This was one of the cleanest and well maintained campgrounds we stayed at on our trip to CA. The…read morecamp hosts were very helpful and kept everything so nice and clean.

Came here in the morning and was able to snag one of their walk in campsites. The campsites are on…read morethe smaller side but have everything you'd expect: bear box, fire pit, parking spot, and an elevated platform for your tent. The campsites are all situated conveniently close to the pit toilets that seem to be cleaned daily (around 3-4 AM). Near the pit toilets are the trash cans and potable water on tap. The potable water was notably crisp as it comes straight from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. This campsite is a bit far from Yosemite Valley but if you're looking for relative peace and quiet and don't mind the drive, or you plan on doing hiking around the Hetch Hetchy area, I would recommend Dimond O.

So we go camping once a year, and every year we try something new. This year we found Cherry Valley…read moreCampground. It's about 29 miles past Sonora, Ca, but forewarned the drive is very curvy. But...once you arrive...OMG...the campground is amazing. There's a manager on site for any help, they sell firewood and have Potable water if you need it. The bathrooms are super clean and smell good, which is not normal for a campground. Now one thing you must know is that the lake is accessible at multiple points, but it's all rocky. So no matter where you go there's no real beach. However if you drive to the boat launch area which is like 5 minutes away, there is some sand and rocks to enjoy the water. We took some kayaks and we're able to explore the water, even saw a Bald Eagle. The scenery was great. Camping here was awesome, we will def be back.

The camp host was great! Made sure we were okay when a snow storm hit. The location was beautiful.read more

Getting there: Follow the signs into the park to the valley…read morefloor. You're going to follow the signs for Curry Village and North Pines Campground. You'll see Upper Pines, and Lower Pines first then you'll finally make a left into the North Pines Campsite. Experience: This was by far the best campsite I've ever stayed at. Pictures do not do it justice. We had the best views of El Cap on one side and Half Dome on the other. Waking up to those views are indescribable and incomparable to any other National Park. Logistically, we had snagged the campsite from a friend of a friend who was unable to go anymore. All we had to do was make sure we had access to the reservation and a photo ID of the person who booked the site and we were good to go! We were walking distance from Curry Village which was so convenient. It was also really easy to access the Mist Trail, and Nevada Falls trail from here. Campground and bathrooms were very clean. I don't think I can camp anywhere else in the park ever again after being spoiled camping here. Tips: - Screenshot the reservation before you lose service. If you can't access it before you get to the park entrance they will not let you in. Also, have your confirmation number just incase as well. - If you can snag site 511, you'll have these epic views we had.

We stayed at camp site 500 during June and just FYA the grass spot is covered in ticks everywhere…read moreif u are planning to not bring an rv and actually set up a tent. Other than that cool place, very close to the river and super clean bathrooms.

We enjoyed our visit to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir located in the northwest corner of Yosemite National…read morePark. If staying at Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite, Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is about a 7 minute drive to the main entrance of the park and it's about an 8 mile drive until you get to the reservoir. The views are incredible getting there. We recommend parking near the restrooms and walking down towards the entrance of the dam it's not very far. Hetch Hetchy is known for its stunning scenery, waterfalls (like Wapama and Tueeulala Falls), and hiking trails, but it is also famous for the controversial O'Shaughnessy Dam, which created a reservoir to supply water to San Francisco. There's a cool tunnel you can walk through to get to the other side of the dam where people start their hike. Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is a must visit if staying at the Evergreen Lodge at Yosemite since it's very close to it! The location is kid and stroller friendly. Happy Yelping :)

This review is about the hike around the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir (not my personal opinion that it…read moreshould not exist). Hetch Hetchy is part of Yosemite National Park, but it has its own separate entrance. From Yosemite Valley, Big Oak Flat Road takes you out of Yosemite, through Stanislaus National Forest, and then through the dedicated Hetch Hetchy entrance gate back into Yosemite. The fees and reservations to visit Hetch Hetchy are included in/the same as the fees to visit Yosemite. If you have a reservation to visit the valley, it counts for Hetch Hetchy, too (and vice versa). Lucky for me, I have a lifetime pass and an NPS pass, so I was just waved on through. I think there were only two other cars in front of me, so I barely had to wait to get in. Seeing Hetch Hetchy was on my bucket list for this summer, since I've read so much about it over so many years, and have such strong opinions that the reservoir should never have been created in the first place. I drove out here expecting to be heartbroken. I expected to feel whatever it was that killed John Muir. But, all I saw was a beautiful lake in the mountains that I wanted to hike around (sorry not sorry). I had read somewhere that, before the creation of the reservoir, Hetch Hetchy was like a second Yosemite Valley. I tried to imagine the valley floor unflooded with over three hundred feet of water, but it was hard to envision. Even though I came in late September, I still some some wildflowers-- mostly the same tiny purple flowers and yellow grass blooms which saturate the meadows in the valley. In order to get to the hiking trail, first, you hike across the top of the dam, and then through a tunnel with lights. Unlike most of the tunnels I've hiked through, this one didn't smell very much like bats. I was surprised that hiking across the dam is open to the public, since it has been banned in my hometown Folsom since shortly after 9/11. It was cool to see the spillway from the top of the bridge, though. I also wanted to hike the hundreds of stairs to the bottom (and back up, I love climbing stairs), but this was prohibited. My goal was to hike out to Wapama Falls, which I thought I did. I saw a sign saying that the waterfall was a couple of miles away, I felt like I hiked a couple of miles, and I found the scar of a dry waterfall. The mountain under the dry waterfall reminded me of the Royal Arches, which is my favorite rock surface in the valley. When I heard the group passing by me say that the waterfall was still half a mile away, I thought that they must have mis-navigated. Anyone could see that there was clearly a dried up waterfall here. Also, I wanted an excuse to turn around. So, I chose to believe that this was the waterfall. I made it. Later, I learned that I was actually at Tueeulala Falls, just about half a mile short of Wapama Falls, which flows year round. Guess I'll have to go back. I actually wasn't prepared to go hiking at all, so a couple of miles in each direction was not bad. I would definitely want to come back to backpack and explore this valley more in spring. In spite of my personal feelings about the illegal creation of the dam, I loved hiking around Hetch Hetchy. It was gorgeous, and there was barely anyone else here. It was so nice to get away from the crowds in the valley.

Thank goodness for the National Park ranger who helped us book this campground…read more I accidentally mixed our dates to Yosemite and unfortunately showed up to our Glacier Point campground with the correct booking. We used the sheet provided to us by the ranger to try to book a campground and got lucky with a one night stay at Crane Flat! They have running water, clean toilets, and a place to fill your water containers that's great for rinsing your cooking items/etc. Our location had a table, a bear lock storage container, and a fire pit with a grill! We also had parking for up to two cars. It is about a 20-25 minute drive down to Yosemite Valley (traffic dependent) and a short walk from a convenience store and gas station. Perfect spot if you're focusing your trip on the Tioga Pass section of Yosemite.

Main older gentleman that runs the arrival is nice. But unfortunately this is not a great…read moreexperience to visit at this camp ground. The park rangers take young children around taking photos of peoples camps while they're away enjoying the park to give out tickets. Totally understand about putting food and scented items in the bear bins. But the park rangers are extremely rude. I get people are just trying to do their job but unfortunately they take it a step too far. Not a great place to camp and they will snoop through your belongings when you are gone! The man in the camp next to me complained about the same place and did not feel safe and felt people had been through his things

First time camping in a larger area with multiple camp sites next to each other. When you arrive,…read morethere's no check in at a gate. You just find your numbered spot and just offload your stuff. There's a camp host that drives around to check you in. They give you guidelines as well. Rules to follow and such. Quiet time is 10pm to 6am. Well...some folks didn't care about quiet time and they were right next to us and were playing monopoly or some board game and were loud till about midnight. Totally was not cool. I felt like the sites were too close to each other. That's my only complaint. The lakes themselves are beautiful so make sure to check those out as there are many in the surrounding area.

It's so beautiful here! Everywhere you look as you drive up you see mountains or a waterfall or…read moretowering trees or a shimmering lake! The bathrooms have flushing toilets and are really clean, no electricity, but sorta like skylight ceiling. A lot of the sites are tucked into bushes and even though our site was in the middle and right next to lots of others, we still had a terrific time and privacy

Bugs! Bugs ! Bugs !! Bring lots of bug spray…read more If you don't mind hurting your little car then go ahead and bring it ! I have a Nissan Sentra and I regret volunteering my car !): the road down there is so rough I think it would of been better if we pushed my car trough the pain !! There is a fire pit at every camp and a table !(: There are many caps inside the creek camp !! We just ended up staying in the first one because it was a bit isolated but if you keep driving down ! You'll hit the camps closer to the creek but even camp number 1 was close it was like a 5 min walk. Best creek spot is Area 51 where you can go rock diving , and 3 min ahead of that there's a little rock pool It's 12 dollars a night not bad It's cold at night, and hot during the day !! Time wise honestly we got there at 8 and there were so many camps open & we went on Friday !! All the cars arrived at 10 legit everyone so go b4 10 and u should be coo !! -@Islandalondra

Just stayed here for 2 nights. Yes, the road down to it is a pain in the ass. Is it worth it? I…read morethink so. Currently one side of the campground is closed for repair. This, unfortunately, is the BEST side of the campground... and when in use, possibly the best car camping setting ever. Most of these big sites are directly on a beautiful creek. Repairs were well underway, so I would guess that this will open soon. However, the side that is open right now isn't too shabby. Although there are some real dogs (like Site 39), there's a stream through the middle where you can pull water from (need filter or boil, of course). I drove through the other campgrounds near this site - White Wolf and Porcupine. Sites are piled on top of one another at White Wolf. Porcupine is the same, only right on Tioga Pass Rd. Seriously, unless you're not comfortable with driving down very rough roads, Yosemite Creek is the place to be. There's a trailhead right there. Plenty of parking. The only bad thing - and this goes for ALL campgrounds in summer - is that you have to be a vulture, ready to swoop in at the right time in order to get your dream site (at least in my experience).

I absolutely love river ranch. My family has so many memories of being there as children and…read moreadults. 4 generations strong. Just spent the past weekend there and enjoyed every minute. We had no problems abiding by new managements rules, we never have disrespected that place. It would be nice if Tuolumne County residents would be given a discount.

New management feels like HOA killed the culture not being able to enjoy the experience the same wayread more

My first time camping (EVER) was at this campground and I will cherish it forever! My boyfriend and…read moreI arrived at around 3:30pm on a Saturday afternoon after father's day weekend with no reservations and there were about 5-7 available spots and more spots as the sun was setting. Many people who were not sleeping over left at around sun down. Upon arriving, the park ranger helped us find the campground and informed us of different campsites that were available. We paid $25 for our campsite (#14) and that included the site and one car. We paid an additional $8 for the second car. Our site included a picnic table and a grill (propane or charcoal only). What's really neat about this site is that their bathrooms are clean. They have a women, gender neutral, and men bathroom. The women and men's restroom came with a toilet, sink, and shower. The gender neutral restroom came with a toilet and sink. It was incredibly convenient and nice to use! The site itself doesn't have much to offer. If you're looking for scenic hikes, this is not the place to come to. Bagby sits right on Lake McClure and many families were in there with life jackets, speedboating, and doing all sorts of fun water activities! This is a great place for alone time with each other or just bonding activities! Also, the stars are beautiful at night from where we settled. We were able to locate the Big Dipper and my boyfriend was able to geek out with his constellation knowledge, haha! There is no service here at all, so if you need to contact anyone or do anything work related, I do not recommend. Service cuts in and out on the way to the campground as well-- so if you're traveling in a group/pack, be sure to be following each their closely!

The woman that I spoke to on the reservations line was nice and friendly. The bad thing was I…read morecouldn't always get through to the reservation line...one time I was calling for 2 hrs and kept getting the busy signal. The campground itself is both RV and tent camping. It's right on the lake so it's really pretty. Not too crowded, the atmosphere is pretty chill and peaceful...except when the birds start cawing at 4am. I actually call them "monkey" birds because they sound like chimps. It was really really annoying. I wanted to shoot them all down. Also, I think sounds carry here, because I could hear people snoring from 4 sites down. We got a campsite that's basically on gravel which is not too nice to sleep on if you don't have an airbed. I would have liked a more woodsy site. There's only one bathroom/shower which is layed out kind of strangely, plus the lock was broken, so basically anyone could just walk in & see you on the can. They also don't allow campfires so that was kind of a bummer. But they have picnic tables and a grill at most sites. Fees were reasonable. Overall, it was an ok campsite. Pretty, but would have liked a campfire and better bathrooms.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Yosemite National Park was a special stop because it brought back memories while also giving us a new perspective. This is not a full review of Yosemite because I have visited before, many years ago. During that visit, I spent time in Yosemite Valley, hiked several trails, and experienced the incredible beauty of the park more extensively. Yosemite Valley is one of those places that stays in your memory forever, with its enormous granite cliffs, waterfalls, forests, and iconic landmarks. This time, as part of our six week journey, we only had a few hours to spend in Yosemite while traveling from Mono Lake toward Death Valley. We entered from the eastern side of the park, and even that short visit was absolutely spectacular. The drive itself was an experience. Coming through the Sierra Nevada, surrounded by towering mountains, dramatic rock formations, and breathtaking scenery, reminded us why Yosemite is considered one of America's greatest national parks. Every turn of the road revealed another incredible view. Even with only a few hours, Yosemite had that same powerful effect: it makes you feel small in the best possible way. The scale of the granite cliffs, the beauty of the valleys, and the sense of being surrounded by ancient landscapes are simply unforgettable. Yosemite is one of those places that deserves more than one visit. It is a park where every season, every trail, and every entrance offers something different. Whether you are standing below El Capitan, watching waterfalls pour down the cliffs, hiking through the forests, or simply sitting quietly and taking in the views, Yosemite reminds you of the incredible power and beauty of nature. This short return visit only confirmed what I already knew: Yosemite is a must-see national park, one that belongs on everyone's list and one that continues to inspire no matter how many times you return.

My husband, my son, and I spent four unforgettable days hiking in Yosemite National Park. We…read moreabsolutely love hiking, and being surrounded by nature always brings out the best in us. Day 1: We hiked 7.2 miles exploring several smaller trails. We also took the train ride for about an hour, which was so relaxing. The highlight of the day was seeing a black bear. Day 2: We hiked Half Dome all the way to the cables a total of 17 miles. It was by far the hardest hike we've ever done, but every step was worth it. Along the way we passed Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, both absolutely breathtaking. The hike back was tough on our knees, but we kept a positive attitude and finished strong. Day 3: We hiked Tuolumne Grove Trail and then Glacier Point to Union Point. The round trip was 8 miles, with plenty of uphill climbing on the way back. That night we stayed to watch the shooting stars around 10 p.m., and it was magical. We also saw an adorable baby bear cub. Day 4: We hiked Mariposa Grove Trail to Wawona Point, completing 8 miles. Walking among the giant sequoia trees was an incredible experience that I highly recommend. The trail is moderate and absolutely beautiful. We also spotted a deer. By the end of our trip, we had hiked 40.2 miles in four days. Our legs were exhausted, but our hearts were full. Every mile, every view, and every wildlife encounter made this adventure unforgettable. Yosemite reminded us why we love hiking nature has a way of bringing out the best in us.