If you are not an experienced backpacker, Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service offers group trips or custom private trips that include instruction in camping equipment and clothing. Wilderness skills taught include map and compass usage, proper food storage, animal safety and stream crossing. Guided tours comprise a maximum of seven people, aged 12 and older; private tours are open to all ages.
Read the trail descriptions on the National Park Service's Yosemite website to determine which trail you want to attempt and to check the current trail conditions. Even in spring, snowy conditions persist on some trails, and heavy spring runoff can make conditions hazardous. Some areas are closed each year, March 1 through August 1, to protect peregrine falcons.
Planning a backpacking trip can become easier if you choose a guided tour. Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides offers two- to seven-night trips for a variety of abilities. The “easy” three-day, four-night High Tour includes modest climbs, equipment and food. The tour has a maximum group size of 12, with one or two guides. The difficult eight day Yosemite Grand Traverse includes 60 miles of hiking, on remote trails, up Half Dome and on the John Muir Trail.
If you want to plan your own itinerary but still have a guide to lead you on the best trails and prepare meals, Just Roughin’ It Adventure Company offers custom backpacking tours. There are five regular trips, as well as custom options such as a Girls' Getaway Adventure trip with a female guide, a private chef preparing gourmet and/or vegetarian food and completely custom trips for two or more. For experienced backpackers, the bare-bones, guide-only option lets you bring your own equipment and food.
Some companies offer backpacking tours in summer and fall only. If you want to experience Yosemite in winter, when it is less crowded, Y Explore offers snowshoe backpacking tours. A family-friendly Gentle Snowshoe Hike is a half-day for beginners; longer adventures for more experienced snowshoers let you explore the park at different times of year.
