Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

Yosemite National Park

Trip Highlights:

Tuolumne Meadows

Glacier Carved River Valley

Dramatic Waterfalls

Muir Gorge of the Tuolumne River

Pate Valley

Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp

Our guided Yosemite Backpacking Trip into the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne explores one of the park's two major river gorges through a glacial-cut river valley, offering the chance to visit numerous majestic waterfalls and scenery along the way. The pure waters of the Tuolumne River, fed by Sierra snow melt, run wild and scenic through the Muir Gorge in the central region of Yosemite National Park. In this 3,000-foot-deep glacial-carved canyon, you are treated to everything from rushing cascades and majestic waterfalls to glacier erratics and deep, tranquil pools perfect for a refreshing, invigorating soak. This is truly a trip for water lovers and explorers, as you are never far from the river while you traverse one of the lesser-known, less-visited, and magnificent areas within the park.

Mileage & Difficulty

28 Miles

(Map and Elevation)

Strenuous

Length

5 Days

Price

$2,000

Per Person

Departure Info

Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center

4 p.m.

Check Availability

48-Hour Risk-Free Booking

You will receive a full refund if you cancel within 48 hours of the original booking date.

Lifetime Credit Policy

Book with confidence knowing you can cancel for any reason up to 30 days before your trip date and receive a transferable lifetime credit that is good for use on any of our programs.

Free Date Changes

Not sure if your current trip dates work? Rest assured, you can change your trip date as many times as needed, provided you do so at least 30 days before the current and new trip dates.

All dates remain tentative until confirmed 23-24 weeks in advance.

We are now fully permitted through July 25, 2026 departures.

See HERE for more info.

Yosemite 2025 Update: The National Park Service was given the green light for Yosemite to hire all needed seasonal employees for the summer 2025 season. We do expect to be able to run all our programs as planned. Should reservations be required, participation in Lasting Adventures programs, trips, and/or tours includes entry when reservations are needed

2026 Departure Dates by Month

All dates remain tentative until permitted 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements outside of this timeline. We will contact you if we are unsuccessful in obtaining your dates. Feel free to contact us if you would like to confirm.

Guided Yosemite Tours: Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

For a detailed map with an elevation profile of the tentative itinerary, click here: Map.

Day 1

Meet your guide at the Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center at 4 p.m. Get acquainted with the group and with gear. If time allows, explore Tuolumne Meadows before dinner. Camping in the Tuolumne Meadows Backpackers Campsite.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: ~0.5 mi / 0′

Day 2

After a hearty breakfast and packing up, we will relocate all vehicles to the starting point of our hike. Today is a long (though mostly downhill) 10.25-mile hike dropping over 3,500′ into Pate Valley (4,380′) on the western end of the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 10.25 mi / +571′, -4080′

Day 3

Today, we will begin our hike paralleling the Tuolumne River as we head east and gradually uphill. As the river winds along and up onto granite walls and outcroppings, we will be rewarded with dramatic views in all directions. We will hike approximately 6.6 miles to a riverfront campsite within the granite walls of the canyon and across from where Cathedral Creek cascades into the Tuolumne River, sometimes casting magical rainbows.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 6.6 mi / +1878′, -728′

Day 4

We will continue our hike up the Tuolumne, adding another 8 miles to reach the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp (7,980′). En route, we will pass famous spillways along the Tuolumne River, including the famous Waterwheel Falls, LeConte Falls, and California Falls. At Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp, we will have a chance to rest and relax along the beach below White Cascade. After dinner, hike a few minutes from camp onto a bluff for a spectacular sunset!

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 8 mi / +2635′, -189′

Day 5

Today we depart the Tuolumne River gorge and head up into the open space of Tuolumne Meadows (8,600′). We will hike 5.9 miles total, passing Tuolumne Falls and taking breaks at prime water holes along the way. After reaching Tuolumne Meadows, we will catch a shuttle back to our vehicles at White Wolf. Our expected ending time is between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Today’s Mileage/Elevation: 5.9 mi / +966′, -315′

Our trips are all-inclusive. We provide all meals, and we can provide high-quality gear, including Gregory backpacks, Big Agnes tents, sleeping bags and pads, LEKI trekking poles, and eating gear, free of charge. Group gear, including all kitchen supplies, first aid, and water purification, is also included. See the Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List for more information.
See our Frequently Asked Questions, Yosemite Transportation Options, and/or Yosemite Lodging Options.
Parking will be available adjacent to the first day’s meeting location.
All trips include the required permits and are pending permit availability, which we gain 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements until we have confirmed dates. If we cannot acquire permits for this exact itinerary on your chosen dates, you will be contacted with options to choose different dates and/or cancel/refund.
Should weather, fire, and/or delayed seasonal openings affect the chosen itinerary, a different itinerary will be offered. Lasting Adventures is recognized for its commitment to safety and risk management. In this regard, the summit of peaks will not be attempted when clouds are in close proximity.
Should reservations be necessary to enter Yosemite, your booking confirmation with us will serve as your entry reservation for the days booked with us. This should not be confused with entry fees, which still may be required.

See here for our full Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policies.

Your participation helps sustain our non-profit mission of supporting youth, families, and disadvantaged communities with positive experiences in America’s National Parks and natural spaces.

I have never backpacked before. Can I still join this trip?

Yes, our backpack trips are perfect for both those who are new to backpacking and those who have backpacked before and are looking to explore new areas.

I am booking as a solo participant. Is that okay?

Yes, overall, most of our clients travel solo, and everyone always leaves with new friends. Often these new friendships return and join us in different parks and/or on different itineraries. Solo participants will be offered single-person tents.

How big are the backpacking groups?

On backpacking trips, our average group size is 8-10 people with at least two guides, however, often groups are much smaller. We strive for a 1:5 guide to client ratio at most on all trips. We also appreciate small group sizes to maximize your experience.

Is there a Packing/Equipment List?

Yes, see here for our Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List.

How much weight will I be required to carry?

You can expect to carry anywhere from 30-50 pounds, but no more than ⅓ of your body weight. You will carry all your personal gear and, if possible, a share of the group gear. Within the group, bigger people carry more and smaller people less. For over 30 years now, this process has worked to everyone’s advantage.

Will there be parking available?

Yes, parking is always available close to our first day’s meeting point, and your vehicle can remain there throughout the trip.

Are there public transportation options available?

Although past clients have said they were glad they rented a vehicle, there are limited public transportation options for most of the trips we offer in Yosemite. See here for additional information: Yosemite Transportation Options.

Where can I leave my extra/other luggage and/or belongings I will be traveling with?

You can store your valuables and/or extra gear/luggage either locked in your vehicle or our guide’s vehicle for the duration of the trip.

Can you accommodate dietary requests?

Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We have a long history of meeting the needs of most all dietary restrictions and even some very complicated ones. When registering, you will complete a questionnaire to give us a brief picture of your needs. Later, you will complete a more detailed Medical Form, which you can use to include additional information. The staff guiding your trip will call you the day prior and, when packing the food/gear for the trip, will go over your needs and modifications in more detail. Although we have many options in stock, we respect it if you ultimately decide to bring your preferred substitutions.

What's your cancellation policy?

Lasting Adventures offers a very forgiving and structured Cancellation Policy, with lifetime transferable credit always an option up to 30 days prior to the trip. For a full description, visit our Terms and Conditions page.

See here for additional Frequently Asked Questions.

Our trips are all-inclusive. We provide all meals, and we can provide high-quality gear, including Gregory backpacks, Big Agnes tents, sleeping bags and pads, LEKI trekking poles, and eating gear, free of charge. Group gear, including all kitchen supplies, first aid, and water purification, is also included. See the Guide Service Backpacking Equipment List for more information.
See our Frequently Asked Questions, Yosemite Transportation Options, and/or Yosemite Lodging Options.
Parking will be available adjacent to the first day’s meeting location.
All trips include the required permits and are pending permit availability, which we gain 23-24 weeks in advance. Please refrain from making travel arrangements until we have confirmed dates. If we cannot acquire permits for this exact itinerary on your chosen dates, you will be contacted with options to choose different dates and/or cancel/refund.
Should weather, fire, and/or delayed seasonal openings affect the chosen itinerary, a different itinerary will be offered. Lasting Adventures is recognized for its commitment to safety and risk management. In this regard, the summit of peaks will not be attempted when clouds are in close proximity.
Should reservations be necessary to enter Yosemite, your booking confirmation with us will serve as your entry reservation for the days booked with us. This should not be confused with entry fees, which still may be required.

See here for our full Terms & Conditions and Cancellation Policies.

Your participation helps sustain our non-profit mission of supporting youth, families, and disadvantaged communities with positive experiences in America’s National Parks and natural spaces.

What Our Clients Say

Beautiful backcountry 4 day family hike We had a great 4 days of backcountry hiking with John as our guide. We hiked from the Ostrander Lake trailhead to Glacier Point via Ostrander Lake, Hart Lake and Buena Vista Lake. This was a replacement for a Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne tour that was inaccessible due to a road closure. We were mostly hiking on faint trails, with a little bit of off-trail hiking. The scenery was amazing and we saw very few other people once we were a few miles from the trailhead. It was quite challenging at times but within what we’d requested and what we turned out to be capable of. It was a wonderful family experience.There were a couple of things we wouldn’t have done without a guide, including wading thigh deep across a fast flowing mountain stream (which was not necessary for our itinerary). John was a great guide - good company, very knowledgeable and experienced, and a great chef. The food was a positive surprise including freshly-made Penang Curry…not the prepackaged camping food I’d expected. One thing to bear in mind when choosing a tour is that hiking with a full backpack is much slower and harder work than carrying a light day pack. A good rule of thumb is to multiply by 3. Hiking 6 miles with 1500 feet elevation with a full backpack felt about the same effort as hiking 18 miles and 5,000 feet of elevation with a day pack.

- Read More

217Jules

6/18/2024

The best hiking experience What a awesome experience we had with Lasting adventures! Cara, our guide was absolutely fantastic. She ensured at every step the whole group were happy and comfortable. She was incredibly informative with the history of the park, the terrain, plants and animals. She kept us entertained with quizzes and was wonderfully sociable. She is also the most amazing cook! We ate like kings out there in the wilderness, all on 2 small camp Gas burners, that’s a serious skill!!! I can highly recommend this company for a unforgettable hike in the truly stunning Yosemite park. We will be back!

- Read More

annie f.

9/14/2022

Trips by Destination

Trips by Type

Specialty Adventures

Camping Programs

Lodge-Based Programs

Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

Tuolumne Meadows

Glacier Carved River Valley

Dramatic Waterfalls

Muir Gorge of the Tuolumne River

Pate Valley

Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp

2026 Departure Dates by Month

June Departure Dates

August Departure Dates

September Departure Dates

Guided Yosemite Tours: Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

What Our Clients Say

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If you register for a date after July 25, 2026, and we can’t get the necessary permits, we will work with you to select alternative dates or trips. A complete cancellation or refund is always the final option.