If you want to backpack in Yosemite, you have two massive problems to solve.
First is the wilderness problem: scoring a permit in a lottery with a 3-5% success rate, planning a route, and getting all the specialized gear (like bear canisters).
Second is the logistics problem: getting from your airport to the trailhead.
Most guiding companies only try to solve the first problem. You’re still on your own to rent a car, drive 4-5 hours from the Bay Area, find trailhead parking that fills by 6 AM, and figure out how to get from your exit point back to your car (in a park where hitchhiking is unreliable and there is no Uber).
It’s a logistical nightmare.
We started Yosemite Wilderness Company because we believe you shouldn’t have to become an expert in Bay Area traffic and backcountry permits just to go for a hike.
We are the only service that handles the entire process, from the moment you land at a Bay Area airport to the moment we drop you back off for your flight home. This is what “all-inclusive” should actually mean.
Here’s the practical breakdown of how it works.
Day 1: From Baggage Claim to Backpackers Camp
You land at SFO, Oakland, or San Jose. You grab your single carry-on bag with your hiking clothes and shoes.
We’ll be waiting.
There’s no rental car counter. No 200-mile drive in an unfamiliar car. You just get in our comfortable vehicle, and we head east. We’ll stop for food on the way (it’s included) and talk through the trip. You can relax, look out the window, or take a nap.
That evening, we arrive at a “backpackers camp” inside of Yosemite National Park. We don’t just drop you at a hotel. We hand you your fully-packed backpack with your tent, sleeping system, food, and all the gear. We’ll do a final pack-check together and make any adjustments so it’s perfectly comfortable.
Curious what gear we provide? See our complete breakdown of what’s included in your gear kit.
You’ll spend the first night here, letting your body acclimate to the elevation. We wake up the next morning at the park, ready to hit the trail, eliminating the stress of a rental car and a frantic morning drive to the trailhead.
The Good Stuff: (What You Came For)
Because we handled all the permits, gear, food, and travel-day stress, your first morning on the trail is simple. You wake up, have coffee, and start hiking.
This is where our other differentiators kick in. You’re not in a crowded group of 10 or 12. You’re in a small, private group of maximum six hikers, with two professional guides (Evan and Shawna) on every trip.
And you’re not with a junior guide on their first season. You’re with us—Evan and Shawna, the founders—on every single trip. This means you have two professional guides for your group, an exceptional ratio (max 3:1) that’s almost unheard of.
This changes the entire dynamic of the trip. We can manage pacing, answer questions, and ensure everyone is safe and comfortable. We handle all the on-trail logistics: navigation, cooking, water filtration, and camp setup.
You get to focus 100% on the experience, whether that’s the grand views of a Sierra Traverse or the deep relaxation of a Sierra Immersion.
That is the freedom our seamless logistics provide.
And when you walk out on that final morning, the service continues…
The Final Day: From Trailhead to Terminal
When we hike out on the last day, the service isn’t over. A guide and vehicle will be waiting for us at the trailhead.
We’ll have cold drinks and real food. You won’t be climbing into a dusty, hot rental car for a 5-hour drive back to the airport, exhausted and sore.
You’ll get in our vehicle. We’ll handle the entire drive back to SFO, OAK, or SJC, getting you there in plenty of time for your evening flight.
You just went from the terminal to the High Sierra and back. All you had to do was show up and walk. We handled everything else.
Ready to skip the rental car, the permit lottery, and the logistical nightmare?
Request a free consultation and we’ll plan your seamless airport-to-wilderness Yosemite adventure. Or explore our trip styles to see which experience fits you.
