Yosemite - Backpackers Campsite

Things didn't go quite to plan on friday night. Doug and Alex were to get to Yosemite early and get sorted and I was to join them later. Plans were complicated a bit by the fact that mobile phones do not work in Vosemite Valley (thank goodness). We met at the Pavilion Cafe in Curry Village. I hopefully asked where they had camped and they explained they hadn't yet. We both had vague directions to the super secret "Backpackers Campsite". We spent a while driving around trying to find somewhere to park (which didnt have threats of towing) and eventually ended up at the trailhead carpark, which is pretty good and surprisingly was not full. Doug and Alex then had to get into bear mode, which meant not leaving anything smelly in the car (bears get into cars for as much as a tube of toothpaste, a stick of chewing gum or even a water bottle). After some faffing about we were ready and it was very dark. We had vague directions of a trail we needed to find to the fabled backpackers campsite.

In the end it was quite easy. All you need to do is get to the North Pines camp ground and stay on the easterly road around the camp near the stables (you are on foot by now, not in a car). When you reach the camp toilet block, take a few steps to your right and you will see a wide trail. Follow that 200ft or so, cross the Tenaya Creek and you will find yourself in the backpackers campsite. Don't forget to pay your $5 to stay here (outside the toilet block are envelopes) - rangers are not stupid, expect to see them at your campsite to see evidence that you have both paid and put your food away properly.

Anyway, we found a space and put our tents up in the dark (not difficult). The night was not especially quiet though was perhaps more so than at Camp 4. The next morning we were up and away by 8am, which is the general idea with this campsite - don't expect to stay for several nights. You are only allowed to stay the night before a backpacking trip and the night after and you need a wilderness permit to stay there (though we didn't get one until the morning after we arrived and this seemed ok). However, wilderness permits ran out by 11am that morning so we were lucky (they work on a quote system).

It is nice to learn that you can turn up at Yosemite Valley on a friday night and manage to find somewhere to camp - some even camped without a tent (brave souls).