Just a quick question about leaving the luggage in the cars while we go out and about?
We%26#39;re doing a touring holiday through California (stopping at Yosemite) then through death valley to Vegas round zion, bryce and monument valley to the grand canyon.
How safe is it to leave the luggage in the car while we go off for a walk?
Has anyone had any experience of levaing a car full of luggage for the day in yosemite car park while walking the trails?
We do have accommodation but I%26#39;m thinking of check out day when we travel out of the park, if we want to stop on the way out?
Many thanks
Luggage safety while touringPeople won%26#39;t get in your car, but bears might if they see or smell something yummy. Food must be stored in the provided bear resistant boxes.
As you leave Yosemite, definitely spend the day driving through Tuolumne Meadows and out via Tioga Pass (assuming this is a summer trip.) Stop often. Your luggage will be fine.
Luggage safety while touringThe Yosemite car parks are very busy with traffic in and out during the day---you have more to fear from bear break-ins than human thieves.
You will be given a copy of ';bear safe'; rules for parked vehicles when you enter the park or check in to your lodging (if it is inside the park). Be sure to observe them---things like no ice chests or grocery bags in sight in the car. (And at night, you actually must remove all food and scented items like toothpaste and shampoo from the car entirely; these cannot even be stowed in the truck (or boot)).
Yosemite has a lot of day visitors in the same situation you are. Crime is relatively low, though I wouldn%26#39;t leave cameras and laptops out in sight anyway. I can%26#39;t vouch for the other pars as far as safety, although I left TONS of stuff in a car during a cross country move, in Grand Canyon as a day visitor as well as in Monument Valley and had no problem.
Regarding bears in Yosemite, right now the park laws say you can have anything in your car during daylight hours. But if you%26#39;re going to be in the park after sun down, you%26#39;ll need to remove everything with a scent including drinks, food, trash, toothpaste, toiletries, air fresheners, lotion....anything you might eat, put on your body, or smells good.
Even if you are in Yosemite only during the day, I%26#39;d still put anything like coolers or grocery bags and food out of sight at least.
Sounds like you have a great trip planned!
Just read PacificNWFamily%26#39;s post and I want to ';second'; the suggestion to stop for a walk in Tuolumne Meadows.
One of our favorite short walks is up Pothole Dome---a low dome at the west end of the Meadows, with a commanding view of the meadows and nearby peaks. It is an easy walk-up on granite slabs. Watch for a small parking area on the left as you enter the open area of Tuolumne Meadows. Park there and follow the path over to the dome---don%26#39;t cut across the fragile meadow. The rock is at a steep angle where you first meet it, but if you continue along to the eastern side of the dome it becomes very gentle. It is only a 10-minute walk to the top.
You%26#39;ll see a huge number of cars with an amazing amount of ';stuff'; left in them everywhere you go in this country!
Will your rental have a trunk (boot)? If so, put what you can in there. If not, I like to toss a jacket, blanket or something over obvious luggage. I do not leave a camera or anything super valuable. I drive a convertible and have never had anything at all taken from it, even parking it with the top down.
But as I said, people leave tons of things in their cars, and by and large in the overall, there is an *extremely* small chance your vehicle will be bothered. (Except by the Yosemite bears, as noted above!)
Stop bad-mouthing bears!! We are not all criminals!!
(Just don%26#39;t use any oatmeal-honey-almond soap, or you%26#39;ll end up being a tasty bear snack.)
During our trip last July we changed hotels several times in order to stay in different areas of the park. We would check out, put all our gear in the trunk, the go about our days plan, then check in later in the day. We left a car full of stuff at numerous areas of the park, durin 4th of july week, and we never had any problem. Note- we did not leave food or camera articles in plain sight and we did not leave ANYTHING in our car after dark.
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