Backroads | Yosemite Family Multisport

Yosemite Family Multisport

Deep within California’s Sierra Nevada mountain range lies Yosemite National Park, 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. This memorable Backroads family vacation begins with a taste of the Wild West in California’s Gold Country before forging into Yosemite itself. 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 to you 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 the Big Sandy River Kids embark on an afternoon horseback ride or historic train trip while adults enjoy the lodge’s full-service spa, swimming pools, Jacuzzis or nearby hiking trails.

Days 3-6 Yosemite Village

Begin hiking at Glacier Point, with views of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome and the Sierra Nevada Climb to the top of giant granite-faced Sentinel Dome or descend along a trail that offers views of thundering Nevada and Vernal Falls A layover day in the valley allows ample time for an array of activities - a morning interpretive hike with a local guide, a visit to Bridalveil Falls, a bike ride through the valley, Junior Ranger programs or a horseback ride to Mirror Lake Shuttle to Tuolumne Meadows for a full day of exploration in the alpine meadows, with rockclimbing 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 and spa near Yosemite’s South Gate, which offers panoramic forest views.

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 3.5 miles
500 - 1000 feet elevation gain

Day 2

Level 1 3 Route Options Available
Biking 5, 11, 17 miles
500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Horseback riding (older kids) or historic train ride (younger kids)

Day 3

Levels 1 to 5 4 Route Options Available
2.5, 4, 8, 10 miles
500 - 1000 feet elevation gain

Day 4

Free Time in Yosemite Valley

Day 5

Levels 1 to 2 2 Route Options Available
Hiking 3, 6 miles (adults)
500 - 1000 feet elevation gain
Rock Climbing (kids)

Day 6

Level 1 1 Route Option Available
Hiking 3 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.

Trips 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	Average Distance
		Biking	Walking & Hiking
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

2009 DATES

FAMILY TRIPS

Reserve early for the best available price. Prices may change during the course of the year--if they do change, the best prices are available earlier. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed.

Recommended Kids Ages

Minimum Ages:

Recommended minimum age for the trip: 3 years

Minimum age restrictions:

Canyoneering: 6 years
Ride own bike: 7 years
Horseback 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 of activities and route
9+ difficulty 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
3+ riding is on bike paths, making it great for young kids; Burley and Piccolos are available; there are few or no activity restrictions; and no long dinners (or we offer alternatives)

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!

Lisa S. - Glastonbury, CT