Stanislaus National Forest boondocking

My target for the day was the Hetch Hetchy Valley at the North-Western most boundary of Yosemite National Park. I arrived in the Stanislaus National Forest after two and a half hours of driving and pulled up to the Ranger kiosk to notice that the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite was a ‘day-use’ area. The gates would be closed at 7pm and it was already nearly 4pm. Some part of me was hoping to camp up my the dam, while another part wanted to stick to my plan of not paying for any camping during this trip. The Ranger sided with the later and informed me there was no available camping near the dam but I could disperse-camp in the National Forest just a mile down the road. He also informed me of a trail, “right there” (pointing across the road) only 1.5 miles long that lead to an overlook of the valley and reservoir. With daylight to burn, I set out on the hike armed only with my camera.

While it was cool under the trees, it was warm once you lose the shadows. I humped it up this trail with constant reminders that 70-degrees is too hot for hiking. The trail was much like any other trail, but the end was a nice pay-off and my first views of the Hetch Hetchy Valley and the Wapama Falls which would be my destination in the morning.

I drove back down Evergreen road to the first dirt road and found a perfect site to camp for the night. I backed the van into a nook of a camp-site, circled by 100ft tall pines with just enough sky to watch the stars if I could keep awake. I find it amazing how these National Forests really reward the more adventurous campers, like me.