Class A camping at Yosemite

Crane Flats CG is VERY beautiful setting in the forest. Gas station & small store just down the road. When we were there, a few years ago in our 34' Class 'A', it was 1st come 1st serve. No electric but real toilets. No showers tho. Its not a real long drive down to the valley, BUT I WOULD NEVER do it in a 33' RV!!! The road down the cliff face is very narrow and curvy. NOONE is watching where they are going due to scenery watching. If you did survive the drive down, there is probably no where to park a large rig. The drive up the west side is VERY slo, Very steep, constant hairpin turns. The east side is a much more gradual, easier climb up. You've GOT to get a TOAD someday. :)

Heres a short PIREP I wrote following our recent trip there: http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28341078/gotomsg/28341313.cfm#28341313
If you dont have a toad, I would highly urge you to rent one. Park your rig outside the park and drive in daily. It is totally nuts IMHO to try and drive your MH into the park to see the sites. You will never find a parking place anywhere near public transportation.

Cousin Eddie,

Roads entering the park

East- HWY 120 Tioga Pass, the route from Mono Lake to the Park entrance rises 2500 feet at an 8% grade.

West - There are three:
HWY 41 out of Fresno,
140 out of Merced (easiest Route),
120 out of Manteca.

Coming from AZ (assuming your route) HWY 41 out of Fresno or HWY 120 over Tioga Pass are the best routes by location with Tioga Pass challenging.

Crane Flat to Yosemite Village is just over 15 miles with travel time of 30 minutes, not to bad.

As others have stated parking could be a challenge, weekends and holidays are the worst from a parking perspective. My observation has been that if you arrive early (7:00 - 8:30 ish) you should find parking at Yosemite Village, large vehicles park to the back. If that falls through parking along the road would be your next option just west of the Village parking lot along North Side Drive or Sentinel Drive, there are a few wide spots. Curry Village parking is typically partially full with people parking randomly just to make things exciting. Get there early and use the valley shuttles, bikes or walk through out the day.

I did find a Bus schedule from Crane Flat to Yosemite Village (see below).

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Files/Hikers_bus_2015_rev.pdf

Do both, if you can. Crane Flat and shuttles for several days in the valley, and then drive up to the high country for a few more nights in a cg outside the the east entrance, commuting into that part of the park in your rig.

Just think of the valley and the high country as two separate NP's, about 6 hours apart depending on traffic.

From the east takes you to the high country, which is gorgeous and will be less crowded. It would take hours and hours to get to the valley from the east entrance. Not practical for daily sightseeing.

West = valley, but it's still an hour from the west entrance -- when the road is empty! (I arrived at midnight.) Crane Flat looks to be west, several hours from the valley. Two when roads are empty, maybe.

Good to know! Did you enter the park from the east or west? How was the drive?

The park was packed every day. And I need to correct myself. It was impossible to find a place to park a class A, not nearly impossible.

Was it packed during the weekends, or weekdays, or both?

We just left Yosemite National Park. It was packed. Very difficult to find a parking spot for our dingy and next to impossible to find one for a motorhome. Check the park's web site, learn about the bus and shuttle stops and use them. But, don't let the crowds stop your visit. It is beautiful.

Not sure,but I think that there is a bus stop at the Crane Flat Gas Station that will take you to the Village. From there you can ride the shuttles around the Valley.