants to explore yosemite!

[whoswho]

greetings forum folks:) glad to have found you all just before hitting the road for my month long hiatus from the city! i am all ears really, any suggestions are really really appreciated. i have tried to reserve a cabin through the Yosemite website and all that is left is the really expensive rooms. so does any one know if the parks service still operates fire towers or other back wood lodges? i can do with out all the creature comforts. just looking to take in the nature, heck i don't even have the sound of cricket chirping at night where i live :*(
i got my trucks' camper set up, got my tent for the coast ready. just dont have much set up for sequoia yosemite or death valley lined up yet.
i thank you all for insight. -cheers

[David_V]

greetings forum folks:) glad to have found you all just before hitting the road for my month long hiatus from the city! i am all ears really, any suggestions are really really appreciated. i have tried to reserve a cabin through the Yosemite website and all that is left is the really expensive rooms. so does any one know if the parks service still operates fire towers or other back wood lodges? i can do with out all the creature comforts. just looking to take in the nature, heck i don't even have the sound of cricket chirping at night where i live :*(
i got my trucks' camper set up, got my tent for the coast ready. just dont have much set up for sequoia yosemite or death valley lined up yet.
i thank you all for insight. -cheers
You can get a campsite in Yosemite Valley. Those might be booked up though. You could also try either Hodgdon Meadow or Wawona camggrounds. Neither of those is very close to the valley. You could probably buy a nice tent for the price of two nights in a hotel.

There are no towers for rent around here and all the back country stuff is closed up for the winter.

One thing though... cold. The weather is nice now, but it's not going to hold for too long. I love Yosemite, but I'd be tempted to head to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley.

[monkey]

Welcome! I used to love to camp at the walk in campground in Yosemite Valley called Sunnyside.No reservations are taken and there should be spots open at this time of year. There is a parking lot to use and you walk just a short distance to camp. It is also close to Yosemite Lodge for food and drinks. I enjoyed walking or taking the shuttle to the Ahwahnee for a cocktail and letter writing before returning to my tent for the night. There is NOTHING like waking up in Yosemite Valley and seeing that beauty. Enjoy!!!

[David_V]

Welcome! I used to love to camp at the walk in campground in Yosemite Valley called Sunnyside.No reservations are taken and there should be spots open at this time of year. There is a parking lot to use and you walk just a short distance to camp. It is also close to Yosemite Lodge for food and drinks. I enjoyed walking or taking the shuttle to the Ahwahnee for a cocktail and letter writing before returning to my tent for the night. There is NOTHING like waking up in Yosemite Valley and seeing that beauty. Enjoy!!!
Sunnyside, or Camp 4, is a "walk in" campground for $5/night. You cannot park at your campsite. It's not all that full this time of year, but there are 3 people per campsite. You could end up with 2 strangers in your campsite. That's part of the experience and the adventure. Their are flush toilets there, and clean water, but no showers. You have to pay for that at Curry Village.

[yosemitewriter]

Yosemite Valley would be my first choice, if you can find a spot. I don't imagine that should be too much of a problem at this time of year, but ya never know. Second choice would be Wawona which is a much quieter area of the park and you have a store and several good hikes in a very short distance.
Where in the city are you from? Have you been here before?

[MtnBreeze]

There is also camping at Bass Lake and you can drive to Yosemite or any surrounding areas....plus until it snows ...the Beasore Road has sites not far from Bass Lake where usually this time of year they are vacant but you do have to keep in mind the weather this time of year...although I've camped there in the snow. There is camping near Nelder Grove of Big Trees also...it can be reached via Sky Ranch Road. You haven't said where you are coming from and what you are seeking except you mentioned a month long vacation I believe....there are many things not far from here that might be of interest also depending on what you are seeking. Here are a few websites that might help you.
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/not-yosemite/nelder-grove/nelder-grove.htm
http://www.basslakeca.com/camping.html
http://www.yosemite-sierra.com/beasore.htm
http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-info/yosemite-in-winter.htm

Welcome to the forums and I hope you enjoy your trip here

[dpmariposa]

I know you are planning to camp, but you might want to check out the web site for Don and Kay Pitts place yosemite peregrine dot com They run a bed and breakfast in Yosemite. They have lived in Yosemite for decades. Don used to be the Federal judge in the park. He still officiates weddings. They know Yosemite really well. Check out the link to their slide show on their site for some of Kay's photos from their hikes. Contact them for info on the best places to go in Yosemite.

[mountain momma]

Yosemite Bug. I think it is a hostel. It is on the Mariposa side of YNP.

[dpmariposa]

Good insider spots from Kay Pitts at Yosemite Peregrine Lodging in Yosemite West. Her photos might inspire you. I couldn't post links before, so here you go. Enjoy your trip to Yosemite.

Kay's Yosemite Photos (http://picasaweb.google.com/dpphotoalbum/YosemitePeregrineLodgingYosemiteBedAndBreakfastYos emiteVacationRentals?feat=directlink)

http://www.yosemitepregrine.com