1. If you plan on camping in the park, you must plan your trip at least 6 months ahead of time. Apparently, planning a few weeks in advance for a summer trip to Yosemite is not really all that possible. You need to know the year before that you plan on doing that, so that you can reserve a campsite at least 5 months in advance...because if you don't YOU WILL NEVER FIND ONE in the park (thing 2 will explain why this is important). You would easily know this was the case if you visited the website...here are a few quotes from there...
"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 (often within minutes after 7 am)!"
"Campgrounds requiring reservations are usually full from around April through September. You should make a reservation as early as possible."
"In May and June, you're very unlikely to find a first-come, first-served campsite" This one was bolded!
2. Camping inside the park is important because it takes 2 1/2 hours to get into the middle of the park (where most of the stuff is) from the east side park entrance. The first time we drove it we kind of thought it was a fluke...but it was not. It took every bit of those hours and even more when you were lucky enough to find yourself behind one of the many RV's venturing into the park. This is why people clamor for camping spots.
3. There is snow....lots of snow....and frozen lakes....in Yosemite...IN LATE JUNE. Hence, few camping locations open. And since there is still snow, one would assume that the temperatures at night are still quite frigid...and one would be right. But again, ITS JUNE....so who would know that?
4. Sunday at Yosemite is like Black Friday at the mall, a summer Saturday at Disney World or the REI Scratch and Dent sale (so I've heard). The park is a mad house...there is no place to park...little room to move in a 761,000 acre piece of land...over half of the Asian world is there...at the end of the day the bathroom looks like a war zone...and every RV or house on wheels that was ever made is there.
5. In spite of all the above listed things to know...Yosemite is totally WORTH IT. It is truly a beautiful place.
The first night we arrived late from Tahoe and all of the outside the park camping was full. A man and his wife offered to let us stay at their site, but after much debate and not really knowing what to do we put in a call to good ole' Virginia Creek Settlement....our favorite place. Unfortunately, all of the covered wagons had been snagged up, but we did get the last available tent cabin. The tent cabin was good, but it was not as much favorite. We did build our first fire, make some dinner on a camping stove and roasted some smores.
The next morning we got up early and made our way back to the outside the park campsites to claim one. Not only did we get one...we got THE BEST ONE..right by this amazing waterfall. Here is my look of excitement and content...
and here is our tent.....SO FUN! The water was amazing and loud and glorious! It was awesome! After spending a glorious day in Yosemite this is what we got to come back to. I could have stayed there a while longer for sure!
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