Yosemite!

We are planning our 2014 mega trip that will take us from Florida all the way across the USA. One stop we plan on making is Yosemite.  We will drive from Bryce/Zion and plan on 3 days exploring Yosemite.  My question is this.  I understand the difficult task of getting a campsite in the Valley.  I hear the entire summer fills in 5 minutes.  If we do not succeed, what other alternatives are there outside of Yosemite??  I've tried googling but places are tough to find.  I need a couple plan B's!!  Thanks!!!

Oh, I am pulling a 15' TT with a 1500 silverado.  Connections don't matter, we will be set up to dry camp wherever. 

Do you happen to be handicapped? If so it is easier to get a reservation at Yosemite on the valley floor. There are several handicapped sites that are held back. When making the reservation you must specify you have a handicap pass.

Without a pass you are out of luck if you can't get in during the first five minutes. This is the closest RV park to Yosemite:

http://www.indianflatrvpark.com/

We hope you have a great trip! Yosemite is in our plans for 2015. Just curious, when does the 5 minutes start?

Reservations are required March 15 through November for Yosemite Valley's car campgrounds and summer through fall for Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Wawona, and half of Tuolumne Meadows. Campground reservations are available in blocks of one month at a time, up to five months in advance, on the 15th of each month at 7 am Pacific time. Be aware that nearly all reservations for the months of May through September and for some other weekends are filled the first day they become available, usually within seconds or minutes after 7 am! For your best chance of getting a reservation, be sure your clock is set accurately and start the first few steps of the reservation process at www.recreation.gov before 7 am Pacific time.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/camping.htm

No we are not handicapped, so that idea won't work.  Appreciate the insight.

Anyone ever stay at the Indian Flat RV park?  It has horrible reviews on Trip Advisor. 

Don't worry about the horrible reviews. The fact is you will be in Yosemite during all your waking hours. You will only be sleeping there. There is no place else that is even close to Yosemite. I don't know if you have ever been to Yosemite or not. I will guess not. I have been to all 46 of the National Parks in the lower 48 and it is my favorite. It even beats the Grand Canyon, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. The beauty will completely blow you away and make staying at Indian Flats worth while.

There is one more option. Drive into the park and get to the campground reservation window at 5 am. There will be a line. The place opens at 8 am and at that time it distributes the cancelled and no show reservations at that time. If you are one of the first ten in line you should get a space. Don't waste your time showing up at 6 am, the line will be way too long. 4 am is even better.

Indian Flat RV Park is outside the west entrance of Yosemite.  It is the closest RV park to Yosemite.  We've drove (and rode our motorcycles) by it many, many times over the years.  It's a small park and multilevels.....doesn't look favorable to the larger motorhomes unless you can get one of the lower level spots.  Your TT and Silverado should be a piece of cake for any of their sites.

Trip Advisor reveiws are mostly negative on the tent cabins.  If you're just wanting someplace close to Yosemite to park your trailer for a few nights and not looking for a "resort", you should be fine.  It is a beautiful drive in to the park from El Portal and very close.

If Indian Flat RV Park doesn't work for you then there is a KOA about half an hour from the west entrance (just outside of Mariposa, Ca. on Hwy. 120 that is probably the next closest.  I've never stayed there but it looks to be a nice KOA from the road and I'm sure you'll need advance reservations there because you're going in peak tourist season.  http://koa.com/campgrounds/yosemite-west/ 

We only live a couple hours from Yosemite and so we go several times a year.  Each season is distinctly different.  Here's a photo report of a day trip that we did last Christmas day (it will not look anything like this in the summer months)....    http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=80814.msg1093019#msg1093019

This ride report is more like you can expect in the summer months....  http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=50644.msg743582#msg743582

Spring time is best for the full flow of all the waterfalls. 

JCZ makes an excellent point about spring time being the best time. I used to live a few hundred miles from Yosemite and it is my favorite place in the world. I have been there many times. I feel May is the very best month to visit Yosemite. There is virtually no chance of snow, the waterfalls are all going full bore, the mosquitoes have not shown up yet, the weather will be great and there won't be the volume of tourists you get in the summer.

OK, great info.  I appreciate it.  Indian Flat may be a good plan B then.  You are right, every minute of daylight will be spent in Yosemite. My family and I have never been there, so we should be in for a treat.  I would love to go in the spring but we got to wait for my son to finish school.  So, until then we must battle all the summer time vacationers.  Looks like Indian Flat takes reservations 1 year out.  May see how generous their cancellation policy is and book there in advance.  If I don't get a spot inside the valley then we will be set.  Again, appreciate the info.

Do you like to hike? If so I can recommend some great hikes for you. Yosemite is a hikers paradise.

Yes, we are hikers.  After Yosemite our plan is to hit Yellowstone/Tetons for 7 days and then Glacier NP for 8 days.  Hiking will be our focus in Glacier. We've done some trails in Yellowstone and the Tetons  We are good for 8-10 mile day hikes.  I hear the 4 mile trail in Yosemite is good.  What do you suggest?

Great pics JCZ!  Winter looks incredible!

We can second everything Tom said.  We have done Yosemite every year for almost 20 years.  We live about 300 miles away. IMHO it is the most beautiful spot I have ever seen.  We actually prefer to stay in the Wawona CG.  It is not on the valley floor.  It's about 30 minutes from the floor on the south entrance (Hwy 41).  It is easier not to have to take a TT or MH all the way down to the floor.  We leave the MH in Wawona and take the car down to the valley.  I mention this because the Wawona CG is one of the last to fill up, so if you try it first you may have better luck.  We usually do.  But again, it's gotta be on the first day, within the first 20 minutes or you're toast.  If you go with plan B, don't forget to check back periodically for cancellations.  Good luck.  Our favorite hike is to Vernal falls and Nevada falls.  Both on the same trail, so it's one hike.  The drive to Glacier Point is not to be missed.

Happy camping,

Steve

Steve, I thought Wawona was an hour from the valley?  If its only 30 minutes I may go there first. Are there less people in that area camping? 

Wawona has a small, old time village that's pretty interesting.  It's a calmer part of the park during tourist season....not the rat race that the valley floor is.

I second Steve's suggestion about hiking to the top of Vernal & Nevada Falls.  I beleve it's probably the most incredable single hike in this country!

I also concur with Steve about Glacier Point.....be sure to park and walk the 100 yds. (all paved trail) out to the point and look straight down over the side to the valley floor.  Also, if you didn't stop at the parking lot that's located on the right just before you got to Glacier Point then you want to be sure to stop there on your way out (only one way up to Glacier Point and one way back down).  Going out, it'll be the first parking lot on the left as you leave Glacier Point.  That's where you'll catch these views....of Half Dome, Nevada Falls on top and Vernal Falls on the bottom....  http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=50644.msg743584#msg743584

Steve and Tom are both right......Yosemite has to be the most beautful place in this country.  Yellowstone is known for the wildlife and Yosemite (much smaller than Yellowstone) is known for the incredable, unique beauty that you just don't see anywhere else.

Fyrestorm said:

Yes, we are hikers.  After Yosemite our plan is to hit Yellowstone/Tetons for 7 days and then Glacier NP for 8 days.  Hiking will be our focus in Glacier. We've done some trails in Yellowstone and the Tetons  We are good for 8-10 mile day hikes.  I hear the 4 mile trail in Yosemite is good.  What do you suggest?

Click to expand...

I have spent a lot of time and done a lot of hiking in all four parks you mention. Here are some of my humble opinions:

Yosemite:

4 Mile is a great hike. In fact it is my favorite Yosemite hike by a narrow margin. What pushes it over the top for me is that once you get to Glacier Point there is an ice cream store waiting for you! However, they LIE. If you check out the photo below you will see I am not yet at the top and the sign says "4.6 miles to the valley". Since it is a quarter mile from the parking lot to the trail head 4 Mile Trail is actually 5 miles long, one way, 10 round trip. Of course the 5 miles downhill is a piece of cake and you can practically run all the way down it. So why is 4 Mile Trail 5 miles? The trail was carved in the 1870s when a businessman opened a hotel on Glacier Point. He had some kids that needed to go to school on the valley floor. So he built the trail so his kids could go to school. Now as you hike this trail think about those kids hiking this trail 5 days a week just to go to school. When the trail got opened to the public it was too steep, so they redesigned the trail and made it flatter, which made it longer.

Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls Trail otherwise known as the Mist Trail. Almost as good as 4 Mile, but without the ice cream. This trail has several different routes that are optional. Make sure you make it to the top of Vernal Falls. It is a 7 mile hike and be sure to leave early. It is the most popular hike in Yosemite and the trail becomes a freeway by noon time.

Upper Yosemite Falls is a great hike but I don't recommend it in the summer. 4 Mile is great because it is on the south wall of the valley and you are in shade most of the hike. Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls Trail is on the north wall and there isn't much shade. You will roast in the summer time. But at least take the half mile trail to the Lower Falls.

Mirror Lake is an easy 2.5 mile hike on the valley floor with spectacular views of Half Dome that you don't get any where else. Mirror Lake could be the most beautiful lake in the country if it wasn't for Tahoe. Once again, go early, it becomes a freeway.

I have never hiked Half Dome and I probably never will. It is a truly spectacular hike up the backside of Half Dome. You are going hand over hand on chains and it is 14 miles.

http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/yosemite-valley-hikes.htm

Glacier:

The Hidden Lake hike is another one that should be on your bucket list. It is an easy trail and it is about 3 miles round trip. The two photos I posted were taken on that hike in AUGUST. Notice the snow. Lots of wildlife on this trail. A flock of Bighorn Sheep live up there along with wild goats and marmots.

Highline is absolutely amazing also. It is a very long hike but pretty much all downhill. There is a spot that requires going hand over hand on a "highline" with a drop off that is not for the feint of heart. It is also possible to go to Logan Pass and hike a mile or two down the trail and then return to Logan Pass.

Avalanche Lake is a 5 mile round trip that becomes a freeway. The payoff at the end is world class. Avalanche Lake must be seen to be believed.

The Tetons:

Since you have hiked the Tetons you are probably already aware of the Swan Lake Hike. When I stay at The Tetons I hike it just about every morning. So much beauty and wildlife on that hike. There is an active Osprey nest that can be seen from the trail. Every morning at 8 am there is a ranger led hike on the trail and I go with them about every other day.

The hike around Jenny Lake is about 8 miles without the option of going to Inspiration Point. Or take the boat across the lake and hike to Inspiration Point. Either way is spectacular.

Yellowstone:

Artist Paint Pots Trail is an easy hike on a boardwalk, but not to be missed.

There is a hike that goes to a waterfall behind Grand Prismatic Springs and I can't find the name of it online. Another knockout.

Thanks for the ideas.  4 mile and Vernal Hikes are definitly on the list.  We may even have time to complete the Nevada hike.  With the lottery system needed for Half Dome we decided not to even try.  All the trails you have listed in Glacier are on the list as well.  I really excited about the Highline. I was also told Grinnel Glacier was a good one.  We are also going to Zion/Bryce and Angels landing may be on the list.  My 10 year old will be with us and I've decided he will not go on Angels Landing.  I may do it alone. We will see.  We've done Inspiration point all the way to the Canyon in the Tetons.  That was a very nice hike.  Yellowstone we completed Mt Washburn, Uncles Tom's and Artist Paint Pots.  I have heard about the trail behind the Grand Prasmatic.  But, I didn't know there was a waterfall.  That may go on the list now.  I would like to see the Grand from the top of that mountain.  I hear its awesome.  We are also staying in Rocky Mtn NP and if you have any idreas there that would be great.  THanks!!

Yosemite is absolutely beautiful no matter what time of year you visit. If you are worried about a place to setup camp and park your TT you can look at some of the campgrounds at June Lake. June Lake has a handful of campgrounds and it is about 30 minute drive from the east entrance to Yosemite. It will take a little over 2 hours to drive from June Lake to the Yosemite valley and the drive is breathe taking and you will remember it forever.

We are going there this weekend for Memorial Day weekend and will be camping at the OH RIDGE campground in June Lake. The Oh Ridge is a quiet campground with no hookups and great views of the lake and surrounding mountains and fishing. You can find it on the www.Recreation.gov website.

I will take some photos and post when we return of the campground.

Angel's Landing is one of the best hikes of all time. It is almost as good as the Narrows. Your ten year old will have no problem with Angel's Landing. If he decides he doesn't want to do the chain portion then he could wait around for you at Scout's Landing, which is where the chains begin. I have seen kids a lot younger than ten on that hike. It is no problem just so long as you go slow.

I found it. It is called Fairy Falls. An easy 2.5 mile hike.

http://www.everytrail.com/guide/fairy-falls-yellowstone-national-park/map

Campfire RV, look forward to the pics.  2 hours from the valley is a littlere steep.  What about the Mariposa Grove?  Were looking to see the grove and that looks farther. 

Seiler, My wife saw a GoPro video of Angels landing and flat out said NO!!, LOL. Not that she doesn't want to do it.  She does....BUT, momma bear is very protective of her cub, LOL. We may hike up and I will continue as you recommended.  I would hate to miss such a cool hike, especially since I will be right there.