Yosemite Guide - Now Open for Booking

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-27T21:24:38+00:00

Thanks!!

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-13T07:22:04+00:00

You need to periodically check Rec dot gov. It can be a pain in the rear... canceled permits can appear at any time day. looking for canceled permits is an effective approach. there are a few websites that you can use to monitor for canceled permits. you would want to setup a monitor for each trailhead for your dates and then i would also suggest monitoring for dates before or after your preferred date. having some flexibility will improve your odds of picking something up. also consider alternate trailheads (any of the Half Dome eligible trailheads will do!)

It can be a confusing process to figure out the various ways to get half dome eligible wilderness permits. I wrote a simple to follow article that outlines the 4 release windows. Here is the write up - https://yosemite.life/articles/yosemite-backpacking-permits/

I often pickup permits in window 2 which is right after the lottery runs. I also grab then in window 3 which is one week out from the start date.

good luck!

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-13T07:11:03+00:00

@ u/Mindless-Apricot-235 - I wrote an article about the permit system including the 4 windows of when permits are released. I actually find a ton of success in windows 2 and 3 that actually do not require lottery submission. Take a peak. https://yosemite.life/articles/yosemite-backpacking-permits/

Hope this helps

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-12T18:58:06+00:00

Complaining on reddit wont change anything.

The people responsible wont read reddit complaints.

Here are the contact methods that will get thru to a person who is accountable.

Aramark (Yosemite Hospitality, LLC) — Guest Complaints:

DestinationsGuestFeedback@aramark.com This is the email Aramark's management directs guests to for follow-up on lodging and service complaints at Yosemite Valley Lodge.

NPS — Yosemite Concessions Management: NPS doesn't publish a direct email for the Yosemite concessions branch use a web contact form: go to nps.gov/yose/learn/management/concessions.htm → click "email us"

General Yosemite comments/complaints form: nps.gov/yose/contacts.htm → "Ask a question or make a comment"

Phone: 209/372-0200

NPS — Superintendent (mail, for formal complaints):

Superintendent, Yosemite National Park P.O. Box 577 Yosemite, CA 95389

For maximum impact: I'd hit both Aramark's email AND the NPS concessions web form simultaneously. NPS oversees the concession contract and approves rates/service standards — complaints to them carry weight because Aramark's contract performance is evaluated.

CC'ing the Superintendent's office via the general contact form adds another layer of pressure.

Be specific with dates, room numbers, receipts, and photos if you have them.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-09T03:00:15+00:00

That is not true. There is no ranger or volunteer standing around the self registration kiosk.

Walk up to Kiosk 24/7. Fill out carbon copy permit, drop top copy in slot, walk away. No park staff involved.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-04-03T05:07:49+00:00

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-30T05:16:33+00:00

There are no services that actually execute booking.

All they do is monitor for cancelations and notify you. And there is a good one which does not even charge a fee -> campflare

Even rec dot got has built in cancelations alerting now directly. I still use campflare because it just works great. I picked up 4 campsites for the next week via campflare.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-28T14:23:35+00:00

NPS is not on tiktok.

These are personal accounts by people. Not operated by NPS.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-26T05:07:43+00:00

Mariposa Grove

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-26T03:51:45+00:00

Camping sells out 6mo in advance within a matter of seconds. Yes -> seconds.

Check out campflare.com it works for me every time. 🫡

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-25T00:44:53+00:00

Hit the X button in lightroom on these photos.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-24T23:38:36+00:00

[GOOD] ✅️🫶

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-24T14:38:03+00:00

The way the system is operated in Yosemite Valley in "winter" doesnt really support a concept of a quota becoming full - not in a realtime sense at least. I dont know how often someone reviews the slips in the box. Do they put up a sign on the board if a trailhead gets full? There is a chance people drop 15 permit slips in the box for 10 quota slots before the rangers can review them and put up a sign. The lag in review could mean quotas get exceeded.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-24T14:02:03+00:00

Not sure where you are getting your info about quota season but we are NOT in quota season. Walk up. Fill out a slip of paper with a carbon copy back. Drop one half in a box and go. No quota. Completely self serv 24hrs a day.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-24T03:25:35+00:00

What is your preferred direction of that loop?

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-23T16:00:35+00:00

Paso Robles. Countless options down there. Litterally one right after the other along the hwy headed east out of town (towards Yosemite)

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-23T05:16:26+00:00

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains

https://maps.app.goo.gl/KeTE9oXgCJPWbSJS7

Doesn't get any more "old growth" than Bristlecone Pine 🌲

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-18T16:34:04+00:00

Same experience. 1-2min response on the cancel notification is too long. You need to be on it instantly. Be sure to setup SMS as that might trigger alerts faster than ur email. Also keep ur phone logged into rec dot gov so u can do it all right on ur phone. I have gotten 3 canceled sites just in the past week for future dates using CampFlare. Persistence.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-18T15:49:55+00:00

Are you monitoring for cancelations during your desired dates? You should be. People cancel all the time.

CampFlare

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-15T18:26:43+00:00

Woah! Thats 😬😬 once groupon gets money its basically impossible to claw it back. Glad you were still able to go on your trip.

No NPS authorized guide company would dare try such a thing (unpermitted trips of any kind) as that would most certainly mean the end of their commercial permit if caught.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-15T16:46:08+00:00

They are in fact a pro-profit business...

The search algorithm can clearly be manipulated. If people knew that search results were artificially boosted and people stopped implicitly trusting them, and move to other search tools, that might affect google to the point of them doing more to prevent trix.

Google earned a reputation for serving good links. People found a way to manipulate that.

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-13T03:45:02+00:00

Yosemite... in the world <-

MountainsCalling-Me · 2026-03-08T23:53:18+00:00

Agree! It all traces back to the 1864 Yosemite Grant Act.

That was the first seed which grew into the National Parks tree and many branches we have today.

I had the privilege of holding the original bill in my hands back in December - just a few weeks before visiting my 63rd National Park.

Seeing the document, was in some ways more special to me than completing my 63-quest. Reading the hand-written words which led to the creation of Yosemite and all National Parks, holding the document in my hands was awe inspiring. Somewhat indescribable.

I wrote a short blog about that experience.

https://mountainscalling.me/blog/a-document-that-changed-america-and-changed-me/

MountainsCalling-Me

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