Best 3 night out + back backpacking trip

[giantbrookie]

There have been some nice choices suggested, and I'll add on a few more:
A. West side entry.

1. You have some nice options with good views in western Ansel Adams Wilderness (accessed from Highway 41). Options include hikes that head out trailheads such as Fernandez or Norris to destinations such as Lillian Lake, Rutherford Lake, etc. There are many possible combinations and the per-day hiking distances can be adjusted to your taste.
2. There are some nice options out trailheads in the Wishon and Courtright Lake areas (accessible from Hwy 168). Such trips can include destinations in Woodchuck Country, and reach into more distant territory (with a 4-day, 3 night trip) including Blackcap Basin, Red Mtb Basin, or Bench Valley.
3. Lake Edison (accessed from Hwy 168)over Goodale Pass to Lake of the Lone Indian, Wilbur May Lake etc.
3b.Using Lake Edison ferry, over Silver Lake Pass to the same as above (better in my opinion) or
3c. Using Lake Edison ferry various trip routes up Mono Creek and various forks or side drainages: alternatives include i. the N Fork with Mott Lake, Rosy Finch Lake etc., ii,. Laurel Creek and Grinnell Lake, iii. Pioneer Basin.

The rationale for various west-side entries is that the wilderness permits tend to be easier to get (ie the quotas don't fill as fast).

B. East side entry. Whereas the suggestions so far have been focused on Thousand Island Lake and vicinity which is certainly a gorgeous area, there are other places that might be interesting for you for a 4-day trip, including: (i) various options out of Virginia lake (out of Bridgeport) that can take you into parts of northern Yosemite. (ii) going out of Mammoth over Duck Pass to destinations in the Fish Creek drainage. (iii) going over Mc Gee Pass out of Mc Gee Creek. (iv) North Lake (Bishop Creek) into Humphreys Basin and environs.

[mxoyez]

There have been some nice choices suggested, and I'll add on a few more:
A. West side entry.

1. You have some nice options with good views in western Ansel Adams Wilderness (accessed from Highway 41). Options include hikes that head out trailheads such as Fernandez or Norris to destinations such as Lillian Lake, Rutherford Lake, etc. There are many possible combinations and the per-day hiking distances can be adjusted to your taste.
2. There are some nice options out trailheads in the Wishon and Courtright Lake areas (accessible from Hwy 168). Such trips can include destinations in Woodchuck Country, and reach into more distant territory (with a 4-day, 3 night trip) including Blackcap Basin, Red Mtb Basin, or Bench Valley.
3. Lake Edison (accessed from Hwy 168)over Goodale Pass to Lake of the Lone Indian, Wilbur May Lake etc.
3b.Using Lake Edison ferry, over Silver Lake Pass to the same as above (better in my opinion) or
3c. Using Lake Edison ferry various trip routes up Mono Creek and various forks or side drainages: alternatives include i. the N Fork with Mott Lake, Rosy Finch Lake etc., ii,. Laurel Creek and Grinnell Lake, iii. Pioneer Basin.

The rationale for various west-side entries is that the wilderness permits tend to be easier to get (ie the quotas don't fill as fast).

B. East side entry. Whereas the suggestions so far have been focused on Thousand Island Lake and vicinity which is certainly a gorgeous area, there are other places that might be interesting for you for a 4-day trip, including: (i) various options out of Virginia lake (out of Bridgeport) that can take you into parts of northern Yosemite. (ii) going out of Mammoth over Duck Pass to destinations in the Fish Creek drainage. (iii) going over Mc Gee Pass out of Mc Gee Creek. (iv) North Lake (Bishop Creek) into Humphreys Basin and environs.

Thanks for the advice! Virginia Lake & Such sounds pretty awesome. Could I expect solitude?

[c9h13no3]

Thanks for the advice! Virginia Lake & Such sounds pretty awesome. Could I expect solitude?

With the exception of the Sawtooth Ridge area, Northern Yosemite is a good bet for solitude.

[mxoyez]

Thanks for the advice! Virginia Lake & Such sounds pretty awesome. Could I expect solitude?

With the exception of the Sawtooth Ridge area, Northern Yosemite is a good bet for solitude.

Awesome! Thank you so much! Do you know if the southernmost part of the Virginia canyon is nice? From google earth it looks similar to grand canyon of Tuolumne but of course satellite images leave a lot of room for error.

[narc1370]

Our last night on the TI loop, we camped in the aspens along the San Joaquin River, at the shadow creek bridge for a quick hike out the next morning (a Saturday morning) to Agnew Meadow. On our hike out (approximately 3 1/2 miles), we saw a minimum of 50 people hiking in (my wife thinks that # was more like 75-100). They were backpackers, hikers, and a pack train.

You will be surrounded by people on the trail, there’s no way around that, but if you spend some time looking around, you will find some good isolated campsites. Just be prepared to spend some time looking for them. TI was mobbed with tents on the east side of the lake, but we walked around the north shore for about 3/4’s of a mile and had a great spot, away from the crowds.