California - How crowded does Yosemite get on a summer Saturday?

I will be about 100 miles south of Yosemite without plans on Saturday and thought it might be nice to drive up for a visit. What is a typical summer Saturday like in Yosemite? I expect crowds, but will it be so crowded that it will not be worth my time for a one day excursion?

There will be crowds and this Saturday it will probably be close to 90 F in Yosemite Valley. That doesn't mean you wouldn't have a nice visit. People enjoy Disneyland on summer weekends. :)

If you feel like a cooler, less crowded visit, go on up the Tioga Road and see the Valley from the top - or do the same from Glacier Point.

Or, you could have a shorter drive and visit Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park for smaller crowds and a visit to the really big trees.

100 miles south, huh? Sounds like Fresno or one of the small towns nearby. If that is the case, the 41 takes you straight from Fresno to the south entrance of Yosemite and right by the turn-offs to the Mariposa Grove of redwoods and to Glacier Point, before reaching the tunnel entrance to the Valley with the famous "first look" view over the Valley, El Cap and Half Dome.

From the same general starting point, the 180 takes you up to the entrance of Kings Canyon National Park and a quick drive south to Visalia gets you to the 198, which will take you to the entrance of Sequoia NP and on up to Giant Forest.

JR

Depends on why you want to be there...

If you are just looking for the classic views, and don't mind the constant tourists...it will be O.K.

Of course, if you are looking for an outdoor experience that doesn't involve crowds....but peace and quiet with those views, Yosemite on a summer weekend isn't for you.

If you're looking for the latter (amazing views, much less crowds) try driving nearly ESE from Fresno up to Mineral King. It's about the same distance over much steeper, narrower, and more winding roads... But when you reach the end of the road, at Mineral King, you won't be in the middle of hoards of anyone, but looming granite peaks pine forests, and mountian meadows. And the sort of mountian experience you won't get amid the tour busses of Yosemite.

Go visit Yosemite after Labor Day, mid-week...it's much more pleasant.

I'll echo the above comments. I was actually in the Yosemite Valley for a weekend last month, and I didn't care for it much. It's a bad national park to visit in the summer. The views do not compensate for the crowds. I also think the concessionaire (Delaware North) does a bad job compared to other park concessionaires. Dinner at the Ahwanhee was pleasant enough, but everything else was just too crowded. Yellowstone and even the Grand Canyon somehow do much better in peak season.

Matthew, if you decide to go to Sequoia, I did a detailed post on things to do, stuff to know, etc. My sister was a park ranger there for a # of years & I visited both in summer & winter. Details here. Posts # 3,4,6,7 probably most applicable for you.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=579820&highlight=sequoia

Cheers.

Right now Yo is filled with firefighters!

There will be crowds and this Saturday it will probably be close to 90 F in Yosemite Valley. That doesn't mean you wouldn't have a nice visit. People enjoy Disneyland on summer weekends. :)

If you feel like a cooler, less crowded visit, go on up the Tioga Road and see the Valley from the top - or do the same from Glacier Point.

Or, you could have a shorter drive and visit Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park for smaller crowds and a visit to the really big trees.

100 miles south, huh? Sounds like Fresno or one of the small towns nearby. If that is the case, the 41 takes you straight from Fresno to the south entrance of Yosemite and right by the turn-offs to the Mariposa Grove of redwoods and to Glacier Point, before reaching the tunnel entrance to the Valley with the famous "first look" view over the Valley, El Cap and Half Dome.

From the same general starting point, the 180 takes you up to the entrance of Kings Canyon National Park and a quick drive south to Visalia gets you to the 198, which will take you to the entrance of Sequoia NP and on up to Giant Forest.

JR

I appreciate the tips and wish I had looked back at this page before my trip (I forgot).

I was in Visalia Friday night with my brother to visit my 84 year old Uncle (who had not been to Yosemite in 35 years).

He claimed to know of a "shortcut" to get us to Yosemite faster plus avoid the "winding" Route 41 and I foolishly didn't verify if his route was really a shortcut.

We ended up driving up CA-99 all the way to Merced, then over on Route 140 to Yosemite via Mariposa. Not only was it 85 miles out of the way (r/t) but we missed the "grand" entrance. :(

We arrived at the park at 10:45a and already it was nearly 100F with a great deal of smog in the air.

We did have a nice drive through the park, stopping often to take pictures. After a nice lunch at the Ahwahnee Dining Room, we headed back.

We stopped for a few minutes in Mariposa where nearly two dozen fire vehicles passed us, sirens blazing. We had heard nothing about a fire up until that point.

We continued back to Visalia and I learned my lesson--look at the map first next time!

Matthew, if you decide to go to Sequoia, I did a detailed post on things to do, stuff to know, etc. My sister was a park ranger there for a # of years & I visited both in summer & winter. Details here. Posts # 3,4,6,7 probably most applicable for you.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=579820&highlight=sequoia

Cheers.

Thanks for the valuable link. Next time we will go to Sequoia.

...I was in Visalia Friday night ... ... We ended up driving up CA-99 all the way to Merced, then over on Route 140 to Yosemite via Mariposa.... ... with a great deal of smog in the air...
Ooohh My!!!

He really sent you on a great circle route! 41 is no worse a drive than 140 and a better entrance to the park - and a lot shorter trip. Oh well, next time.

The "smog" was actually smoke from the horrendous wildfires we have been having all around the state, including one right outside of Yosemite. It hasn't encroached into the park yet but is close. A lot of homes in surrounding mountain communities have been destroyed.

JR