Backpacking Hetch Hetchy, Yosemite – Day 3: Rancheria Falls to O’Shaughnessy Dam

This three-day loop in the wilderness of Hetch Hetchy was my second ever solo backpacking trip. My first was a three day trip in the southern part of Yosemite. This Hetch Hetchy trip was much different, and easier, than the first – and not because I am getting “better” at solo backpacking.

I think what made this trip easier was how I rarely felt isolated. On the last trip, I saw two other groups for all of three days. While backpacking in Hetch Hetchy I was camping near multiple other backpackers, not too close, but obviously nearby. I said hi to people on the trail and shared about our destinations and trail conditions. Mentally this made it much easier to be alone.

No one cares how greasy, sweaty, and covered in sunscreen you are when solo backpacking. Except your eyes, they still complain about sunscreen dripping into them.

I know that sometimes the easier route isn’t always better, but on a solo backpacking trip taking it easy can be both relaxing and fulfilling. For example, on this trip I was able to read some ridiculous motivation/self-improvement novel while lounging creek side, no one to judge my poor taste in books. Also: Eating ALL the mac and cheese – when you are hiking solo you don’t have to share!

Hetch Hetchy Backpacking Loop Topo Map – click for larger. See trip reports for Day 1: Hike from trailhead to Lake Vernon and Day 2: Lake Vernon to Rancheria Falls.

Please note: As of the date this is scheduled to be posted, Yosemite is CLOSED right now due to Covid-19. This 2 year old trip report shall be a part of the “Remember when we didn’t stay at home” series, where I catch up on old trip reports during California’s stay at home order.

Backpacking Hetch Hetchy Loop, Yosemite: Rancharia Falls and Out Day 3

Trailhead: See day 1

Distance: In the morning I walked about a half mile east on the trail to look at Rancheria Falls at the bridge the crosses the creek. Subtracting that one mile morning side trip, my GPS watch tracked 6.75 miles on Day 3 from Rancheria Backpackers Camp to the Dam Trailhead. This was the easiest day, only 870ft of elevation gain.

I was too hot to explore Rancheria Falls the night before, so I made a point to hike over to the footbridge and look around in the morning. Yosemite Hikes says that you can hike to some different views by exploring around near the campground – but with everyone still tucked in from last night, I didn’t want to bust through someones camp at sunrise. Maybe on another trip (a non-solo adventure to Le Conte Point?) I will scramble around looking for the falls more.

Rancheria Creek, above the trail crossing bridge. This is low flow Rancheria Upper Falls?

Back at my camp I enjoyed one final cup of coffee before setting out on the shortest day of hiking back to the trailhead. I had not made it much further than Wapama Falls while on Hetchy day hikes, so the stretchy from camp to the falls was all new to me. The trail is plentiful in locations to stop and gawk at Hetch Hetchy’s walls and wonder how it looked before it was flooded.

Near Wapama Falls more day hikers appear on the trail. No bear or snake sighting this time, which is fine by me! Be sure to watch your step because I have seen both down here on previous day hikes.

Posting this in 2020, it has now been a couple of years since this last solo trip. I haven’t gone solo backpacking again since then. Actually, thanks to the craziness that is 2020, I haven’t gone backpacking since January! I’m hoping the park will open soon, but until then I have more time to catch up on these postponed blogs!