Class A camping at Yosemite

[Cousin_Eddy1]

Camping in Yosemite at Crane Flat campground in a few weeks. Its like 30 miles from the valley. Dont have a TOAD. Just the rv. Will i be able to get around the park OK in 33 ft motorhome? Or should I drive to a shuttle stop and park it? I am not sure if crane flat has shuttle or bus service.

Also, is it better to enter the park from the East or West driving an RV? Thanks

[Cousin_Eddy1]

Yes I agree. I think march april may is the time to visit. Lesson learned. Oh well.

[Billinwoodland]

Cousin_Eddy wrote:
Update: We went to yosemite, stayed at crane flat. I dont think a 33 ft rv is a good idea unless you can get in to upper or lower pines campground in yosemite village. We went down each morning about 7 am. No problem parking in the visitor lots. But let me tell you, there is only room for naybe 10 motorhomes. If you dont get there early, you are screwed. The area is congested, and full of idiot california drivers. For example, to get out of the unpaved parking area, had to manuver thru the lot, with people parking anywhere they can. Missed a car by 1/4 inch, trying to squeek thru, then had to back up, for a two point turn, cant, cause the car behind you is right on your tail. You back up, they start laying on their horn. You back up anyway within inches of causing damage before they back up so you can complete your turn.

I checked my break pads on the left front before the trip. Lots of pad. No problem. Going from crane flat to the valley and the rest of the trip is tough on the brakes. The right front pads were metal to metal by the time we got to Merced on the way out. Had to replace the pads in a Koa.

So, what i am saying is, leave the motorhome at home. Bring your car, stay at a lodge. Also, dont bring your dog. Yosemite is dog unfriendly. It will have to be a service dog if you want to show its face.

Shuttle service? You wait for a bus for 20 min, when the bus shows up, people appear from no where, force their way on, and you are stuck waiting for the next one.

Bring your car, dont stay in a campground, dont bring your dog. Dont ride the shuttles. Go im off season. Its really beautiful. Too many people. Good luck
.

One issue here is that you went during peak tourist season. The bus system is great if you arrive earlier I. The season.

[Cousin_Eddy1]

No room for a TOAD if you are staying at Crane Flat. It is barely possible to manuver the RV around without a towed vehicle, that goes for anywhere in the park. And, if you are staying in the valley, you dont really need a TOAD, because the shuttles come to your campground.

We were having lunch in the RV in visitor parking. This family pulled in, they were driving a dodge 3/4 ton crew cab, towing a 25ish foot Sandstorm toy hauler. They pulled in and got stuck. Not stuck in the mud, but they couldnt back up, couldnt go forward. They clogged the parking area. A tow truck came in and dragged it around to open up the exit. We later saw the dodge being towed out of the park, followed by his trailer behind another tow truck. What a disaster. And there is no way to know. You follow the signs that say visitor parking, so you go. You dont know that once you enter, you are never getting out. So, bring a TOAD only if you have a site in the valley, and you dont want to ride the shuttles.

[2gypsies1]

Next time bring a towed vehicle to do your siteseeing.

[Cousin_Eddy1]

And one more thing, its great that they allow RVs and travel trailers at Crane Flat. Mighty nice of them. But you will be hard pressed to find a single site within 20 degrees of level. I walked the whole camping area. There were maybe 5 or six sites you could park at where you were level enough for the fridge to work. Just saying. Also, lots of pesky flies. There was 10 feet between our picinic table and the adjacent site. And they stole our firewood. But, it was a beatiful campground. Huge trees. So you got that going for ya. There is a gas station across the street. $4.37 per gallon. Burned over $100 going back and forth to the village. There is a bus that picks up and returns once a day, but its useless. Picks up like at 10 am. Returns at like 2. Its good to be informed!

[Cousin_Eddy1]

Update: We went to yosemite, stayed at crane flat. I dont think a 33 ft rv is a good idea unless you can get in to upper or lower pines campground in yosemite village. We went down each morning about 7 am. No problem parking in the visitor lots. But let me tell you, there is only room for naybe 10 motorhomes. If you dont get there early, you are screwed. The area is congested, and full of idiot california drivers. For example, to get out of the unpaved parking area, had to manuver thru the lot, with people parking anywhere they can. Missed a car by 1/4 inch, trying to squeek thru, then had to back up, for a two point turn, cant, cause the car behind you is right on your tail. You back up, they start laying on their horn. You back up anyway within inches of causing damage before they back up so you can complete your turn.

I checked my break pads on the left front before the trip. Lots of pad. No problem. Going from crane flat to the valley and the rest of the trip is tough on the brakes. The right front pads were metal to metal by the time we got to Merced on the way out. Had to replace the pads in a Koa.

So, what i am saying is, leave the motorhome at home. Bring your car, stay at a lodge. Also, dont bring your dog. Yosemite is dog unfriendly. It will have to be a service dog if you want to show its face.

Shuttle service? You wait for a bus for 20 min, when the bus shows up, people appear from no where, force their way on, and you are stuck waiting for the next one.

Bring your car, dont stay in a campground, dont bring your dog. Dont ride the shuttles. Go im off season. Its really beautiful. Too many people. Good luck
.

[Cousin_Eddy1]

Thanks yall! This is very useful information that you cant seem to get anywhere else! It is much appreciated.

[jolooote]

50cc scooters would be a good choice for those roads. I think most speed limits were 45 mph which is about max speed for those scooters. They would also allow u to do day trips to other great sites like Hetch-Hetchy reservoir.

[kazmir]

We camped in Mariposa and drove into the park to visit the valley from there. It was a week day I think. We got up at 6 am and drove in, very little traffic. Parked near the village and there was plenty of parking at that hour as its for day use only. Got there at 7 am, picked up some coffee and goodies from a village shop and then woke up the kids. We used the shuttle for the rest of the day and drove out at about 7 pm that night.

Worked out well for us.

[Cousin_Eddy1]

Do you think those Vespa scooters would be good to run back and forth from Crane Flat to Yosemite village and other places in the park?

[jolooote]

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. 🙂

[Billinwoodland]

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.

[CManley]

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

[Naio]

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.