Yosemite campgrounds? Nothing available inside park :(

dryadi · 03-30-2015, 08:37 PM

We are planning on driving after Zion national park to Yosemite with our new TM. It will be quite a trip! I am discouraged that everything inside the park is booked. Since I am travelling with two children, I would prefer to make an advanced reservation. Has anybody stayed at a campground close to Yosemite, even a private one? We are only there for two nights so I want to be as close as possible.
Thanks in advance!!

**Kidkraz** · 03-30-2015, 09:42 PM

Yosemite is an extremely popular place and camping sites go very quickly. Have you checked the Reserve America website. If you plug in the specific site you want, they will show sites that are available and also locations near your original request. For Yosemite a nearby camp ground is Yosemite Lakes.
The website lists it as: "Located just 5 miles from the west gate of Yosemite National Park, this 400-acre preserve is a wonderland of activity during the summer. The South Fork of the Tuolumne River running through the preserve is ideal for swimming, fishing and panning for gold." Good luck with the trip.

Skyjim73 · 03-30-2015, 10:44 PM

When are you going? As Kidkraz notes, you have to be right on top of the reservation system for valley campsites during the busy season. You might try Wawona, but that fills fairly quickly as well during the summer months. I think Kidkraz has nailed the nearest commercial park. There are some national forest campgrounds between route 120 and Hetch Hetchy reservoir that looked nice if a bit primitive to my wife and I when we drove through a few years back, but we have not yet stayed there. Being life long Yosemite Valley freaks we tend to go in the spring or fall to miss the crowds and usually manage to get valley camp sites. Sorry I can't offer more encouragement.

Riwright · 03-31-2015, 01:51 AM

Your chances of getting something in the park are slim, sorry to say. You have to book those sites right when they come available. They sell out in minutes.

Yosemite West KOA is nice, you might try there.

scrubjaysnest · 03-31-2015, 04:50 AM

Can't say about CG's there but we prefer recreation.gov over reserveamerica.
Reserveamerica has hit us with fees in the past that recreation.gov doesn't.

dryadi · 03-31-2015, 08:00 AM

We are going the month of July. I realize getting in the park at this point would be near to impossible. Wish we had bought our TM months before !! I am okay with other locations ... Was just hoping not to have to drive so long to get in the park for the day . Thank you for the suggestion to Yosemite Lakes !
I gather there are multiple campgrounds around the area that may not be readily advertised . Is there another way to find out where those are ?
Thanks !!

**Lesherp** · 03-31-2015, 08:23 AM

Here are a few links I have bookmarked you may find helpful in finding campgrounds. I joined Good Same Club last year to plan a long trip and found its planner worth the money for me.

http://trailmanorowners.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=11073
http://www.epgsoft.com/CampgroundMap/
http://freecampsites.net/#!%2854.277...11412656248%29
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/results.aspx?s=44

Dump site finder:

http://www.rvdumps.com/

I think I also have an app for this but don’t remember the link to it.

Redtail Cruiser · 03-31-2015, 08:45 AM

Here is an app that might help.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...89381419,d.eXY

scrubjaysnest · 03-31-2015, 04:25 PM

Two things to note on going into CA, all vehicles must stop at the inspection station. Usually just how ya doing....have a nice day. The second is gas will jump at least a dollar a gallon.
Oh! third thing towing speed limit is 55 mph but didn't seem like it was payed much attention back in Jan when we went to Joshua Tree, Mojave, and Death Valley.

Logman · 03-31-2015, 04:47 PM

You may want to try BridalVeil Campgrounds in the Park at Glacier Point. First come first serve , opens around 1 July. I haven't camped there, and the site says no showers nor electric hookups. I'm going backpacking in Yosemite in early June but need a site for my TM and I could only get one night reserved at Wawona Campground. I'm going anyway cause Yosemite is an incredible place. I'll figure out something on the fly but I don't have youngsters.Good Luck!