Yosemite camping without a reservation (RV / No RV ??)

Stan@FourWheel

Stan@FourWheel

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Joined
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Location
Woodland, CA
Does anyone know about camping in Yosemite with a truck camper ?

On the park's website for "first come, first served" camp sites (no reservation sites) they have some notes concerning RV and No RV sites ?

Here is what the web site listed ...

If you plan to camp in Yosemite during summer without a reservation, you are limited to the following campgrounds.

Camp 4 (Yosemite Valley) (no RVs/trailers)
Bridalveil Creek (RVs up to 35 feet/trailers up to 24 feet)
Tamarack Flat (not recommended for RVs/trailers)
White Wolf (RVs up to 27 feet/trailers up to 24 feet)
Yosemite Creek (not recommended for RVs/trailers)
Porcupine Flat (limited space for RVs up to 24 feet/trailers up to 20 feet)
Tuolumne Meadows (RVs and trailers up to 35 feet)


Just curious if you can grab any regular tent camp site and park a truck camper there ?

I don't see how it would be different than parking a car or an SUV in the same campsite ?


Thanks for any advice ...




.
 
I'd recommend camping up above Yosemite on the 120 (towards Tuolumne) and then just drive into the valley each day for whatever activities you have planned. Much more solitude than down with the masses.

Not sure about using tent sites w/ the camper.
 
Hi Stan,
Your very limited this time of year. Camp 4 is a walk in type campground, tents only, usually for climbers. Highway 120 & Glacier Point roads where a lot of the camgrounds are located are still closed. Hodgdon Meadows & Wawona are your only chances
 
Generally truck campers aren't considered rv's by campground folk. But I'd always check first.
 
You can’t go wrong showing up without a reservation. If you are nice and have a clean rig, a space will be found for you about 7 pm. Don’t BS the campground rangers and be NICE. As a backup, there is usually a national forest nearby with at-large camping when the national park campgrounds are full.

National Park campgrounds are public facilities. The park management will go out of its way to accommodate a wide range of campers, tents, vans, truck campers, travel trailers, fivers, coaches and busses. National park campgrounds have a “campground host” who is a seasonal civilian employee of the national park in which the campground is located. This person will be a camper who is taking advantage of a free campsite and minimal pay, about 60 bucks a month plus keeping track of who is occupying the camp sites in return for the privilege of a season in a beautiful national park. Campground hosts are very nice people because they love what they are doing.

National Park campgrounds have relatively simple accommodations, a pad, picnic table and fire pan. Two vehicles are allowed on each site, unless it is a group site. There is no electricity, water, or sewerage “hookups”. It is common in government campgrounds to see large motor coaches occupying campsites next to tent campers. Some campgrounds in places like Grand Canyon and other big national parks offer all the standard hookups in some of their camp sites for about 35 bucks a night. Private elite campgrounds may offer all the amenities of upscale resorts with a commensurate price tag. I paid $54 a night outside Carmel. Prices go up from there, more or less as a way of limiting the campground to Prevost only, if you get the picture.

A truck camper is a RV (recreational vehicle). Whether or not you will be permitted to camp in any given location depends to a degree on the appearance of your vehicle and entourage. For example, when a dirty beat up camper and truck, occupied by a bunch of hippies, all smoking weed, with 12 big dogs crapping all over the place, drives up to a campground registration office, all the campsites will be occupied. On the other hand, a clean cut couple with a neat shiny truck and FWC with no dogs appears, they will find there are plenty of campsites. Is this discrimination? Of course it is!

Regarding the question of a truck camper in tent sites; the answer is technically, no. However, I have seen people in truck campers put up a tent and sleep in their campers. Again, if you don’t have the big dog crapping all over the place, a loud party, and nude sunbathing, you will have no problems.

I once tried to defend fellow campers comprised by 5 X 20 somethings young women who were sunbathing in the nude next to me in a campground, playing music and offering me beers. I told management they were not causing any trouble. So, they were left alone. However, my camping partner made me move out. I had to drive two hours in the rain and darkness to find a Wal-Mart parking lot. I didn’t even get my campground fee back.

A picture of the 54 buckeroo a night campground near Carmel is attached.
 

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Stan, go to this site now!

Stan, occasionally there are single sites open here and there on weekdays and you can piece together a few days. Just checked the reservation website ( http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=2991&agencyCode=128 ) for Upper Pines campground and somebody must have just cancelled - three sites are wide open for the next two weeks!

Another option, in the large dirt parking lot in front of Curry Village, there is a small office where the dole out the last minute reservations. The line starts forming about 7:00 am and they do keep a waiting list. You could always try your luck there.

Otherwise, just spent the weekend there and the falls are running well. Hope you find a place to stay.

Ted
 
THANKS TED !

You Da' Man

We just made reservations for 2 nights in Upper Pines.


====================================================

Stan, occasionally there are single sites open here and there on weekdays and you can piece together a few days. Just checked the reservation website ( http://www.recreation.gov/recAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&recAreaId=2991&agencyCode=128 ) for Upper Pines campground and somebody must have just cancelled - three sites are wide open for the next two weeks!

Another option, in the large dirt parking lot in front of Curry Village, there is a small office where the dole out the last minute reservations. The line starts forming about 7:00 am and they do keep a waiting list. You could always try your luck there.

Otherwise, just spent the weekend there and the falls are running well. Hope you find a place to stay.

Ted






.
 
Thank you everyone for your input !

I have been checking out the info you guys posted.

Very helpful.

I will try and take some pics while we are there.

It will be the first trip to Yosemity for our kids.







.
 
Let me know if you want some camping suggestions in the Durango area....Lots of good areas to visit. Mountains or desert.

Doug, currently in Cozumel, Mexico.

Drinking margies and blowin' bubbles....:)




Welcome Doug. You live in one of my favorite places.
 
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