Started at 0230 and wrapped up around noon. I was making great time until I got lost after the Keyhole. After figuring out I wasted an hour climbing up only to realize the trail was below me (those bullseyes can be hard to spot in the dark!) I got back on track and was moving along nicely… until the Trough and Homestretch. It was slow going in those two sections for me, both on the way up and coming down.

I’ve never had altitude issues on any trip until this hike. Spending only a half day acclimating from sea level, hiking 6 miles the afternoon before, and getting 3 hours of shoddy sleep isn’t the brightest set of moves to prep for a tough hike. Cramping, headaches, sucking wind.. but I have experience with long hikes that gain a lot of elevation and am in decent shape so I pushed through. The Keyhole route isn’t a technical climb and I didn’t feel that any parts were too sketchy, but on the way back down I saw a lot of folks who clearly weren’t in shape for this or vastly underestimated their fear of heights in the narrows areas. Just prepare smarter than I did and you’ll have a better experience.

This campground is centrally located to many of the best hikes in the park. It’s a large campground and not all sites are created equal, so do some research. Over the years I’ve found the walk in tent sites provide the most seclusion.

Use the bear boxes as there is a lot of wildlife around big meadows. Deer wander freely throughout and I’ve seen gray foxes, skunks, barred owls, and the occasional black bear. The campground is very quiet at night and sound travels a bit. Quiet hours start at 10pm, but a noisy neighbor can really dampen the experience.

Some water spigots aren’t functioning (10/1/23) here or at the nearby visitor center, but bathrooms have running water as it’s a developed campground. The Big Meadows Wayside and the lodge are nearby for supplies or food. Firewood is sold on site, seasonally.