Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous parks in the U.S., but when I went looking for travel advice about it from some of my go-to RV blogs, I found very few articles. Of course, I can’t say for sure why so many of these folks decided to skip Yosemite, but my guess is it might have something to do with how difficult it can be to find nearby accommodations. While we, too, found it to be a challenge, and might do things differently next time, we found the effort to be completely worthwhile. Yosemite is incredible!
The Basics & The Challenges
Yosemite occupies a large chunk of real estate in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Entrances on the western and southern sides of the park are open most of the year, while the entrance on the eastern side (Tioga Road), is only open for a couple months during the Summer. Most of the famous landmarks are located in Yosemite Valley, a large central area on the western side of the park. This is where you’ll find things like visitor centers, hotels, campgrounds, and vendors.
One of the big challenges for RVers is there are very few easily accessible campgrounds near Yosemite. If you’re under 35 feet, and have ninja level reservation-making skills, you may be able to score a coveted site in one of the park’s campgrounds, but if that doesn’t work, or you’re over 35 feet, there just aren’t many RV parks to choose from. One of the only good options, and the one we chose, was the Mariposa County Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds were fine, but they were over an hour away. I looked at a couple other commercial options and they, too, were far and/or would have required driving the motorhome on really windy mountain roads.
Complicating matters this year was Covid.
In normal times, there’s a shuttle system that runs buses around a large portion of the valley, taking visitors from one highlight to another (and, importantly, reducing the number of cars on the park’s roads).
However, because of Covid, the buses aren’t running this year. This summer (after our visit), the park returned to a timed entry system, requiring people to have tickets to get into the park, but even with that system, the roads will likely still be jammed with cars.
The bottom line is, for RVers who are unable to snag a campsite inside Yosemite, they’re not only looking at a very long commute to get to the front gate of the park, but then lots of traffic on interior roads. Making matters even worse, construction crews were ripping up large sections of the road while we were there. The end result was we spent considerably more time in our car than anywhere else.
What to do about all this? My suggestion is if you’re going to visit Yosemite (and you want time to hike or kayak or whatever), find a way to stay inside the park – even if it’s not inside your RV.
If you’re staying inside the park, you can get to a lot of places on foot or bike (which you can rent there), and assuming things go back to normal next year, the shuttles will take you just about anywhere you want to go.
Additionally, Yosemite is one of the more dog friendly national parks we’ve been to. Dogs are permitted on many of the paved trails in the valley (not all, so you do need to check), at several of the big overlooks, and on some secondary paths. Even better, there’s a dog boarding company that operates seasonally inside the park, so if you’re staying in a tent or a cabin and you want to go hiking, there’s a safe place where you can leave your dog for a couple hours.
Knowing what we now know, if we were to return, we would leave the RV at Mariposa Fairgrounds and try to get a tent site for a night inside the park. That would negate all the time in the car and allow us to take on some of Yosemite’s phenomenal trails.
If you’re not up for tent camping, there are plenty of other options – from hotels to cabins to Air BnB’s, but they book up quickly, so planning way ahead is essential. Either way, the important thing is to find a way to spend more time doing the things you want to do and less time staring out your windshield.
With all that being said, let’s go to the tape.
Day 1 Fails
Day 1 didn’t quite go as expected.
Our plan had been to go into the park during the afternoon in order to grab maps, get the lay of the land, and visit some of the big overlooks. We drove the hour plus to get into the park and promptly got stuck in one of the construction stops I mentioned above. The signs on the road indicated traffic would stop for 30 minutes before reversing directions. Being the good environmental steward I am, I turned off the car and we sat listening to music and chatting. 30 minutes later, when I turned the key, we heard the stomach-dropping clicking sound that comes with having a dead battery.
Fortunately, we were conveniently parked on a windy mountain road in the middle of a forest with no shoulder, no cell service, and at least 100 cars full of pissed off tourists waiting behind us.
Super.
I hit the hazards and we started waving people around us. Fortunately, not 10 cars behind us, a young couple rolled by and asked if we were ok. I said we needed a jump and they said “no problem.” They pulled in front of us and walked over with a tiny handheld jump starter. When we couldn’t thank them enough for coming to our rescue, they explained that the exact same thing had happened to them while sitting in line waiting for a ferry one time, so they knew how we felt (which, to be clear, could best be described as “like gigantic assholes.”) It took them no time at all to get us on our way again and we simply could not be more thankful to those good Samaritans.
Given that this was the second time we had to jump the battery, and we could only assume it was the original battery installed on the car in 2014, we knew we had to go get it replaced asap. So, we took a scenic drive through the southern end of the park and headed straight to an Auto Zone for a replacement.
We also bought our very own handheld remote starter to guarantee this will never happen again.
Day 1: Complete Fail.
High and Low Views
Our second attempt at visiting the park went much better. We tossed the pupster in the car and headed first for Glacier Point Road. This road gives a high altitude view over the valley.
On our way to Glacier Point, we stopped at Tunnel View, which provides THE iconic view of Yosemite.
That’s El Capitan on the left, Half Dome way in the back, and Bridalveil Falls on the right.
And here’s a fun graphic I found on the Google demonstrating just how big these formations are:
As you continue driving up Glacier Point Road, there are a couple pull-offs that offer gorgeous views of Half Dome and some of the waterfalls.
At Glacier Point, you can see the entire valley floor, way down below, and Yosemite Falls, directly across.
We then drove down to the valley floor, where we got to see these same things up close from a very different perspective.
Bridalveil Falls:
Half Dome:
and Yosemite Falls:
Speaking of Yosemite Falls, this is an absolutely spectacular series of waterfalls.
Visitors can easily walk to the base of the Lower Falls
or take on a challenging hike to see the Upper Falls. Had we had the time to hike, this is one we probably would have done.
Finally, here’s the view of the giant granite monolith, El Capitan, that greets visitors as they drive into the valley:
As you can see, it’s a rather large rock. Here’s another fun graphic:
Yosemite stood out not just for the incredible size of its various landmarks, but also for its diversity. It’s got everything: Rushing rivers, pristine lakes, imposing mountains, bucolic meadows, and thundering waterfalls…
It also stood out to me because it’s got emergency phones.
Seriously.
You remember my post about Death Valley National Park, population: zero, 130 degrees, “you’re totally gonna die out here if anything goes wrong cuz it ain’t called Death Valley for nothing.”
And what did NPS have to say? “Good luck to ya!”
But here at Yosemite National Park, population: everyone on the planet, 75 degrees and sunny, you’ll totally be fine, nothing bad is gonna happen to you while you’re standing at this very safe overlook taking selfies…
“Here’s a free phone…Call us anytime.”
Sometimes I think they’re just messing with me.
Sequoia National Park
Next up, we made the relatively short drive south to Three Rivers, California, where we met up once more with our friends Randi and Clare to go visit Sequoia National Park.
There is one very windy road that leads from the south through the park. It takes a good long while to get from point A to Point B (top speed is about 10 mph around these curves), but the views of the surroundings are beautiful.
Along the way, assuming you don’t have major issues with heights, Moro Rock is a must-do hike. It’s 350 steps up and it starts at over 6,000 feet of elevation, so there’s some huffing and puffing involved, but the views are spectacular and it’s fun to check things out from the top of this big ole rock.
We then continued our drive north through the park, driving through the tree tunnel
and then continuing on to the Giant Sequoia forest.
Of course, we visited General Sherman – the largest (by volume) tree in the world. And let me just say, it’s a big damned tree.
But all the giant sequoias are huge and there were plenty that rivaled the General.
(After all this time, Kevin just walks up to things, turns around, and smiles. He’s like the Vanna White of RV travel blogs.)
Had we had more time, we would have continued up to the Grant Tree which is the second largest tree in the world, but given the slow, slow road, we decided to head back before dark.
Rafting
The following day, we went whitewater rafting on the Kaweah River which ran right behind our campground. Sadly, I have no photos from this event because if you bring your camera whitewater rafting, you will not have a camera anymore. So I have no personal photos to share, but I can’t recommend it enough and we’d do it again in a heartbeat.
The good news for us was our river guide was a total pro. He’d been guiding rafting tours for years and done all kinds of other crazy outdoor survival stuff. He was a legit Bear Grylls type who inspired a ton of confidence. His only weakness is he could not remember Kevin’s name to save his life. So, after the 5th time he asked Kevin to remind him of his name, Kevin told him his name was “Fantasia.” Problem solved.
Anyway, it was seriously impressive to listen as he read the river conditions and told each of us what to do, both in terms of paddling (direction and speed) and switching sides of the raft in order to redistribute weight. He was like a drill sergeant – no nonsense – which was good because Randi was the only one of us who’d ever been rafting before and this was not a starter course.
Here’s the route we took and the class of the rapids at various points:
Anyway, we had a blast. It was just non-stop thrills from the minute we started paddling and other than the one time we almost drowned (mistakes were made), it was a great time. 10 of 10, highly recommend!
Next Up
I know what you’re thinking: “Oh my god, are these people ever gonna leave California?!” And the answer is yes.
…but not yet.
I have one more post about our visit to the eastern side of the Sierras and then I promise, we’ll get the hell out of California and I’ll talk about something else. ____________________________________________________________________
Where we stayed:
Mariposa County Fairgrounds, Mariposa, California
Three Rivers Resort, Three Rivers, California
I really love the overlays with the perspective for the scenery in Yosemite. Thank you to your Good Samaritans. Holy moly those redwoods are gigantic!! Really love all the pics, so beautiful!! Got a good chuckle with the emergency phones. I mean really, where do you see pay phone type things anymore????
Yeah, the fact that there were phones at all made me laugh. The fact that they were old style payphones was even weirder (as opposed to emergency call boxes). Very odd. I, too, loved those graphics. They really put into perspective how enormous these landmarks are. Awe-inspiring doesn’t begin to describe them.
Love, love, love your pics and your humor! Those big trees are so beautiful! We were there several years ago (pre-RV) and just loved it. Maybe someday we will get back there. Yosemite is definitely on my top ten list!
Thanks, Tami. I think you may have done it exactly right by going without the RV. The RV really complicated matters in a way we haven’t dealt with at many other national parks. We absolutely loved the park itself and are only bummed we didn’t get to experience more of it. Happy trails!
Oh, Yosemite! My first natonal park, on a trip with my Dad when I was 10 (and we just drove up and pitched a tent on the valley floor because you could back then in 1966…). Your photos are great, it’s like visiting all over again, but without the crowds! (Also, the tent cabins at Curry Village are a nice alternative, I’ve rented those twice with a nephew).
I can’t even imagine how cool it must have been to be able to pitch a tent on the valley floor and wake up to all that magic. It feels like the crowding problem is increasing exponentially every single year. Yosemite is just incredible, but man, is it complicated to visit now. You really hit the lottery. Thanks for the tip on Curry Village. We saw there were a ton of options – from super rustic to much more luxurious – and assumed our tent would be fine, but the reality of sleeping on a thin pad on the ground might be a bit less appealing than it was the last time we did it 6 or 7 years ago. That’s stuff does not seem to get easier with age. 🙂
My happy place! So many great memories of Yosemite. My son went to college in LA and every year we’d do a week long father/son trip up 395, over Tioga Pass, before dropping him at campus. We both enjoyed it so much the tradition continued long after graduation.
Thanks for sharing your visit through your photos and wit, not sure when we’ll get back … sooo miss Yosemite, but it’s not the same with the crowds there now.
For your readers – check the pet policy before booking at Curry Village, or within Yosemite.
What an awesome family tradition for you and your son, and how cool that you continued it beyond his college years! That is really awesome. We had hoped to visit the Tioga entrance, but the timing hasn’t worked out. It sounds like that region is still a bit less traveled, even in high season, but still, the crowds are everywhere. It’s great for people to enjoy the parks, but it takes away so much from the experience you would have had years ago.
And thanks for the tip on the pet stuff. I just responded to my last comment that something like a cabin might be more comfortable, but I didn’t even consider the dog. Dammit. Back to sleeping on the ground in the tent, I guess. 🙂
Yeah, the Sierras (including Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon) are on our bucket list but we need to be in California at the right time of year (e.g., not November). Your dead battery situation is basically my personal nightmare so we will definitely be getting one of those portable jump start devices before we hit the road again.
Your experience of rafting sounds great, but was the water freezing? I only enjoy getting wet in water that is bath temperature. 🙂
Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia would be an awesome trip for you guys, especially given your Black Belt reservation making skills. You could score incredible sites and make the very most of a visit there.
We did pretty well in May, but just barely. Glacier Point Road was closed until two days before we arrived, and Tioga was expected to be closed for several more weeks. So, yeah, timing is tough. Maybe late September/early October? And really it’s just Yosemite that’s the issue. Sequoia was not crowded at all, and Kings Canyon doesn’t even seem to be on most people’s radar.
As for the rafting, YES – the water was freezing cold. Fortunately, it was sunny and warm, so we stayed comfortable for most of the trip. When we got stuck in that obstacle though, and the raft started taking on water, we were out of luck. It was pretty miserable and took a long while to warm back up.
Loved this post! For the pictures and the commentary. The size comparison graphics were great and very eye opening! Finding accommodations now are difficult to be sue. Our first two visis to Yoseminte were after business appointments on the west coast probably 35 years ago! No crowds, no shuttle bus, no construction. We were able to park and walk up the river and stop wherever we wanted to. The last time we visited we were staying in Lee Vining in Beluga and drove in that entrance, a totally different experience. I doubt we’ll return again, our early visits couldn’t be replicated! Thanks for taking us there, it’s one of the most awe inspiring places!
I am so, so jealous of the folks who got to visit Yosemite before all the current crowding. What an incredible experience that must have been! Of course, there are still some undiscovered gems out there, but they are very rare, and what can compare to something like Yosemite? It’s just so breathtakingly beautiful and utterly epic. I’d still like to try the Lee Vining entrance, if we ever get the timing right. So far, we’ve struck out twice. Maybe the third time will be the charm?? 🙂 Happy travels to you guys.
I remember camping with my folks in Yosemite when I was a child and it was wonderful. We have no excuse for not getting ourselves there in all the years we lived in Southern Oregon, except for the fact that it always seemed way too crowded. But after seeing your photos, now I want to go! I’m glad you guys had beautiful weather and got to see all of the iconic sights after your not so auspicious intro to the park. I doubt your battery could have chosen a worse place to croak!! Thank goodness for good samaritans.
Kevin/Fantasia/Vanna White LOL LOL LOL!!
Thanks, Laurel. I completely understand you not visiting Yosemite even though you were nearby in Oregon – especially since you have such great memories from childhood. The crowds are so off putting, I think it would just poison an otherwise nice memory for you. When everything feels like a project (getting accommodations, getting a ticket into the park, getting through traffic, getting a parking space, finding quiet on a trail, etc.) , it’s just not enjoyable anymore. I am secretly hoping everyone decides to fly to Europe or take a cruise next summer. 🙂
You are definitely correct about our battery. Of all the places to have that happen… Though, I really did feel for our new friends. Being stuck in a ferry line, preventing who knows how many cars from boarding a boat, would be mortifying too.
Glad you find me amusing. Kevin just rolls his eyes. 🙂
Wonderful photos and descriptions. Good call on the remote jump start. We have had one for years. I’ve got it on my maintenance list to charge it every six months but have never found it less than at 80% battery charge.
I’m linking your post to my spreadsheet for Yosemite just in case we make it that way and need a reference.
Maark
Thanks, Mark. I hope you guys do make it to Yosemite one day. You just have to go at the very extreme of a shoulder season. Summer is just nuts. But it really is a jaw dropping place and incredibly beautiful. Plus… dog friendly-ish for your puppy!!!
That’s good to know about the charging. Kevin has a reminder set to check it every month, but it sounds like he can dial that back a bit. Fingers crossed none of us ever need it. Stay well!
We have plans to get there, but probably not until late 2022 or so, and even then, I don’t know which part(s) we’ll actually get to. Beautiful and busy, such a conundrum! It’s nice to be able to get the virtual tour via your blog to tide us over until then, though.
Have you noticed in your travels like we have that every other waterfall is named Bridalveil? I guess it’s better than all the stuff named for people, but not much! Looks like you got to take a pretty big, and exciting (rafting) bite out of what the park has to offer and had great weather, too. And just look at cooperative Tiny Fantasia by all those big trees!
So, we haven’t been there, but the Tioga entrance and that whole side of the park would probably be much more your style. It’s supposedly beautiful with far fewer crowds. Of course, you should at least take a quick trip through the valley to check out these iconic formations, but I think you’d be most happy on the eastern side of the park.
And yes – so many “Bridalveil falls” and “Skyline trails” and “Panorama Points” in this country…I’ve completely confused myself a couple times trying to remember which park had which place because they love to use the same names.
Vanna and Fantasia in one post! Can’t beat that! 🙂
I’m just glad he’s a good sport about my blogging hobby and my awful sense of humor. 🙂
We are two of the many who have yet to be to and blog about Yosemite. I am sure we will get there someday but we imagine it just has you described it….Crowded! Great overview of the park. Glad to hear you got jumped and were back on the road quickly, that would have been a nightmare! We would love to go rafting sometime, that looks like a blast!
You guys would LOVE rafting. I have no doubt about it. As for Yosemite, with your current set-up, you could fit into a lot of spots and given your comfort with cold, you could probably visit farther into the offseason than cold weather wusses like us. You should definitely go some time. It is one of the most spectacular parks in the whole system.
Yosemite is one of those parks you’d never tire off. Your photos are stunning! Honestly, there must always be construction going on in and around The Valley, as we encountered delays there in the past as well. The rafting trip looks awesome and insane. It’s one of my all-time favorite activities, especially with the succession of class IV rapids and few lulls. Luckily, you had a lot of water in the river. Spring time must be the best time of the year to do this trip. Just incredible!!
Thanks, Liesbet, and I totally agree. We could hang out at Yosemite for months and never get bored. There is so much to explore – especially away from the valley. We would really love to come back and set up for a couple days and make the most of it. We had a blast with the rafting trip and would love to do it again. It was definitely more action packed than I expected. Interestingly enough, according to our river guide, the water was lower than normal this year because of lower snowfall totals in the mountains, but it was never dull. I can’t even imagine how crazy it would have been had the water been at “normal” levels.
Yosemite has been on our travel list since we first went south eight years ago but the weather hasn’t allowed for it when we leave in mid-October and return near the end of March. But we keep watching every year … one year it will happen.
Wow that Google graphic really puts the mountains into perspective!
Yep. If the shoulder season weather went in your favor, it would be AMAZING. You’d have the whole place to yourself. But it’s so hard to get that timing right, and if you’re off by just a week or two, the whole place will be buried in snow. I hope it works out for you guys one year. It really is special, and if you could visit when the rest of humanity wasn’t there, it would be an epic experience.
We, too, stayed at the Mariposa Fairgrounds when we visited that side of Yosemite. We were palnning to visit right after the Hanty virus was discovered there in some of the tent areas. Our friend that was joining us is a nurse practitioner and wouldn’t go until things were cleared. So we went over to stay in Monterey Bay for a week at the naval base while we waited for okay to visit. Our friend’s husband is retired Navy and they could bring a guest, which was great because we hadn’t been to Monterey yet in the MH. So glad we visited Yosemite before RVing and the parks became overcrowded. Your photos are wonderful and bring back some great memories. Thanks! We still haven’t visit Sequoia. It never seems to be the right time of year and there just aren’t any good RV parks. Maybe we’ll have to try Three Rivers “Resort” off season. Love how trained Kevin is though he probably doesn’t make Vanna’s salary…haha!! Awesome view from Morro Rock! White Water rafting is such fun. We’ve only been once in Virginia.
YES! Yours was one of the few blogs I checked that actually had info about Yosemite. That’s how I focused on Mariposa Fairgrounds and also how I learned about how scary Hanta Virus is! I had no idea how deadly it could be. You definitely went at a good time. It’s a whole different ballgame now. I will say Sequoia wasn’t terribly crowded, but yeah, the campground options nearby aren’t great. But… if you’re looking to go rafting, it was a great spot and we had a blast on that trip. As for Kevin, playing Vanna is just one of many of his unpaid blog roles…. he also handles tech support, web design, and does some light editing. Hopefully he never decides to go on strike to demand better pay and working conditions. 🙂
Yosemite is the first National Park I have visited three decades ago since it was only a few hours drive from where we live. Because of its proximity it had become my go to, to take my out of town visitors and long before the shuttle and the crowds. And Steve flew me and our friends over the park and had a different perspective of half dome from above. It is still my fave NP !
Once again you got a greats eye for capturing its beauty which I never get tired of and through your great pics you brought me back in time when I was in awe of Yosemite!
If you have not seen the movie documentary Free Solo, I urged you to watch it since you have already been under the shadow of El Capitan, the rock that Alex climbed without a harness.
What I have not visited though is Sequoia NP and have not done white water rafting. I bet you had a grand time paddling and getting wet.
Hi Mona Liza! I am very jealous that you were able to visit Yosemite frequently when you lived in California. What an awesome park to have in your backyard. And to get to fly over it? Wow! I can only imagine how cool that must have been. I actually read some articles recently about Alex Hannold and his climbing, but I haven’t seen the movie. We’ll have to watch it. That guy is crazy. I can’t imagine someone climbing El Capitan WITH a rope much less without any equipment at all. How crazy! Sequoia is definitely worth a visit. Maybe next time you guys head into California, you can stop by. The trees are truly incredible.
Thank you for the great information on these parks! We haven’t gotten to California yet….but hopefully someday. I am so glad you learned about the handheld remote starter and am definitely going to put this on my list of things to check out. I am very impressed with your picture of the mountains reflected in the still lake given that you are not an early bird. lol Every time we come close to getting those types of great shots it’s early in the morning or the wind starts blowing and ruins the reflection.
Thanks, Robin! I, too, was surprised at how still the water in that lake was when we arrived. It was definitely late in the afternoon so I would have expected more of a breeze but the air was perfectly still. Either we got very lucky or because the lake is pretty small and surrounded by trees and rock formations, perhaps it’s just protected from the wind? I’m not sure, but we felt very fortunate to experience it in that condition. I do hope you guys make it to California at some point. It’s a gorgeous state full of stunning natural scenery.
Your pictures of Yosemite are wonderful. So sorry you had such a hard time getting there. We have never been because it has always been too cold when we have been to California in the spring. It was pretty cold when we visited Sequoia and in fact, we left early because there was a snowstorm blowing in. We will have to visit in the summer sometime.
Stay in California as long as you like. I love California and have not gotten to visit enough of it.
Haha. Me neither! We absolutely love traveling around there. There’s just so much to see and do. The mountains are tough, though. I think that’s why Yosemite is such a difficult place to visit. Their season is very short and it probably just doesn’t pay for people to build RV parks in such a difficult spot for such a short season. I do hope you’re able to return one year during their high season. The views and experiences are truly one of a kind.
We have yet to get to that entire area of the country, but after seeing your posts about Cali, you’ve got me wanting to suck up the expensiveness of it and go! One of my “shower curtain” curtains is of the iconic view of El Capitan. It would probably be the fairgrounds for us too. But I love the idea of renting one of their tents and staying in the park! Glad your battery issues are over!!
I promise you, this part of California is really worth it and you would love it. And you could just park in a couple central places and then go explore in the Jeep. You really won’t burn as much fuel as you think you might. We spent a week in Mariposa, half a week at Sequoia, and then 3 weeks at Bishop/Lone Pine and saw a ton. I think we refilled the RV gas tank twice across the 5 weeks. But we saw a lot and it’s all incredibly gorgeous.
10+ years ago we stayed in Yosemite and have visited Sequoia NP, so thankful we’ve done most of the big parks already. Loved walking among the tall trees. The rafting trips sounded like a blast.
I wish we had visited all these places 10 years ago. Between the fires and the crowds, it’s a very different experience these days. You definitely did it right!