Lost Claim Campground sits 20 minutes outside the entrance of Yosemite National Park.
Barrett had never been to Yosemite, and I thought it was time to make the trip happen.
Since I booked the trip last minute, I was limited on camping options within Yosemite, as it fills up fast and well in advance during the summer months.
Luckily, I found a three-day opening at Lost Claim Campground in Buck Meadows near Groveland.
I’ve been to Yosemite National Park a handful of times as a child, so revisiting after almost twenty years was also a momentous occasion for me. I was excited to see once again the tremendous scenery, mountains, and the infamous El Capitan and Half Dome cliffsides.
Traveling to Lost Claim Campground
Surprisingly, the Lost Claim Campground is only two and a half hours from Sacramento.
We looked forward to a speedy trip to the Stanislaus National Forest.
After packing up the car, we headed down Highway 99.
Often, we like to make a mid-way stop for food and a pit stop for Turtle Dove to go potty. Stopping also allows us to have lunch before camping, so we’re full before arriving.
It’s one less meal to worry about at camp.
Before heading off on our turn towards Copperopolis, we made our lunch stop off Waterloo Road in Stockton at a Taco Bell. Bean burritos with sour cream are always our jam.
We continued on Highway 4 to Copperopolis, then turned onto O’Byrnes Ferry Road to connect to Highway 120. When we passed Lake Tulloch, we were amazed at the lakeside mansions, especially the large home with a waterslide that plops you right into the lake.
Once on Highway 120, it was a quick drive past Moccasin and Groveland and on to Buck Meadows and our campsite.
Making Camp at Lost Claim Campground
We made it to the Lost Claim Campground in the Stanislaus National Forest without a fuss.
When you turn off towards the campground, the road becomes dirt, but it isn’t too rough or full of potholes that are too deep. Our Ford Escape had zero issues traveling the dirt road with plenty of clearance.
Site 01 was what I booked, and we parked to unload.
With temperatures soaring into the high 90’s throughout our trip, from the campground to the Yosemite Valley, we dealt with high heat each day.
We were fortunate to have cloud cover and even some light rain showers while we were setting up camp. Site 01 doesn’t have a lot of tree cover, so the rain was a welcome reprieve from the sun’s beating rays. Our site number 01 was spacious but not level, so we chose the area at the site that had the most level area.
I agree with many online reviewers that the open-pit bathrooms at Lost Claim Campground are kept clean and well stocked with toilet paper.
I noticed the host stopping by each day to check on the bathrooms, of which there are three — one single stall in one structure and then a separate building with two stalls. On our second day at the campground the host stopped by our camp and confirmed our reservation by ID, and occasionally came by each day to check in others who arrived after us.
There is no cell service or coverage at the Lost Claim Campground, and potable water is available by a central, manual hand pump. There is no dumpster at the camp, but there is one lockable can by the bathrooms to place bags of trash secured from bears.
After securing our trash at the end of the night (a bear box was also provided), we cooked our foil packs over the fire and prepared daypacks for our trip to Yosemite in the morning.
Entering Yosemite National Park
On our first day in Yosemite, we made the drive to the Big Oak Flat Road Park Entrance & Information Station. It’s roughly twenty minutes from Lost Claim Campground and another 40 minutes to the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center.
If you want to enter Yosemite at any time between the hours of 6 am and 4 pm on any day, you must have a Peak Hour Reservation, available through Recreation.gov.
These peak-hour tickets are good for three days.
Make sure to visit the website and obtain a Peak Hour Reservation ticket at least a week prior to your Yosemite trip to ensure your ability to enter. If you don’t have a Peak Hour Reservation ticket, then you’ll need to enter Yosemite either before 6 am or after 4 pm.
In addition to the Peak Hour Reservation ticket, expect to pay $35 per car to enter Yosemite. This $35 fee also continues for a three-day duration.
Dog-Friendly Hiking in Yosemite
Anyone visiting Yosemite for the first time must make Tunnel View their first stop.
At Tunnel View, you can see the entire Yosemite Valley floor, along with the towering facades of both El Capitan and Half Dome as monoliths in the distance.
From Tunnel View, we continued our drive to the valley and skipped Bridalveil Falls since the parking lot and trails are currently closed for construction.
Parking is limited in Yosemite Valley and often fills to full by mid-morning, so we made sure to get to the parking area as early as possible. There’s a large parking south of the Village Store and Visitor’s Center.
That’s where you’ll also find a water bottle refill station and bathrooms at this parking area.
Dog-friendly hiking in Yosemite was our goal, so we first embarked on the Sentinel/Cook’s Meadow Loop trails for a few miles and bounced between Northside and Southside Drives.
Eventually, we found ourselves all the way down Southside Drive at the Cathedral Beach Picnic Area, where we stopped at the Merced River for a quick dip and snack break.
Bears, Trails, and Sandwiches…Oh My!
We crossed the Berg Bridge from the Cathedral Beach Picnic Area and found ourselves a black bear grazing in the grass. It meandered along as people gathered on the trail to capture photos.
Although creatures to be feared, the bear was seemingly uninterested in the commotion and looked like a cuddly stuffed animal in the meadow.
The Lower Yosemite Falls Trailhead was our next dog-friendly trail stop, and we made it to the base of Yosemite Falls, where the water had slowed to barely a trickle in August.
Continuing on the Lower Yosemite Falls trail we found a path that took us on a route behind the Visitor Center complex and passed by Indian Canyon. It was steep and gave us a fitting finale to our 11-mile day of hiking.
We were hot, sweaty and very tired at this point, so we stopped at Degnan’s Deli for sandwiches.
After sandwiches and a peak in the Ansel Adams Gallery, we headed back to basecamp at Lost Claim Campground and ate our fill of hot dogs grilled over the fire.
Day one in Yosemite was a success.
Exploring Yosemite Valley & Rainbow Pool Day Use Area
We had planned to go to Wawona in the south area of Yosemite on our second day but decided we didn’t want to spend as much time driving.
We woke up early and drove to Yosemite Valley, parked by 8 am, and did a 7-mile hike from the Visitor’s Center to Mirror Lake. Then we walked down to the small Nature Center at Happy Isles, to Curry Village, and back to the Visitor’s Center. Mirror Lake was dry, but it was fun to see the many different camps of Curry Village and surrounding sites.
All in all, from day one to day two, we hiked 18 miles.
Before leaving the valley floor on our second day, we visited the Yosemite Museum, the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, and Yosemite Cemetery. We also made another stop at Degnan’s Deli to try another set of sandwiches. Turkey on the first day, and roast beef and ham on the second!
After hiking, we were feeling pretty tired, so we stopped by the Rainbow Pool Day Use Area right outside Lost Claim Campground. It’s a hidden gem in Buck Meadows! You pull off the highway and pay only $8 to park your car and use the cool, refreshing pool. With a running waterfall and steps, we joined with the other swimmers and watched as men tried their hands at jumping off the rocks.
Until Next Time, Yosemite & Lost Claim Campground
Sadly, our great trip had come to an end, so we finished the night by the fire with some dehydrated packs of food and pre-packed for check out the following day.
Yosemite is a place with grand views and sweeping landscapes and leaves you questioning your place in the universe. Stopped in time, Yosemite is mostly to outlive all of us.
It will continue to give enlightened guidance from nature to generations upon generations.
