Trail Overview
FS 1S96 is a quiet, 1.5-mile single-lane road tucked between Hetch Hetchy and Yosemite, running through peaceful, open forest that feels made for camping. Numerous established campsites line both sides of the road within the first quarter mile of the start, offering plenty of room to pull off and settle in for the night. Beyond that opening stretch, the road narrows into ruts as it continues, and the surface firms up with dirt and scattered rock. The final stretch drops through a rockier, looser descent before opening onto a genuinely lovely spot, a remarkable campsite set right at the edge of a wide, green meadow. A permit is required for travel here, so be sure that's sorted before heading out. The return climb is the tougher half of the drive, with a steady incline over loose terrain.
Difficulty
FS 1S96 starts easy alongside its cluster of campsites, but firms up into moderate ruts, six to twelve inches deep, as the road continues past that opening stretch. The final approach to the meadow includes a rockier, looser descent that calls for a bit more attention to line choice. The return trip is the harder half of the drive, climbing back up the same incline over loose surface, which takes noticeably more effort than the way in.
