On The Trail On The Trail Continued Camping In Stock Campgrounds Wilderness Camping with Stock Continued Much of Yosemite’s wilderness is at high elevation • Authorized non-maintained stock routes: • Stock must be kept in designated stock campsites; • Never tie stock directly to trees except for short Horseback Riding & Stock Use in mountainous terrain, and may involve deep When using authorized non-maintained stock they are not permitted elsewhere in campground. rests, loading, or unloading. Use a hitch line stream crossings in fast and cold water. Stock users routes remember that the clearing of brush or • Grazing is prohibited in developed campgrounds. whenever animals are to be tied for a prolonged In riding a horse must keep their stock on established trails with the cutting of trees is prohibited. Stock users must find The use of weed-free feed is strongly encouraged. period, and protect trees by using a tree saver. exception of a few authorized non-maintained stock we borrow freedom. an appropriate route without clearing trail or • Remove (don’t just scatter) all manure from the routes. Off-trail or cross-country travel is prohibited • Hitch lines or portable corrals must be used. If Helen Thomson otherwise negatively impacting the Wilderness. core camp area. Rake or scatter all manure in the except within ¼ mile of the trail for watering, rest using a hitch line, avoid damage to trees by using tree savers, and prevent chewing of tree bark or hitch line area. Bring a shovel to fill in all holes stops, and overnight camping. Be aware that • Stock Closures Include: branches by tying stock away from trees. and to return trampled areas to their natural state. temporary and/or seasonal closures may occur The Mist Trail from Happy Isles to Nevada Falls at anytime. For information about authorized • Camps must be cleaned daily by raking and • Grazing is prohibited within four miles of a paved Lower Chilnualna Falls foot trail from the parking non-maintained stock routes, closures and other bagging any manure and uneaten fodder, and then road and immediately surrounding the High area in North Wawona at the horse trail junction stock-related questions, call 209/372-0347 or visit a depositing it in provided bear-proof dumpsters. Sierra Camps. Be aware that there are areas with wilderness center before departing on your trip. Mariposa Grove inner loop no feed and temporary/seasonal closures of some • Many park trailheads cannot accommodate stock meadows. The use of weed-free feed is strongly The Gaylor Lakes foot trail from Tioga Pass vehicles and trailers. Make sure in advance that encouraged. entrance station to Gaylor Lakes there will be room to turn around and/or park Gaylor Lakes Basin above Lower Gaylor Lake stock vehicles and trailers.

Kerrick Meadow north of Arndt Lake Wilderness Camping With Stock is closed to grazing. • Allow plenty of time for campsite selection, and use Yosemite Falls Trail from Yosemite Valley Photo courtesy of the Yosemite National Photo courtesy of the Yosemite Park Archives an existing campsite that can accommodate stock. Travel on trail in single file Take special care in wet conditions to the top of upper Yosemite Fall when use causes the greatest impact Choose a hardened site at least four miles from the trailhead. Camp and tie stock a least 100 feet from Use a tree saver to protect Use a hitch line at least 100 feet • Minimize Trail Impacts: The loose herding of • Trails that are NOT recommended for stock use: water where stock cannot chew tree bark or leaves. trees from damage caused by from camp whenever stock will saddle or pack stock is prohibited except when ropes rubbing the bark. be tied for a prolonged period The Muir Gorge Trail segment • Minimize the time stock remain in the vicinity necessary to prevent injury to stock or people. Heading Home Travel in single file, pick appropriate rest stops from Return Creek to Pate Valley of the core camp/campfire ring area. Bring stock into camp area to load and unload and then move Leave a clean camp at the end of your trip. The off the trail and on durable surfaces, and spread Snow Creek Trail from Mirror Lake manure piles before leaving any rest stop. Be them to a hitch line at least 100 feet from camp. campfire ring should be clean, trash (including courteous of hikers by politely asking them to • Do not make any permanent improvements such unused fodder) should be packed out, horse manure Call 209/372-0200 of visit www.nps.gov/yose/ should be raked and spread, and trampling impacts step safely off the trail as you pass. planyourvisit/conditions.htm for current conditions. as corrals, hitching rails, tables, or benches. should be filled in and/or raked out. Photo courtesy Johanna Wheeler Stock Use Regulations And Planning Your Trip Stock Use Regulations Continued Reservations For Staying Overnight Continued Welcome! •Planning is the most important step in preparing • Proper food Storage is required throughout • In a campground: If you plan to stay in one of No hour of life is wasted for an enjoyable trip. There are opportunities for Yosemite to protect bears and people. All food, the park’s developed campgrounds, it must have that is spent in the saddle. day rides starting from trailheads in developed scented items, garbage, grain, and sweet feed designated stock sites, and reservations are Winston Churchill Horses and mules have been part of the campgrounds as well as longer wilderness trips. must be properly stored in bear-proof lockers or required. Campgrounds with stock sites are located history and tradition of Yosemite and the Plan your route with the help of the park website, approved bear-resistant containers. Bear-proof in Wawona (two sites), Bridalveil Creek (three sites) for over a century. Yosemite topographic maps, guidebooks, and by visiting a lockers are provided in campgrounds and at trail- and (four sites). Each site can National Park continues to offer visitors wilderness center in the park. Yosemite’s terrain can heads. Bear canisters are available at Wilderness accommodate up to six people and six head of many opportunities to experience wilderness challenge even the most experienced horses and Centers in the park with a $5 rental fee and $70 stock. There is a limit of two vehicles and two stock from the saddle, and stock is used to support riders. Choose a reasonable route for your group’s deposit. Visit www.sierrawildbear.gov/foodstorage/ trailers per parking area. Stock trailers are not the park in its trail crew, wilderness patrol, abilities and experience. Ensure equipment is in approvedcontainers.htm for approved bear- permitted on the Hetch Hetchy Road, and there and search & rescue operations. good working condition and practice using it resistant containers and panniers. Bear-resistant are no stock camps in Yosemite Valley. Visit before you begin your trip. panniers may be available for rent—call for details. www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/camping.htm Most of Yosemite National Park is for more information or call 877/444-6777 for Congressionally designated Wilderness. •Maximum group size is 15 people and 25 head Reservations For Staying Overnight of stock. campground reservations. All visitors, including stock users, have an • On the trail: If you plan to camp in the wilderness, obligation to limit their impact by practicing •Allowable stock includes only horses, mules, a permit is required. Permits are available up to • Overnight boarding: Overnight boarding low-impact camping and riding techniques burros, or llamas. Llamas are not allowed on the 24 weeks (168 days) in advance for trips occurring facilities may be available on a limited basis at so that future generations may enjoy the High Sierra Loop, the Vernal and Nevada Falls from May through October. Visit www.nps.gov/ DNC Parks & Resorts stables located within the corridor, or the river trail from Nevada Fall to park’s wild beauty. This brochure will yose/wilderness/permits.htm or call 209/372-0740 park. Horse and stock owners are responsible Merced Lake. Exceptions may made be made for help acquaint you with proper stock use in for more information and to make a reservation. for making advance arrangements. Call DNC at and John Muir Trail users with 209/372-4386 or visit www.yosemitepark.com the park. For additional questions about Reserved permits are held until 10 am on the day written permission of the park Superintendent. for more information. stock use, call 209/372-0347 or visit online at of your trip. Overnight permits by reservation are •A permit is required to posses a firearm. One $5 per permit + $5 for each person in the group. www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/stock.htm. unloaded firearm may be carried by the lead Forty percent of available permits are “first-come, For wilderness permits, call 209/372-0740. packer for the purpose of dispatching injured first-served.” These walk-up permits become stock. Firearm must be kept out of sight and available one day before you plan to leave for your ammunition kept separate from the weapon. trip at the following locations: Yosemite Valley • Campfires are prohibited above 9,600 feet to Wilderness Center, Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness protect fragile high-elevation ecosystems. Below Center, Big Oak Flat Information Station, Wawona Visitor Center at Hill’s Studio, and Hetch Hetchy 9,600 feet, fires are permitted only in established Bring a rake and shovel to Printed by the Entrance Station. Yosemite Association fire rings. naturalize areas and scatter manure. Photo courtesy Billie Patrick