Hiking

A very good question...  At first glance it sounds like they could easily be trail markers, but probably not in that area of the park.  They're most likely Pheromone Bags (or traps) placed onto the White Bark Pines in the area in an attempt to kill the Beetles that are damaging that tree species.

If you're interested in learning more about this kind of beetle and/or the bags themselves, this blog entry actually seems to be right on point:

http://pointsoflight.blogspot.com/2008/07/meet-beetles.html

Let us know if anything else comes up that you're wondering about.

Yes, the Tuolumne Meadows visitor center will be closed for the season by the time you visit. Check out a full list of seasonal closures here and review these recommended Yosemite fall activities.

For additional timely information, you can download the most recent copy of the Yosemite newspaper online. The shuttle schedule and map is also available for download.

For good results on finding coordinates, try www.lat-long.com

Feather Plume Falls:

Degrees Minutes Seconds: Latitude: 48-45'04'' N Longitude: 113-42'09'' W Decimal Degrees: Latitude: 48.7510875 Longitude: -113.7026144 Morning Eagle Falls Degrees Minutes Seconds: Latitude: 48-44'09'' N Longitude: 113-41'50'' W Decimal Degrees: Latitude: 48.7358092 Longitude: -113.6973361

Here are a number of accessible trails in the park; broken down by region.

PARADISE
The Nisqually Vista Trail: Using a steep paved ramp leading from the main trailhead at the upper parking lot, users can reach the lower meadows. Upper trails are very steep. Use caution.

LONGMIRE
The Trail of the Shadows: With a round trip length of 0.7 mile, this trail begins across the park road from the National Park Inn. Approximately half of the trail is accessible. Signs along the trail describe the early homesteading and development of the mineral springs.

SUNRISE
Sourdough Ridge Trail: Beginning at the north side of the parking area at Sunrise, this trail makes a 1 mile loop through the Sunrise Meadows. On clear days, a gentle climb to the top of the ridge offers breathtaking views. A booklet explains the fragile environment and some of the life forms found there. Although not accessible to wheelchairs, this trail is used by many families with strollers.

KAUTZ CREEK
Kautz Creek Trail: A very short, fully accessible trail leads from across the road from the Kautz Creek picnic area to an overlook of the 1947 debris flow. This trail is under snow in winter.

You can find out more about accessibility at Mount Rainier on the NPS website.