# Yosemite Area Camping



## alebar17 (Mar 10, 2006)

Hi there, 
anybody have a good suggestion for an RV park in the Yosemite area? We are considering High Sierra RV Park. Our trip will be in early April, would appreciate any suggestions on campground, sights and weather







for this time of the year


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

alebar17 said:


> Our trip will be in early April........


Wow, early April, you say. Are the roads even open in early April? Isn't the park still in the deepfreeze until May? I'm sure others with more local knowledge will know. The upside would be less crowds and no bugs.

But a trip to Yosemite sounds wonderful whenever you can make it. I was there many years ago and I will always remember the sights of that amazing place.

Bill


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

cookie9933 said:


> Our trip will be in early April........


Wow, early April, you say. Are the roads even open in early April? Isn't the park still in the deepfreeze until May? I'm sure others with more local knowledge will know. The upside would be less crowds and no bugs.

But a trip to Yosemite sounds wonderful whenever you can make it. I was there many years ago and I will always remember the sights of that amazing place.

Bill
[/quote]

Yosemite Valley is open year round. There are campgrounds in the park as well as just outside. The crowds are down so there shouldn't be a problem getting a spot.


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

We stayed at Yosemite Pines RV park in June of 2005. It was fine for our needs. Full hook up's in June were good because it was starting to get hot and being able to run the A/C upon our return in the evening was nice. It was almost exactly a 1 hour drive from Yosemite Pines to the Valley floor.

Here's a link to the first picture out of several I took of our campsite and to wet your appetite, some photo's of Yosemite and the falls.









I hope you enjoy your trip when April comes around.


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## redmonaz (Jul 24, 2006)

Try to stay in the valley. If needed I would try to adjust my schedule to do so. The Yosemite valley is so far from the entrances it would be an hour drive just to see the sites.

We have friends that go every year, we have joined them in the past. Below is there advice on how to get reservations, and the sites order of preference. I recomend the phone number, the web site is so busy it is unrealiable.

Reservations are done in 3 or 4 month blocks. Find out what day the reservations can be made for your stay, then get everyone you trust with you credit card number to call. Keep a cell phone open so they can call you if they get the reservations. In the past we have had better luck calling from Arizona than they have had from LA. I have heard the lines out of the LA basin will get overwhelmed (I don't think this is true with todays lines).

Good luck!
Don

Reservation info: 800-436-7275 or [email protected] 
Can reserve TWO sites with each phone call but only one site at a time on the internet. (The web site often crashes and is not very reliable or helpful!) GET MAPS OFF WEB SITE!

First choice campground is LOWER PINES. Second and last choice is UPPER PINES. (Not interested in North Pines due to flies from the stables.)

Reservation lines open at 7 a.m. (Pacific time) on Wed., Feb. 15. 
I start dialing several minutes before the opening hour. When the computer answers, press 1 for â€œnew reservationâ€. Press 1 for â€œYosemite Valleyâ€. Press 3 for â€œLower Pinesâ€.

You will probably be on hold. Then an agent will ask for: 
Starting date (
Number of nights (
Number of people (
Golden Age or Golden Access Pass? (
Type of equipment (

Site numbers: good maps of campgrounds with site numbers can be printed from the web site.

LOWER PINES: in order of preference:

On the river: 41, 60 (Try to get one of these sites, even if you have to adjust your schedule! Very large sites)

Near the river: 43, 45, 42, 40, 46, 59, 58, 48, 49, 34, 33, 32, 31, 62

Best of meadow: 53, 52, 51, 71, 70, 69, 68, 89, 88, 87, 10, 11, 29, 28, 27

OK: 37, 39 (My last choice because too close to river to relax with a two-year-old!)

UPPER PINES: Higher density and farther from river, so the best sites are closest to entrance and on ENDS of loops or OUTSIDES of loops - & not too close to restrooms. Look at map and ask for numbers that look good. eg. 5,7,9,11,13,15, and on around the first loop. (Or agent may volunteer site numbers that are available in that area.) In the end, itâ€™s just great to be there!

The reservation agent does not care who is calling or whose name the reservation is booked under or whose credit card is used. Once you and the agent have specific sites selected, they will be holding those sites for you while taking the information to book the reservation


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## alebar17 (Mar 10, 2006)

Thanks everyone for all the info!


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

I beleive we will be in that area about the same time frame, but I'm not sure yet. We'll have our trailer and the inlaws will have their 35' Montana so the Valley floor will not be an option for us. My inlaws are suggesting Yosemite KOA, but I don't know if they pulled it out of a hat or got a recomendation. I believe that you will still need to have snow chains with you. We have camped both in the valley and at Wawona- the only drawback of the park itself is no hookups, which doesn't really bother me, but drives my husband crazy- we had rental trailers and the batteries died both times. Anyway.....
It is hard to get reservations, but at that time if year, you probably will have much better luck- and you are still outside the reservation window. Looks like someone has given you everything you need to know about that.
It is about 45 minutes from the park entrance to the valley, etc- and most likely Tioga road from Lee Vining would still be closed, which is too bad b/c its beautiful.


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## hyewalt34 (May 9, 2004)

The Wawona Campground is also very nice. It's just a few miles past the Hwy 41 entrance station.

Walter


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## MattS (Oct 15, 2006)

hyewalt34 said:


> The Wawona Campground is also very nice. It's just a few miles past the Hwy 41 entrance station.
> 
> Walter


 Yes, we also enjoyed Wawona- nice setting, although ask to be away from the groups camps which are one side of the rv area.


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## Mike2 (Jul 14, 2006)

This may come in handy when making a site decision.

http://yosemitecampsites.com/

I have always stayed in Upper Pines top loop. Nice seasonal stream running up there.

If you are going in April, you may want to play it safe and stay away from sites next to the River. I believe a couple of years ago many sites were closed due to flooding early in the year and a lot of people had to scramble.

If at all possible make a reservation. This will ensure a site for the duration and you won't have to move around.

Mike


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