UKC

Assembling myself a plan for a climbing gap year. I was thinking of heading to yosemite in spring. I'll be without a car. Is there any way you can overstay your 30 day camping limit? Leaving one campsite and going to another maybe? 

I think you may find thay the camping limit is 7 days rather than 30. Only Camp 4 is a walk-on site and you can't just turn up and camp as you would in the UK, you have to turn up early in the morning, well before it opens ay 8.30, and 'wait in line' to see if you can get a pitch. The Rangers count down the queue to allow only the number of people in to balance the number leaving. If you are 15th in the line and there are only 14 places you are out of luck. The rangers follow the rules to the letter, in fact  I found the Americans were very polite and complied with all the rules (there are lots of rules in the National Parks and lots of Rangers to enforce them) and us more unruly Brits stick out like a sore thumb.

There are other advance booking only book sites, you need to research the booking arrangements, I think that places are released on-line by the National Park on a particular date, months on advance, and such is the popularity of the valley that they sell out for the full season in matter of minutes (remember time differences when trying to book).

I was  told that you may be able to get around the rules by camping off trail beyond the road-head but I wouldn't rely on that. Sites just outside the park and in an easy bus journey in also fill up.

Good luck!

30 days except in summer. Quote: There is a 30-night camping limit within Yosemite National Park in a calendar year; however, May 1 - September 15, the camping limit in Yosemite is 14 nights, and only seven of those nights can be in Yosemite Valley or Wawona.

To OP. a lot depends on your transport. But if you are happy to sleep in your vehicle just outside the park, just ask one of the local climbers and they will point you in the right direction.

I think the Camp4 booking system has now changed to a lottery system during the peak season. I've only ever been there in October when its abit quieter (was there last year). I saw a post about it a while back. I think it was on the Yosemite FB group. The other campsites in Yosemite are much more expensive than Camp 4 from what I remember and often fully booked. I don't think the queuing system happens anymore though and it would've been completely pointless when I was there in October. I think the other replies are correct though that there's a 7 night limit. Maybe use some other names but if its a lottery system you might struggle. Getting out of the park to camp sounds pretty impossible without a car. Dirt bagging it might be an option but there's loads of rangers in the park and you'd probably get caught. Maybe head up to Tuolumne Meadows for some of the time instead. You could try sneaking into Camp4 when it gets dark and getting up early. I preferred the comfort of a tent as bears and coyotes wander through at will. That's another reason I wouldn't wild camp either, especially if you had food on you.

Thanks all! Jeez they really don't make it easy, do they? Maybe a better question would be is there anywhere else in America that would be good for trad at that time of year that isn't a total nightmare without a car? Thoughts on do-able-ness of Indian Creek? Or Joshua Tree? 

Joshua Tree campsite is ~10 miles from the park border where the nearest town and - more importantly - water is. Impossible without a car unless you hitch... (unless of course there are buses now, but since this is the US I doubt it).

Using a false name is probably a good way to get locked up and banned from the US. I once had a passport check at Camp 4.

Local weekenders used to park at El Cap meadows, pretending to be on a wall and camp overnight below the Salathe.  That option may not work now as the rangers have infra red cameras set up , allegedly.

If you get your seven days sorted, you could stretch it by going on a wall, then leaving the Park.

Plenty of time to ask the local climbers for options.

Using a false name is probably a good way to get locked up and banned from the US. I once had a passport check at Camp 4.

Its all got very serious! When we were there in 1980 "Gary Gibson" and "Edward Whymper" were sharing a tent next to "Chris Bonington " and "James Puttrell" 

Camp 4 lottery system is now in place as mentioned. The only other place you'll camp (on a budget) i the valley is in a portaledge. If you want an extended stay, save Yos for when it's off-peak.

Zion Canyon

Squamish (which is North America, not United States of America of course...)

I think they are not quite as strict after the 15 sept, but if you het kicked out, head over to the pines campground, look for a site with only a few people in, and ask if you can share their site. Try find people who are staying there a while so you dont have to move around too often. You could maybe offer them some cash, but they will usually just let you stay for free. 

You can go to the campground reservations and buy a site in the pines that the reservation has been cancelled. Cant remember how much, but if you are a group works out similar price to camp 4. Max 6 people per site.

If you are just bivying, i would just bivy in an emptyish looking site in camp 4, and make sure you're up and packed up by 8. You'll have to make friends to use bear lockers for your food, or use the ones near el cap or otherwise. I did this for 2 months without any trouble.

Some people also bivy in the boulders,but if ypu do this make sure you go a really long way from camp 4. The rangers know all the good close spots so be careful.

Rangers also sometimes patrol the base of el cap. If your found there they will tell you to start climbing immediately or get a fine.

Worst case is you'll get fined, but thats it. Never give a false name or you will go to the jail and then court, then never be allowed in the US again!

Yosemite is a victim of it's iconic status. Everyone wants to visit but if we all did it would be hideous.

Go to Tuolumne.