High Sierra Loop: Ten Lakes Basin Entry
Guided Backpacking Trips
5 Days, 4 Nights 21+MI / 34+KM
Trip Highlights
Come explore the spectacular high country of the world-renowned Sierra Nevada with Wildland Trekking on this hike through the heart of Yosemite National Park. This point-to-point trek will take you on a traverse of the geographic center of Yosemite. Starting off the spectacular Tioga Road, our path will lead us through upper montane forests and across high exposed ridges to a sublime, glacial-carved sub-alpine basin with several lakes where we will spend two nights among some of the best mountain scenery on Earth. From the lake-filled basin we traverse the edge of the dramatic Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River – a 4,000′ deep, granite chasm with roaring whitewater and water-polished granite walls far below us. Our trip ends at one of the most beautiful lakes in the Sierra. This tour takes us off the beaten path in Yosemite so we’ll be able to enjoy flower-filled meadows, star-studded nights and the pastel hues of the alpenglow in peaceful solitude.
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Epic Thru Hike
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High Country Views
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Alpine Lakes & Rivers
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Majestic Meadows
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Breathtaking Views
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Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River
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Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
5 Days, 4 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
5-7 mi -
Group Size
1-10 Guests
- day by day itinerary
- logistical and travel information
- gear and clothing lists and more
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Is This Trip Right For me?
This trip is along well maintained trails. Some concerns include loose dirt, large stepping stones and tree roots. Day 2 and Day 4 are both a challenging climb in/out of Ten Lakes Basin on well a maintained trail with little to no heights exposure.
Difficulty Level
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Solitude Level
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Trip Itinerary
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
Day 1
This Yosemite backpacking adventure begins with rendezvous in Yosemite Valley in the parking lot of Curry Village near the bear boxes at shuttle stop 14 at 6PM on Day 1. You will easily spot your guide waiting for you in a Wildland Trekking hat. We’ll conduct an orientation meeting, after which we’ll get settled in the Backpackers Camp a stone’s throw away from majestic Tenaya Creek and under the spectacular domes and cliffs of Yosemite Valley. We’ll enjoy dinner either at Curry Village or in camp.
Day 2
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 2300 feet
Elevation Loss: 850 feet
After a quick breakfast, we will shuttle to our starting trailhead on the Tioga Pass Road. We’ll cross three small creeks as the trail takes us through a forest interspersed with lodgepole pines, red fires and western white pines. We hike through stunning Half Moon Meadow and then ascend over three dozen switchbacks up to 9600 ft to Ten Lakes Pass with stupendous panoramic views of much of Yosemite. A final one mile descent through scattered white bark pines leads us to the shores of one of the lakes in the breathtaking Ten Lakes Basin. We will set up camp and enjoy a relaxing evening with a hearty backcountry dinner prepared by your guide.
Day 3
Hiking Mileage: 5-7 miles
Elevation Gain: varies
Elevation Loss: varies
Today is a layover day and that will give us the opportunity to kick back, relax and explore the area. After a leisurely breakfast and a chance to enjoy our coffee around the campfire, we’ll pack up a picnic lunch and begin our day of exploration. Our itinerary is flexible but we’ll plan on visiting some of the out of the way lakes and, perhaps, bagging one of the many peaks surrounding the lake basin. After a high altitude picnic, we’ll be back at camp by mid-afternoon and that will give us time for another swim, or to just relax with a good book beside the lake.
Day 4
Hiking Mileage: 7.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 2400 feet
Elevation Loss: 1550 feet
We’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast after an early wake-up call and prepare for today’s hike down from our high country camp. There will be a lot of ups and downs as we traverse the southern edge of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. We will break for a picnic lunch at a scenic spot (plenty to choose from!) and continue to our campsite high above the 4000 ft. deep, Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne River. Views from here are fantastic, encompassing much of the northern half of the park from Matterhorn Peak down to Mount Dana and beyond.
Day 5
Hiking Mileage: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 340 feet
Elevation Loss: 1970 feet
After a quick breakfast we’ll begin our final hike that takes us out of the mountains. Our trail drops us steeply as we switchback down the east side of Tuolumne Peak. Then it’s easy going along the glacially scoured valley as we follow Murphy Creek down from its headwaters in the Polly Dome Basin. We head south from here, through a dense lodgepole forest, along the lightly traveled Murphy Creek trail. We end our trip at a trailhead on the shores of Tenaya Lake, a beautiful sub-alpine lake nestled in a glacial basin surrounded by the white granite peaks and domes of the Yosemite high country. We’ll shuttle back to Yosemite Valley and reminisce on the way, and perhaps start dreaming about our next adventure!
Trip Dates
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What's Included
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Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
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High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use)
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Use of trekking poles
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All meals are included from dinner on Day 1 through lunch on the last day
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Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
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National park backcountry camping permits
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Bear cannisters for food storage
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
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Mandatory 5% national park fee that passes through directly to Yosemite
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear, leather gloves (for the cables on Half Dome) and footwear -
National park entrance fee
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Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
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Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
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Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
FRESH & DELICIOUS
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
IN THE ACTION
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Logistics & FAQs
Where Do We Meet?
This trip meets in Yosemite Valley in the parking lot of Curry Village near the bear boxes at shuttle stop 14 at 6PM on Day 1. Your guide will contact you approximately 10 days before your trip to coordinate this rendezvous and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will be waiting for you in a Wildland Trekking hat and shirt. This trip includes dinner and camping that night at the backpackers camp. Personal vehicles can remain parked at Curry Village during your trip.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Yosemite Valley
TRAVEL TO YOSEMITE VALLEY BACKPACKERS CAMP
This trip meets in Yosemite Valley in the parking lot of Curry Village near the bear boxes at shuttle stop 14 at 6PM on Day 1. Your guide will contact you approximately 10 days before your trip to coordinate this rendezvous and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will be waiting for you in a Wildland Trekking hat and shirt. This trip includes dinner and camping that night at the backpackers camp. Personal vehicles can remain parked at Curry Village during your trip.
Many Wildland guests rent vehicles or drive their own to Yosemite Valley. However, you can also travel to and from Yosemite National Park using train and bus options from much of California:
From Fresno: Yosemite Area Rapid Transit (YARTS) is offering 1 bus ride each direction from Fresno to Yosemite Valley. To reach the Yosemite Valley Backpackers Camp get off at Curry Village and either walk or take a national park shuttle to North Pines Campground. Walk to the back of the campground and across the footbridge to the camp.
From Other California Cities: by rail on the Amtrak San Joaquin Train to the city of Merced (serviced by most large cities in California) or by Amtrak “Thruway” Bus Service from Merced to Yosemite Valley. To book your trip, use Amtrak’s Online Reservation Service to book round-trip Amtrak travel to “YOS” (Yosemite Valley).
Start/End Times
Your guide will inform you of the first day’s rendezvous time at the orientation meeting. Generally, you can expect it to be between 5 and 8 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will be out of the backcountry normally before 5 PM (this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time) on the final day.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Nancy D
2 years agoGreat Trip
All my trips with Wildland have been great with wonderful guides.
Laura B
2 years agoIncredible Experience
I had the most amazing guide, Ian Jones! He was patient, kind, knowledgeable and a great cook. He made the experience incredible for an experienced hiker but novice backpacker.
Samuel E
3 years agoImpressed
I had a great time with Wildland in Yosemite! The guide and other guests were fun, the food was really good, and I got to see many beautiful wild flowers and animals on scenic hikes.
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