Yosemite Family Multisport
This memorable Backroads family vacation begins with a taste of the Wild West in California's Gold Country before forging into Yosemite itself, a breathtaking sanctuary of dense forests, sprawling meadows, thundering waterfalls and dramatic granite peaks. Immortalized by famed photographer Ansel Adams and cherished by legendary conservationist John Muir, Yosemite is one of our nation's most stunning national parks and celebrated natural wonders, intimate in feel yet grand in scale. Overnight stays in a mountain resort and a historic lodge are the perfect complement to this inspiring journey.
Days 1-2 Fish Camp
Meet in San Francisco and shuttle into the heart of the Sierra Nevada 
A hike in the famous Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias reveals some of the world's largest and oldest trees Get acquainted with the Sierra National Forest on a fun-filled spin past an old-west corral to Shadow of the Giants, where you can explore this seldom-visited grove on foot 
Enjoy the lodge's full-service spa, swimming pools and hot tubs.
Days 3-6 Yosemite Village
Start your hike amid views of Yosemite Valley and Half Dome Climb to the top of giant granite-faced Sentinel Dome and, if you're feeling ambitious, tack on the out-and-back to Taft Point On our layover day in the valley, adults take a morning interpretive hike with a local guide while kids saddle up for a mule ride, then families spend the afternoon walking or biking with chances to explore Bridalveil Falls, the Merced River and much more Shuttle to Tuolumne Meadows for a full day of discovery in the alpine meadows, with rock climbing for kids and hiking for adults Revel in stunning views of the valley from the celebrated dining room of the Ahwahnee Savor one last memorable impression of Yosemite on a hike from Camp Four to El Capitan Meadow before heading back to San Francisco.
AMID NATURE: Premiere Inns
Tenaya Lodge (2 nights): A relaxing mountain resort near Yosemite's South Gate, which offers panoramic forest views, indoor and outdoor pools and a spa.
Ahwahnee Hotel (3 nights): Designated a National Historic Landmark - and as much an icon of Yosemite as Half Dome - the Ahwahnee is a luxurious and stunning hotel on a grand scale, with elaborate stained-glass windows, etched stone floors, original Miwok Indian arts and crafts, carved wood paneling, Oriental rugs and Shaker-style furnishings.
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Day 1
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Walking 3.7 miles
- 600 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 1 to 2 4 Route Options Available
- Biking 11, 16, 27 miles
- 350 - 650 feet elevation gain
- Hiking 1 mile
Day 3
- Levels 1 to 2 3 Route Options Available
- Hiking 2.5, 4.3, 5.5 miles
- 200 - 600 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Interpretive Walk (Adults) 3 hours
- Mule Ride (Kids) 2 hours
- Hiking & Biking Options in Yosemite Valley
Day 5
- Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking (Adults) 3.3, 6 miles
- 500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
- Rock Climbing (Kids)
Day 6
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Hiking 2.8 miles
On this Family Trip, our routes follow gentle terrain with no significant gain or loss in elevation. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Activity Level | Average Time | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 mile | 2-5 miles |
| Level 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| Level 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| Level 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| Level 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
2010 DATES
FAMILY TRIPS
- 6/27-7/2Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/11-16Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
- 7/25-30Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/1-6Price: $3398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/15-20Price: $3398 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
- 8/22-27Price: $3298 pp dbl. occ., (+ $1340 for sgl. occ.)
Recommended Kids Ages
Minimum Ages:
Recommended minimum age for the trip: 6 years
Minimum age restrictions:
- Rock climbing: 6 years
- Riding own bike: 7 years
- Mule riding: 7 years
General Info on Minimum Ages:
We strongly encourage families to join our Family Trips, designed with kid- and adult-friendly features. Please note that we have a minimum age requirement of 1 year for all Inn trips and 2 years for all Camping trips. Other than that, we do not restrict trips to a minimum age except in the rare case of a hotel age restriction. We do, however, recommend minimum ages based on the following criteria:
- 12+ cultural appreciation, difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 9+ several long adult dinners; difficulty/restrictions of activities and route
- 6+ several long adult dinners; parent may not be able to pull a Burley and/or there may be multiple activity restrictions
Please note that a trip may feature an activity with an older age requirement than the minimum age recommendation for the trip. Younger kids are still welcome on the trip and while they will not be able to participate in the activity, the leaders will suggest an alternate activity. For safety reasons, children under 7 may not ride their own bikes and are required to ride on a Piccolo or in a Burley. For certain destinations, children must be 9 or older to ride their own bikes.
Guest Trip Reviews
Our Backroads trip in Yosemite was an experience of a lifetime for our family. The activities, accommodations, cuisine and leaders were beyond exceptional. Over and over again, Backroads delivered!- Glastonbury, CT