High Sierra Topix

I am planning to hike the John Muir Trail, entering at Happy Isles. I have a reservation for a wilderness permit. Can I pickup my permit the day before? How hard is it to get a campsite for 4 people at the backpackers campground next to the Yosemite Lodge? Do I have to have a Wilderness Permit to camp there? If the campground is full and the hotel and lodges are full where else can a backpacker stay if they don't have a car?

Much better alternative is the backpacker campground behind the stables...walk in only...all backpackers - no reservation needed. It is a safer place to leave your gear unprotected (as opposed to Sunnyside, which isn't!) when you go to Curry for Pizza and beer. In fact, I consider it the best campground in the Valley.
You must have a wilderness permit in hand before setting up camp as the rangers do check around 6 PM...one night only...$5.00 pp.(self-pay envelopes in the campground.)
To get there, take the shuttle bus and get off at the stables (the next stop after Mirror Lake) and enter the campground on the left (forget the name). Follow the campground road in, past the kiosk, bearing right at the 2 forks until about camp #350...a sign there on the right points towards the backpacker area. Keep going north ~100 feet but angle right, following a small river on the right now, across a little stone bridge...you are there. Total distance from the bus...1/8 mile. One small stone building (restroom), potable piped in water, and about 30 sites. It is never too crowded and always a fun group of serious minded folks.

With a reservation can you get your wilderness permit the day before. We need to start hiking the date of our permit. We only have a limited time to hike the JMT and catch our plane for home again. I'm sure many other people are in the same situation.

"With a reservation can you get your wilderness permit the day before."

Never knew that...You sure?
If doing the Muir, stop off at the wilderness office, (or call) and ask if you can pick it up a day early anyway, just so you can legally use the other backpacker campground the night before...worth a shot, they close at 5...the rangers are pretty flexible to those who are intending the "big ticket" hike...

FYI, I had my WM down bag and MSR stove along with my food bag filched at Sunnyside...vowed I would never make that mistake (stay there) again. The rangers, when I reported it, said that this type of activity is more common than most people know.
Word to the wise...
Have a great trip.
Mark

Yes, you can pick up your permit the day before if you have a reservation (just did on the 1st for a permit leaving White Wolf on the 2nd). That entitles you to the backpacker’s campgrounds the night before and night after the permit dates. I would assume that this would include the camp that Marksor mentioned, but I would check with the ranger (when you pick up the permit) first.

ken

Darn Markskor I would have been pissed off if someone took of with my WM sleeping bag.
By the way which bag was it?
I'll lock my gear in my car from now on if I ever camp at a Valley site again, which I usually do not.

Thanks