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California

Choose Your Pace: Hiking Yosemite Up Close and Personal

Program No. 13977RJ
Hike at the pace you choose each day and see authentic Yosemite with experts. Discover giant sequoias and glacially carved valleys, and learn the story of this national treasure.

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climate
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 30 - May 5, 2023
Starting at
1,749
May 7 - May 12, 2023
Starting at
1,749
May 14 - May 19, 2023
Starting at
1,749
May 21 - May 26, 2023
Starting at
1,749
May 28 - Jun 2, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Jun 4 - Jun 9, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Aug 27 - Sep 1, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Sep 3 - Sep 8, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Sep 10 - Sep 15, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Sep 17 - Sep 22, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Sep 24 - Sep 29, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Oct 1 - Oct 6, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Oct 8 - Oct 13, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Oct 15 - Oct 20, 2023
Starting at
1,749
Apr 28 - May 3, 2024
Starting at
1,899
May 5 - May 10, 2024
Starting at
1,899
May 12 - May 17, 2024
Starting at
1,899
May 19 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
1,899
May 26 - May 31, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Jun 2 - Jun 7, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Sep 1 - Sep 6, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Sep 8 - Sep 13, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Sep 15 - Sep 20, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Sep 22 - Sep 27, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Oct 6 - Oct 11, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Oct 13 - Oct 18, 2024
Starting at
1,899
Oct 20 - Oct 25, 2024
Starting at
1,899
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 30 - May 5, 2023
Starting at
2,049
May 7 - May 12, 2023
Starting at
2,049
May 14 - May 19, 2023
Starting at
2,049
May 21 - May 26, 2023
Starting at
2,049
May 28 - Jun 2, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Jun 4 - Jun 9, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Aug 27 - Sep 1, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Sep 3 - Sep 8, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Sep 10 - Sep 15, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Sep 17 - Sep 22, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Sep 24 - Sep 29, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Oct 1 - Oct 6, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Oct 8 - Oct 13, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Oct 15 - Oct 20, 2023
Starting at
2,049
Apr 28 - May 3, 2024
Starting at
2,219
May 5 - May 10, 2024
Starting at
2,219
May 12 - May 17, 2024
Starting at
2,219
May 19 - May 24, 2024
Starting at
2,219
May 26 - May 31, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Jun 2 - Jun 7, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Sep 1 - Sep 6, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Sep 8 - Sep 13, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Sep 15 - Sep 20, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Sep 22 - Sep 27, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Oct 6 - Oct 11, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Oct 13 - Oct 18, 2024
Starting at
2,219
Oct 20 - Oct 25, 2024
Starting at
2,219

At a Glance

Those who really want to know Yosemite must explore its wonders on foot. Follow in the footsteps of pioneers like John Muir, the father of Yosemite National Park, and Galen Clark, its Guardian, not to mention the Native Americans who first inhabited this enchanting land. Explore Yosemite’s unique glacially-carved valleys, granite monoliths, waterfalls and lush meadows in small groups divided by desired difficulty and learn about geology and natural history during on-site lectures.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Choose Your Pace
Each day, choose from either a moderate or challenging hike based on your desired level of challenge and pace. The moderate hikes range from 5-6 miles and the challenging hikes range from 6-9 miles on varied terrain. Elevations of 3,100–8,100 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Trek major trails in Yosemite Valley areas of Yosemite National Park and Mariposa Grove with expert hikers.
  • Learn about the geology, flora, fauna and human history of this "queen of the national parks."
  • Explore the complexities of managing Yosemite National Park from the perspective of those who have worked in the park.

General Notes

The Retreat Difference: This unique, often basic and no-frills experience at a Road Scholar Retreat includes opportunities for early morning exercise, interaction with the local community for insight into local life, an authentic farm-to-table or locally sourced meal, a live performance or event and a value-priced single room.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Tim Fabbian
Rooted between three of California's most beautiful national parks, it was destiny that Tim would grow to love Yosemite. After experiencing the summit of Mt. Whitney for the first time, he was inspired to pursue more moments spent 9,000 feet above the elevation of a desk job. Tim loves coffee, surfing California's rivers, listening for the silent wisdom of the Giant Sequoias and sharing gourds Yerba Mate among friends. Of all those things, Tim's greatest passion is skiing in the winter seasons down the Sierras.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Tim Fabbian
Tim Fabbian View biography
Rooted between three of California's most beautiful national parks, it was destiny that Tim would grow to love Yosemite. After experiencing the summit of Mt. Whitney for the first time, he was inspired to pursue more moments spent 9,000 feet above the elevation of a desk job. Tim loves coffee, surfing California's rivers, listening for the silent wisdom of the Giant Sequoias and sharing gourds Yerba Mate among friends. Of all those things, Tim's greatest passion is skiing in the winter seasons down the Sierras.
Profile Image of Doug Jensen
Doug Jensen View biography
Doug Jensen recently retired after more than 20 years as an administrator in education, including eight years in developing and supervising Outdoor Environmental Education programs. One of the significant motivators behind his retirement was based upon his love for Outdoor Environmental Education and his desire to re-enter that field. He is so fortunate to live in an area where the Sierra National Forest is my yard boundary; I spend most of my free time exploring and learning new things about nature.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
FLO: A Biography of Frederick Law Olmsted
by Laura Wood Roper
Wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley
by Laird R Blackwell
Yosemite: Volume One
by William Neill
Our expert instructor highly recommends William Neill's blog and ebook. Find the blog at www.williamneill.com/blog/ and Find his ebook at www.williamneill.com/store/ebooks/yosemite-volume1/index.html
The Incomparable Valley: a Geologic Interpretation of the Yosemite.
by Francois E Matthes
My First Summer in the Sierra
by John Muir
Mountain Sage
by Elizabeth Stone O'Neill
The San Joaquin – A River Betrayed
by Gene Rose
Flowering Shrubs of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada.
by Spencer, Shirley.
While the trees of Yosemite thrill visitors and the wildflowers often steal the show, every year the blue elderberry, the snowberry, the American dogwood, and dozens of other shrubs bloom in a glory all their own. This lovely volume, with inspired watercolors showing the fruit, flowers, and foliage of the plants, pays these shrubs full homage. Complete with useful information for plant identification, this book serves as a welcome and needed introduction to some of Yosemite's wildflowers.
The Hour of Land; A Personal Topography of America's National Parks.
by Terry Tempest Williams
The Journey Home
by Edward Abbey
The Photographer's Guide to Yosemite
by Michael Frye
www.michaelfrye.com
. Gloryland: A Novel.
by Johnson, Shelton
This books is roughly based on the life of his great-grandfather who was a buffalo soldier and one of those who patrolled Yosemite NP around the turn of the century to protect it from poachers, loggers, miners, etc. Born on Emancipation Day, 1863, to a sharecropping family of African and Indian blood, Elijah Yancy never lived as a slave, but his self-image as a free person is at war with his surroundings: Spartanburg, South Carolina, in the Reconstructed South. Shelton Johnson is an interpretive ranger for Yosemite National Park. His area of expertise is the Buffalo Soldiers and their influence on the early history of Yosemite and the west.
Sierra Nevada Wildflowers
by Karen Wiese
A Field Guide to Mammals
by William H Burt
Desert Solitaire
by Edward Abbey
History of the Sierra Nevada
by Francis Farqhar
The Wild Muir: Twenty-two of John Muir's Greatest Adventures
by John Muir
Shaping the Sierra: Nature, Culture, and Conflict in the Changing West
by Timothy Duane
An Illustrated Flora of Yosemite National Park
by Botti, Stephen J
An Illustrated Flora of Yosemite National Park. El Portal, California:
The Star Thrower
by Loren Eiseley
Winter WorldL The Ingenuity of Animal Survival
by Bernd Heinrich
On the Loose
by Jerry & Renny Russell
"Ansel Adams and the American Landscape"
by Jonathan Spaulding
Sisters of the Earth
by Lorraine Anderson
A Sierra Club Naturalist's Guide to the Sierra Nevada
by Stephen Whitney
William Neill Blog
by http://www.williamneill.com/blog/
Oaks of California
by Bruce M Pavlik
Sierra Nevada Natural History: An Illustrated Handbook.
by Tracy I Storer
Gloryland: A Novel
by Shelton Johnson
Conifers of California
by Ronald M Lanner
The Wild Muir: Twenty-two of John Muir’s Greatest Adventures.
by Muir, John.
Short stories from John Muir that creates an understanding of John Muir.
The Secret Knowledge of Water
by Craig Childs
High Odyssey: The First Solo Winter Assault of Mt. Whitney and the Muir Trail Area.
by Rose, Gene.
Anyone who loves mountains, and especially the Sierra Nevada, will find this a great addition to the library. It documents the little known winter solo ski trip over the entire John Muir trail, from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite, by Orland Bartholemew in 1928-29. The author expertly crafts the story from old notes and a diary.
Salt: A World History
by Mark Kurlansky
The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park
by King N Huber
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
by jared Diamond
High Odyssey: The First Solo Winter Assault of Mt. Whitney and the Muir Trail Area
by Gene Rose
The Education of Little Tree
by Forrest Carter
Up and Down California in 1860-1864: The Journal of William H Brewer
by William Brewer
The Geologic Story of Yosemite National Park.
by Huber, N. King.
Geologic History of Yosemite
The Earth Speaks: An Acclimatization Journal
by Steve Van Matre
Uncertain Path; A Search for the Future of National Parks
by William C Tweed
Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite’s Half Dome
by Bob Madgic
Mountains Without Handrails: Reflections on the National Parks
by Joseph L Sax
Westering ManL The Life of Joseph Walker
by Bil Gilbert
Cadillac Desert: The American West and its Disappearing Water
by Marc Reisner
A Sand County Almanac
by Aldo Leopold
Garden of the Sun: A History of the San Joaquin Valley: 1772-1939.
by Wallace Smith
Secrets of the Oak Woodlands; Plants and Animals Among California's Oaks
by Kate Marianchild
Galen Clark: Yosemite Guardian
by Shirley Sargent
Black Elk Speaks
by John Neihardt
Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada
by Clarence King
Field Guide to Birds of North America
by John W Fitzpatrick
Challenge of the Big Trees
by William C Tweed
My First Summer in the Sierra
by Muir, John.
The first of John Muir's books. This inspirational book allows the reader to understand John Muir's desire to protect and preserve Yosemite.
A Journal of Ramblings Through the High Sierra of California by the University Excursion Party
by Joseph Le Conte
The Land of Little Rain
by Mary Austin
Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere with Migratory Birds.
by Scott Weidensaul
Flowering Shrubs of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada
by Shirley Spencer
The Invention of Nature; Alexander Von Humboldt's New World.
by Andrea Wulf
Assembling California
by John McPhee
Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West
by Dale L Morgan
They Saw the Elephant: Women in the California Gold Rush
by Jo Ann Levy
Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
Touch the Earth: A Self-Portrait of the Indian Existence
by McLuhan, T. C.
Nature’s Army: When Soldiers Fought for Yosemite
by Harvey Meyerson
The King of California: J.G. Boswell and the Making of a Secret American
by Mark Arax
Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World
by Michael Pollan
A Sierra Club Naturalist’s Guide to the Sierra Nevada.
by Whitney, Stephen
. Stephen Whitney has taken most of the University of California Press guides and books and done an excellent job of condensing a wide range of biotic and abiotic topics. I highly recommend this guide to anyone interested in the Sierra Nevada, whether a teacher, backpacker, student, or amateur naturalist.
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6 days
5 nights
15 meals
5 B 5 L 5 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Oakhurst, CA
D
Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst

Activity note: Lodge check-in from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration, 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in Lyles Dining Hall to register with the program staff, get any up-updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. We’ll enjoy a get-acquainted social hour that includes drinks and appetizers.

Dinner: 6:30 p.m. in Lyles Dining Hall.

Evening: 7:30 p.m. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Retreats program. Our programming at Retreat locations includes opportunities for light morning exercise, interaction with members of the local community, a farm-to-table meal, and evening entertainment. This program has a Road Scholar activity rating of “Outdoor: Choose Your Pace.” Field trips off site will be via shuttle bus. Field trips to and from Yosemite are around 35 miles each way on country roads. Classes will be held in Lower Lyles West or the chapel, a short walk from Lyles. Field trips including Day 5 may include walks/hikes of varying lengths to enhance and illustrate the subjects being taught. If mobility is an issue, please contact ECCO for further information. Each full day after breakfast, we will pack our own lunches from a variety of choices. ECCO will provide reusable water bottles to use throughout the program. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Next, we’ll have a review of trails to be hiked, review of equipment requirements and safety considerations. Please note that daily hike destinations may be revised during the program due to weather or other circumstances as necessary.

DAY
2
Hike Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias
Oakhurst, CA
B,L,D
Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst

Activity note: Light exercise prior to breakfast (walking, yoga, etc.). Getting on/off a shuttle bus; driving about 15 miles, approximately 1 hour riding time; country roads. Moderate hike: 6 miles, elevation gain/loss 1000+ feet, hike begins at 5,500 feet. Challenging hike: 7 miles, elevation gain/loss 1,200 feet, hike begins at 5,500 feet.

Breakfast: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Morning: At 8:45 a.m., we will board the shuttle bus and ride to Mariposa Grove where we’ll begin our hike for the day. Choose from two hikes, moderate or challenging. Moderate hike: 6 miles, elevation gain/loss 1000+ feet, hike begins at 5,500 feet. Challenging hike: 7 miles, elevation gain/loss 1,200 feet, hike begins at 5,500 feet.

Lunch: On the trail, we’ll have the sack lunches we packed this morning.

Afternoon: After completing our hike in the late afternoon, we will return to the Mariposa Grove parking lot and reboard the shuttle bus for return to ECCO.

Dinner: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Evening: We will gather for a presentation by a local expert on a topic of interest. Possibilities could range from a live animal presentation, living history performance, musical or artistic guests, or lectures on human and cultural history of the area.

DAY
3
High Country Hikes, Sentinel Dome, Taft Point, Glacier Point
Oakhurst, CA
B,L,D
Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst

Activity note: Light exercise available prior to breakfast (walking, yoga, etc.). Moderate Hike: 5.75 miles in length, total elevation gain of 1,000', net loss of 500', hike begins at 7,700'. Challenge Hike: 9 miles in length, elevation gain and loss of 1,000', with a net gain of 200', hike begins at 7,000'. Bus trip to Yosemite is 45 miles each way on country roads. Approximately 3 hours of bus time today.

Breakfast: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Morning: We will board the shuttle for the day's Yosemite trailheads. Choose from two hike options, moderate or challenging. Moderate Hike: 5.75 miles in length, total elevation gain of 1,000', net loss of 500', hike begins at 7,700'. Challenge Hike: 9 miles in length, elevation gain and loss of 1,000', with a net gain of 200', hike begins at 7,000'.

Lunch: In the field, we’ll have our sack lunches.

Afternoon: After completing our hikes in the afternoon, we will return to the shuttle bus at Glacier Point and reboard for return to ECCO.

Dinner: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Evening: We’ll gather for a presentation by a local expert.

DAY
4
Yosemite Valley Full Free Day
Oakhurst, CA
B,L,D
Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst

Activity note: Light exercise prior to breakfast (walking, yoga, etc.). Getting on/off a shuttle bus; driving about 70 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time. Extent of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.

Breakfast: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Morning: We will board the shuttle for a full free day for independent exploration in Yosemite, to see and do what interests each of us most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.

Lunch: In Yosemite, we’ll have our sack lunches.

Afternoon: We will continue our free time in the Park. If you like, tag-a-long on a scheduled Park Ranger walk or talk (as available), or simply relax and enjoy the beauty of Yosemite. We will rendezvous at the shuttle stop at 3:15 p.m. and reboard the shuttle bus for our return to ECCO.

Dinner: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Evening: We’ll gather for a presentation by a local expert.

DAY
5
Yosemite Hikes: Cliffs, Domes, Waterfalls
Oakhurst, CA
B,L,D
Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst

Activity note: Light exercise available prior to breakfast (walking, yoga, etc.). Getting on/off a shuttle bus; driving about 70 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time. Moderate Hike: 4.75 miles, elevation gain 200 feet; hike begins at 4,000 feet. Challenging Hike: 5.75 miles, elevation gain/loss 1,500 feet; hike begins at 4,000 feet.

Breakfast: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Morning: We will board the shuttle bus for our last day of hiking in Yosemite. Choose from two hikes, moderate or challenging. Moderate hike: 4.75 miles, elevation gain 200 feet; hike begins at 4,000 feet. Challenging hike: 5.75 miles in length, elevation gain/loss 1,500 feet; hike begins at 4,000 feet.

Lunch: In Yosemite, we’ll have our sack lunches.

Afternoon: After completing our hikes mid-afternoon, we will return to the shuttle stop and reboard the shuttle bus for return to ECCO.

Dinner: In Lyles Dining Hall. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: We’ll gather for a presentation by a local expert. Prepare for check-out and departure after lunch tomorrow.

DAY
6
Lewis Creek Trail, Corlieu Falls, Program Concludes
Oakhurst, CA
B,L

Activity note: Light exercise available prior to breakfast (walking, yoga, gardening, etc.). Getting on/off a shuttle bus; driving about 3+ miles, less than 1/4 hour riding time. Walking about 4 miles, approximately 1.5 hours; mixture of single track rolling hill trails, wide dirt forest service roads; elevation loss 900 feet. First half of hike is steep downhill. Lodge check-out 12:00 Noon.

Breakfast: In Lyles Dining Hall.

Morning: We will board the shuttle bus and ride to the beginning point of our last hike. This area, south of Yosemite National Park, boasts its own beauty, which we will experience as we hike from the Highway 41 trailhead on Lewis Creek trail through National Forest land back to ECCO. The most notable feature of the area is Corlieu Falls, the highest waterfall in Madera County. The trail also follows the historical route of the Madera-Sugar Pine Lumber flume. As we go, we’ll learn about management differences and similarities between the National Park Service (administered by the Department of the Interior) and the U.S. Forest Service (operated by the Department of Agriculture). We’ll discuss challenges that face both agencies today. Returning to the lodge, we’ll have some time to shower and pack before lunch.

Lunch: In Lyles Dining Hall. This concludes our program.

Afternoon: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.