Grand Yosemite Traverse
Guided Backpacking Trips
7 Days, 6 Nights 38MI / 61KM
Trip Highlights
Covering 38 miles of breathtaking mountain scenery, we hike through the core of Yosemite National Park and enjoy plenty of time in the most remote and most classic areas of the park. Guests rave about this trip, and most frequently mention as their personal highlights: entering the park by hiking over the remote 11,000ft Isberg Pass, which gives us a bird’s eye view into the high country; a stunning section of the John Muir Trail; a beautiful descend of the Merced River; iconic Vernal and Nevada Falls and camping on the shores of an alpine lake. Don’t miss this one – it’s unforgettable!
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Yosemite High Country
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Alpine Lakes
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Thundering Waterfalls
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Mountain Solitude
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Iconic Views
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End in Yosemite Valley
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View Dates
Trip Details
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Trip Type
Guided Backpacking Trips -
Trip Length
7 Days, 6 Nights -
Daily Hiking Distance
4-11 miles -
Group Size
4-7 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 features some long daily hiking distances (up to 11 miles) with significant elevation gains and losses for multiple days in a row. Backpack weight is 45+ pounds, and elevations go up to 11,000 feet. All of these details combined make this trip Level 4 difficulty.
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
Shuttle to Trailhead: 3 hours
Hiking Distance: 6 miles
Elevation Gain: 1800 ft
Elevation Loss: 300 ft
We’ll pick you up early at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Fresno and begin our journey north. The scenic drive is about 3 hours and takes us to a remote starting point for this amazing hike. Today’s hike takes us higher in to the Sierra Nevada mountains, where the views expand with every step we take. Our first night’s camp is at a gorgeous meadow. We’ll set up camp and settle in for our first night under the stars. Your guide(s) will prepare a delicious dinner, and you’ll have an opportunity to explore and stargaze before retiring for the night.
Day 2
Hiking Distance: 7.8 miles
Elevation Gain: 2100 ft
Elevation Loss: 582 ft
From Knoblock Meadow we continue climbing toward the high lakes basin, camping near Lake 10k at the edge of the alpine zone.
Day 3
Hiking Distance: 7.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 73 ft
Elevation Loss: 2,222 ft
We’ll pack up camp early this morning with our sights set on Isberg Pass (11,100′). After passing through a high lakes basin, we’ll surmount the pass itself, which marks the official border of Yosemite. In the evening, we’ll enjoy a lakeside camp at the headwaters of the Merced River, surrounded by picturesque 11-12,000 foot peaks.
Day 4
Hiking Distance: 10.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,189 ft
Elevation Loss: 984 ft
Today’s hike is a grand downhill, through the creek drainages that eventually form the mighty “Wild and Scenic Merced River.” Views of the Clark Range are abundant and there are plenty of beautiful meadows, waterfalls and swimming holes to distract us. From there we continue following the Merced past the famous high camp and into Echo Valley, regaining elevation as we traverse large granite ridges with spectacular views of Little Yosemite Valley, before the trail leads us into the Sunrise Creek area and camp at Burn Camp (or Shrimp Tarn).
Day 5
Hiking Mileage: 7.8 miles (includes summit of Cloud’s Rest)
Elevation Gain: 2,438 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,192 ft
We’ll be up and out of camp early to begin making our way to the top of Cloud’s Rest (9,926′). We’ll reach the summit by late morning, with plenty of time to enjoy the stunning views of our route and of Tenaya Canyon 4,000 feet below. The peak itself is a side trip off of the main trail, 3.6 miles round-trip, which we complete without our full backpacks. In the afternoon we continue on to our camp at Sunrise Lakes, where we’ll have time to relax, clean up and enjoy camp.
Day 6
Hiking Mileage: 3.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 107 ft
Elevation Loss: 1,239 ft
Our second-to-last day we’ll connect with the famous John Muir Trail in the Tuolumne region of Yosemite. We’ll pass stunning alpine meadows and otherworldly glaciated peaks on our way to what many guides call “the most beautiful spot in Yosemite,” Cathedral Lake (9,600′). We’ll have time in the afternoon to explore the area via one of several off-trail routes, or just relax and enjoy the swimming and stunning views from the lakeside camp.
Day 7
Hiking Mileage: 4 miles
Elevation Gain: 170 ft
Elevation Loss: 1081
Drive Time: 3.5 hrs
After breakfast, we’ll pack up camp one last time and head out the remaining miles to the trailhead at Tuolumne Meadows in northern Yosemite. We’ll meet our shuttle here mid-morning for a scenic drive through the park back to Fresno.
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 breakfast on Day 2 through lunch on the final 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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Transportation originating and ending in Fresno, CA
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Bear canisters for food storage
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Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device
What's Not Included
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Clothes, raingear and footwear -
Snacks/drinks at Red Meadows and Tuolumne
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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
4 Nights TENT CAMPING
Sleeping on backpacking treks is in premier 1-person or 2-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
Delicious Backcountry Cuisine
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 Fresno, CA at 5:00 pm the evening before the trip begins for a pre-trip orientation meeting. The meeting location is the Fairfield Inn and Suites Hotel near the Fresno International Airport.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel to Fresno, CA
Fresno International Airport is a convenient airport to fly into, and the starting and ending point of the trip (Fairfield Inn and Suites) is located across the street from the airport. Please arrive in Fresno well before 5:00 PM and don’t plan any departing flights on the final day before 7:00 PM.
Pre and Post Trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Fresno, CA as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
You will meet at 5:00 pm the night before your trip for your orientation meeting.
We will pick you up at 6:00 am the morning of Day 1 for transportation to the trailhead.
We will be back into Fresno normally around 5 pm on the final day this time is not guaranteed, as a variety of circumstances can influence our exact return time.
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)
- 10 and older to join private tours, with final approval on a case by case basis
- specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Reviews
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Mike T
1 month agoKnowledegeable and fun!
Great trip and the best guide we could have asked for. Ethan was knowledgeable and a lot of fun. This was our 3rd trip with Wildland Trekking and we highly recommend the company.
Drew W
1 month agoPhenomenal
This was my second backcountry trip with Wildland and absolutely did not disappoint. Our guide Ethan was phenomenal. He was organized, calm, confident, and very personable. He provided us a very good overview of the trip the evening before we started as well as insured that all of our equipment needs were met. He showed us the route and reviewed it each morning before we began our hike. His cooking skills are phenomenal and the food was healthy delicious and more than adequate portions. I look forward to my next experience with Wildland.
Rory S
1 year agoTruly enjoyable
Our group of 5 enjoyed the Grand Yosemite Traverse hike. What an incredible location with lots of history! The guides, Emma and Jackson, were fantastic! They were extremely knowledgeable and passionate. That passion permeated all aspects of the trip and made it truly enjoyable. I would strongly recommend Wildland and if you are able to have Emma or Jackson as your guide be prepared for a wonderful time.
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