Looking for Yosemite trip suggestions - horseback

[weedsportpete]

My wife and I will be visiting Yosemite in May, and we want to include horseback riding. We found an outfit that does trail rides from Fish Camp to the Mariposa Grove, but they are not operating in May. Does anyone know of other horseback rides available in the Yosemite area? Does anyone have any other tourist activity suggestions? Would appreciate - thank you.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've backpacked out of Kennedy Meadows and there's a pretty big horse operation there. I don't know anything about them, just that they seem busy and lots of people use them. You'd have to do a search for them.

The drive into Yosemite Valley is just amazing. The rock, the waterfall's and scenery is just amazing. Hopefully the wildflowers will be blooming!!

If you plan on a day there, you can hike up the main trail that leads to Half Dome. There are two waterfalls that you climb that are just spectacular!!! I forget the order, but one is called Nevada Falls and the other is Vernal Falls.

The fist one is an easy hike with stairs cut into the side of the mountain that goes right up the side of the falls. SPECTACULAR!!!!

Plan on getting we because of the mist from the falls!! In May, it might be cool enough that the mist might be cold and uncomfortable. Everytime I've been, it's been refreshing.

There is a pool at the top of the first falls that lots of people sit around and have lunch. This is a pretty easy day hike.

The second falls is gonna be allot more effort and of course, allot farther. I've only done both of them once, and that's whe a few buddies and I spent the night up there before climbing Half Dome.

The trail will take you all the way there, and some super atheletes get up really early in the morning and do it, but it's like ten miles each way!!! We did it in three days taking our time and camping out.

I've seen mule deer standing on the sides of the roads and had one come down a trail that wouldn't get out of our way. He was a nice buck, and totally fearless of us. We moved. Three grown men against one buck. hahhaha

There are also allot of black bears all over the park, but they were especially thick above the second falls. At camp they tore up any bodies backpack that didn't use the metal storage containers. At one time, there was three black bears wondering around camp. We had a pile of rocks to throw at them when they got too close, but mostly beating on pans kept them away.

One couple from Sweden lost a pack because they didn't belive how aggressive they could be. They spoke perfect english, but chose to ignore the ranger who was there full time. Not allot of sympathy for them after that.

Eddie

 

[gregoryd]

If you get a chance, go back into Hetch Hetchy reservoir area. It is often one of the most overlooked areas in Yosemite (and the canyon under the dam is spectacular) --- everyone says that before dam was built and the area flooded, it was prettier than the Valley.

 

[_RaT_]

May will be wet and spectacular. The falls will be roaring this year from the snow melt. To give you an idea of just what kind of snowfall we get here in the Sierra Mountains, Squaw Valley, a ski resort near me is reporting over 330 inches of base. Yosemite will probably be half that but still tons of snow. I would do a Google on Yosemite horseback trips to see what comes up. I have hiked much of the park even from Lake Tahoe to the north valley (The Tahoe/Yosemite Trail). Do get down to the south end of the park where the Giant Sequoia grove is, the trees are awesome. May is a great month, far less folks there, its still chilly and you will see falls that will take your breath away. My very first site of Yosemite was El Capitan, wait till you see that. The hike to Half Dome is well worth it. Have good waterproof boots and a rain slicker. The Misty trail, if its open will get you wet from the falls mist. Yosemite, it is still the most awesome place I have been and that includes Denalli park in Alaska where I hiked to the base of McKinley, the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Flaming Gorge, Jackson Hole, Glacier park, every park on the Oregon coast, Acadia park in Maine, Big Sur, Point Reyes, I mean I loved all those beautiful places, but Yoemite is magical, I still simply cannot believe it when I get there it is that awesome.

 

[weedsportpete]

wow.. I am really looking forward to going. I've been a hiker ever since I could walk, but my wife can probably go about 2 or so hours - I"ll try to keep it reasonable for both of us. We'll visit the waterfalls and try that shorter trail Eddie talked about and will keep all of your suggestions in mind. I did a search on Kennedy Meadows and immediately got a hit on a page that has 5 or 6 horseback ride places northwest of Yosemite (so far I still think our reservation in Fish Camp is a good location). Basically we will spend one day hiking and exploring Yosemite and one traveling to or on horses. Unfortunately we only get two full days in the Yosemite area. I'm going to a conference in SF and its extremely hard for both of us to get away from our boarding stable (vacations are almost impossible).

Thank you everyone.

 

[Buckeye_Jim]

May is a transition month at Yosemite. Many areas are not open early in the month due to snow. That for sure would include Touloume Meadows, and Glacier point. Still the valley and all it's attractions will be open. BTW, I am at a conference in Fish Camp May 9th thru the 12th.

Good luck,

Jim Slouber

 

[rdln]

I was there in later June '94 flew into LA for a cousins wedding and rented a cherokee. drove through the desert into Yosemite and out towards Modesto and back down south.

I wish I could remember details like where I camped for the night (I do know that bears also liked that camp) and the trail I dayhiked, the restaurant I rewarded myself a steak dinner at and so on. I do remember the most beautiful scenery ever. I turned around after refilling the water bottle with snow melt at the snowline where also was an awesome small lake. someday when my kids can do it, I'd like to retrace those steps.

 

[_RaT_]

Hi Jim, your right about May being a transition, sometimes even gets into June and this year with the heavy snowfalls unless we get some warm rains, should see snow at the higher elevations for some time. I heard on the radio today that Alpine Meadows is reporting 22' of snow at the mid level lifts and more coming.