How to Get a Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang Permit
The Tuolumne trailhead that puts you at Vogelsang, the highest of the High Sierra Camps, in a single day - and one of the few Tuolumne permits that lets your whole party walk up Half Dome.
Check Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang permit availability20
People Per Day
Recreation.gov permit 445859 lists a $10 reservation fee and a $5 per-person use fee, plus a $10 lottery registration fee to enter a weekly lottery. Half Dome adds $10 per person, collected when the permit is issued.
Permit Cost
2-4 nights
Duration
moderate
Difficulty
About Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang
Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang is a Tuolumne Meadows wilderness trailhead in Yosemite National Park. The permit reserves your entry point and your start date, and after that you travel where you like inside the wilderness rules. NPS sets the daily quota at 20 people. Twelve of those are reservable by lottery 24 weeks in advance, and the other eight open first-come, first-served one week in advance. Across the park, 60 percent of each trailhead quota goes to the 24-week lottery and 40 percent is released seven days out. This is one of the Tuolumne trailheads where Half Dome is available. NPS says all members of the permit are eligible to walk up Half Dome, with an additional $10 per person due when the permit is issued. Reservations for the Tuolumne Meadows area run June 18 to October 14, 2026, and the trailhead is first-come, first-served outside that window.
Rafferty Creek is the short way into the Cathedral Range's south side. NPS describes the route as following the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River through sub-alpine meadows and then climbing along Rafferty Creek to Tuolumne Pass, Vogelsang, and destinations beyond. From Tuolumne Pass the whole Fletcher and Lewis Creek country opens up, and the trail keeps going all the way to Merced Lake and out to Yosemite Valley.
The Experience
The first two miles are flat river meadow at 8,600 feet, and then the trail turns uphill and does not stop until Tuolumne Pass. You climb out of lodgepole into open granite benches, and the Cathedral Range lines up behind you the whole way. Vogelsang sits on a bare shoulder with almost no tree cover, so the wind is real and the stars are absurd.
The trailhead is at the Tuolumne Meadows wilderness center, and NPS asks you to park either there or at the Dog Lake parking lot. The first stretch follows the Lyell Fork through sub-alpine meadow before the Rafferty Creek trail branches south and starts climbing.
NPS lists Vogelsang High Sierra Camp at 6.9 miles from the trailhead, which makes it a long but very doable first day for a fit party. Past Vogelsang the trail forks: Merced Lake is 14.9 miles out via Fletcher Creek or 15.7 via Lewis Creek, and Isberg Pass is 25.4 miles.
Camping rules bite early here. You must travel at least four miles from Tuolumne Meadows before you can camp, so there is no bailing out after two miles. Fires are prohibited in the Vogelsang area, at Boothe Lake, and anywhere above 9,600 feet, which covers most of what you will walk through.
One detail that catches people out: NPS says there is no longer a toilet at the backpacker sites at Vogelsang. If you stay near Fletcher Lake, the park asks you to walk several hundred feet out from the campground boundary to go to the bathroom.
What to Expect
A daily quota of 20 people: 12 by lottery 24 weeks out, 8 released one week out
Flush toilets at the trailhead, per the NPS trailhead table
Parking at the Tuolumne Meadows wilderness center or the Dog Lake parking lot
Vogelsang High Sierra Camp at 6.9 trail miles, per NPS mileages
No toilet at the Vogelsang backpacker sites
Tioga Road closed in winter, typically opening in late May, which is why reservations start in June
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Permit Requirements
Travel at least four miles from Tuolumne Meadows before camping
Maximum group size is 15 people, or 8 for any cross-country hiking more than a quarter mile off trail
Allowed bear-resistant food canisters are required for food storage in all areas of Yosemite Wilderness
Fires are prohibited in the Vogelsang area, at Boothe Lake, and above 9,600 feet
Camp at least 100 feet from any water source and from any trail
Along the Tuolumne watershed, do all washing and waste disposal 300 feet from water
Half Dome is available with this trailhead for every person on the permit, at $10 per person
If Tioga Road is closed on your date the permit is not valid and there is no refund
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •An allowed bear-resistant food canister - hanging or counterbalancing is not legal anywhere in Yosemite Wilderness
- •A stove, because you will be camping above the 9,600-foot fire line most nights
- •Wind shell and a warm layer for the exposed Vogelsang basin
- •Water treatment
- •Trowel and bags to pack out toilet paper, which Yosemite requires
Hazards & Safety
Afternoon thunderstorms, which NPS notes the Sierra are known for in summer, on a route that spends hours above treeline
Bears working the Tuolumne corridor, including at the trailhead parking
Cold nights at Vogelsang even in midsummer, since the basin sits high and open
Snow lingering on the climb to Tuolumne Pass in early season
Best Time to Visit
Reservations for the Tuolumne area run June 18 to October 14 in 2026, and that window is the season. Mid-July through August is when the basin is reliably snow-free and the meadows are at their best. September brings cold nights and thin crowds, and there is no overnight parking on Tioga Road after October 15.
Pro Tips
Park at the wilderness center or the Dog Lake lot - NPS names both, and the trailhead itself has no parking
Set your alarm for the seven-day release: 8 of the 20 daily spots never go through the lottery at all
Carry a stove. Fires are out at Vogelsang, at Boothe Lake, and above 9,600 feet, which is most of this trip
If your dates are before mid-June, check Tioga Road first - a closed road voids the permit with no refund
Book the Half Dome add-on with the permit if you want it, since it is issued with the permit and costs $10 per person
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang permit?
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Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang?
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Reservations for the Tuolumne area run June 18 to October 14 in 2026, and that window is the season. Mid-July through August is when the basin is reliably snow-free and the meadows are at their best. September brings cold nights and thin crowds, and there is no overnight parking on Tioga Road after October 15.
How difficult is Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang?
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Backpackers who want High Sierra scenery on maintained trail, and parties who want a Tuolumne start that keeps Half Dome on the table.
What gear do I need for Rafferty Creek to Vogelsang?
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Essential gear includes: An allowed bear-resistant food canister - hanging or counterbalancing is not legal anywhere in Yosemite Wilderness, A stove, because you will be camping above the 9,600-foot fire line most nights, Wind shell and a warm layer for the exposed Vogelsang basin, Water treatment, Trowel and bags to pack out toilet paper, which Yosemite requires.
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