Laurel/Vernon/Rancheria Loop

This is Yosemite's best-kept backpacking secret — a three-day loop through the park's wild north country that most visitors never see. You'll start at the O'Shaughnessy Dam in Hetch Hetchy, dropping along the reservoir's north shore before climbing relentlessly toward Rancheria Falls, where the granite slabs make a perfect first-night camp. Day two is the real beast: nearly six thousand feet of cumulative elevation change as you push up through Jeffrey pine forest to Lake Vernon and then Laurel Lake, two pristine alpine pools ringed by granite and dead quiet. The final push back to the trailhead threads through sun-baked chaparral with views down into the reservoir that rival anything in the Valley. This loop is built for experienced backpackers who want Yosemite's scenery without Yosemite's crowds — you might see more bears than people.