Yosemite Lakes RV Resort Campground Groveland CA

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yosemite collage

In June, 2017, we finally got to visit Yosemite National Park for the first time! We stayed at Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and Campground for 3 nights. It’s part of our Thousand Trails camping membership, which meant we were able to stay for free. This was especially exciting to us as it is so difficult trying to get a campground reservation anywhere near Yosemite, being so popular and also expensive. 

The campground is located 5 miles from the west entrance of Yosemite National Park. But then it’s a bit of a drive into the valley floor. At least it’s a very pleasant drive. Yosemite Lakes RV Resort is your typical campground with fire rings, picnic tables, and trees. For more detail about the specifics of this RV park, sites, and amenities – including pros and cons – read on.

Location of Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and Campground

Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and campground is located right by Yosemite National Park in California, just off Highway 120. You should be aware that many of the roads in the California mountains are not great for RVs. There are many roads with narrow lanes, tight turns and steep grades. The roads into this area are certainly no exception. More on that in ‘Getting There’ section below.,

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Area Attractions

The main attraction to the area is, of course, Yosemite National Park. Some might stay at this campground simply to get away from the big city. But we would imagine most guests will visit the national park at least once during their stay. Yosemite is a very busy National Park especially in summer. So be prepared for some crowds in the main valley.

We were pleasantly surprised that the crowds were much more manageable than anticipated. Especially considering it being a week or two before July 4th weekend. We were glad that we camped at Yosemite Lakes instead of inside the park itself. The campgrounds inside the national park seemed to be quite crowded and very smoky from campfires. This may be an issue for asthmatics or those with allergies. Yosemite National Park is beautiful with waterfalls and over 800 miles of hiking trails.

Amenities at Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and Campground

Yosemite Lakes Campground has a playground, mini golf, basketball court, horseshoes, a picnic area, lodge and welcome center. There are 8 restroom/shower buildings, and a laundry room.  Our friends said that the shower rooms were excellent. 

The river was chilly, but nice for swimming when we were there. Water shoes are probably a good idea as some people fish in the river which means there could be fish hooks. There is trash and recycling, and you can purchase firewood and/or propane from the Welcome Center when they are open.

Learn how we camp for (almost) free with our Thousand Trails membership

Mail / Packages

The campground does not accept mail or packages for guests. If you want something shipped to the area, you will need to ship it to General Delivery in Groveland CA 95321 (about 30 minutes away).

WIFI / Cable

The campground only had a dial-up connection at the time we were there. It was extremely slow and only accessible while in the lodge. Even then, it was painfully slow to even send a text message or email. We did hear a rumor that they are working with an outside vendor to provide a more robust internet connectivity solution in the future. This high-speed internet would be a paid service. But for those who need to be connected (like us, as we work), it might be well worth the expense.

Cellular connectivity is virtually non-existent for all carriers at the campground. According to campground literature, there is some 3G signal for text messages and possibly a phone call a few miles away. But if you want any significant connection you will need to drive 30 minutes to Groveland, or 45 minutes into Yosemite Valley. 

We knew going in that cell/internet coverage would be very limited which would make it difficult for us to work. We did drive into Groveland once to take care of some emails. But the drive each way and lack of inspiring cafes to work from  wasn’t very conducive to productivity. We understand there is a library which may provide a better place to work from.

Instead of trying to stay longer and work, we focused instead on a shorter stay and disconnected for a couple days while we explored Yosemite with our friends. If your goal is to get away, turn your technology off and disconnect, this is a great campground for that.

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RV Site Layout and Types

Once in the campground, some of the roads are asphalt, but most roads and sites are dirt/natural surfaces. The RV park is much larger than it first appears. Multiple sections of the campground include yurts, bunkhouses, tent sites, cabins, cottages and RV sites. There is a small section of RV sites available to the public. But the majority of the RV sites are only for Thousand Trails members.

There are over 200 RV sites and another couple hundred sites for the other options like tents, yurts, and cabins. Nearly all of the RV sites are 30 amp. But there are about 20 sites that have 50amp if you happen to be lucky enough to get one. The south fork of the Tuolumne River runs through the campground. We saw many folks tubing running down the river which looked very peaceful when we visited in June 2017. 

The water was about knee deep, easily walkable for adults, refreshingly chilly, and with a sandy bottom (at least near our site). We were told that earlier in spring the waters were much higher and faster and caused extensive damage to the RV park.  

The internal roads were gravel, and a bit rough. RV sites along the river with the nice trees were pretty close together. The awning of our neighbors RV virtually touched ours. RV sites in the more open section with fewer trees, were larger and could more easily accommodate larger RVs and tow vehicles. This is especially true since many of the sites in the open area were un-occupied when we visited.  Most of the RV sites seemed pretty level, especially in the open field area with fewer trees.

The campground is part of a 400 acre preserve, and being near National Forest, it is a very wooded area.

Getting To Yosemite Lakes RV Resort

We spent extensive time on route planning to find the roads with the most reasonable grades for our gas powered motorhome. The campground voicemail will suggest coming straight in from the west on Highway 120. But after calling the ranger station, they advised us to take the less precarious Highway 132. 

This was confirmed by many locals as the most gentle grades, and lower traffic. If towing a car, and you have a second driver, we would recommend unhooking your toad (as we did) in the town of Coulterville. It is great to unload before the largest hill climb of the drive begins. Likewise, we waited to reconnect our car in Coulterville to avoid straining our RV on the downhill.

The drive into this area on the mountain roads can definitely be a challenge for most RVers. So be prepared, take your time and plan your route. Even our adventurous friends who drove in with their Jeep Wrangler admitted they were a bit shaken up by the drive in via Highway 120!

As you arrive

Turn right at the gas station/convenience store to enter the campground. Do not use the street before it. When you arrive at check-in, you’ll find a large space with two lanes to pull in with your RV to park. The gas station is just up the hill from the RV park. The nearest grocery store is about 30 minutes away in the small town of Groveland. Restaurants are limited, so stock up on groceries before you arrive.

As mentioned above, the Western entrance to Yosemite National Park is only five miles away. But it is still 29 miles – about 45-60 minutes – to the Yosemite Valley floor, Visitor Center and amenities. We liked that we got to stay fairly close to the national park without being subjected to the massive crowds of people inside the park campgrounds.

yosemite lakes thousand trails california rv resort rvs in sites along river

PROS

  • Proximity to Yosemite National Park
  • Scenic surroundings
  • Some riverside campsites that are also very shaded
  • Other camping options so friends without RVs can also visit

CONS

  • Roads into the area are hilly, curvy and sometimes narrow
  • Virtually non-existent cell coverage (regardless of carrier)

Rates at Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and Campground

We didn’t see what the rates were for the few sites available to the public. Being Thousand Trails members, we do not pay a nightly fee to stay here.

Learn how we camp for (almost) free with our Thousand Trails membership

Summary

Yosemite Lakes RV Resort is designed for getting away from the big, bustling city so you can connect with nature, not cell towers. If you work from your RV as we do, plan on visiting when you can take some time off work and spend a few days fully immersing in your surroundings. It is only a few miles outside of one of America’s most loved and popular National Parks. 

If you want to explore Yosemite and disconnect from your busy, normal life. And you don’t mind an easy and scenic 40-minute drive into the Yosemite Valley Floor. This is a great campground to visit, especially if you have a Thousand Trails membership like us, as you won’t pay a nightly fee.

About our stay

We visited in late June 2017 and the weather was magnificent. We were never too hot or cold and had our RV windows open the whole time. It was late enough in the season not to be cold. Yet early enough to still have snowmelt for the gushing waterfalls inside the park. Especially since the 2016/17 winter had seen so much snow. 

From what we understand, if you come late in the season, the waterfalls often dry up. But we imagine the crowds would be smaller then too. As with most national parks, the busiest times are from Memorial Day through to Labor Day. July-August are the busiest time as school is out.

We made our reservation for 8 nights. But ended up just staying 3 nights as we had to leave and get back to the world of connectivity for some work commitments. We loved our few days off work, exploring Yosemite National Park and will return in the future for more exploring and hiking. We are not sure how much they charge for public campsites, but we were able to stay with no nightly fee because of our Thousand Trails upgraded membership. You can learn more about how this membership saves us thousands every year HERE.

Contact Information

To find out more or to make a reservation, contact:

Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and Campground
Address: 31191 Hardin Flat Rd, Groveland, CA 95321
Phone: (209) 962-0103       

Website: Yosemite Lakes RV Park

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any RV park, campground, or RV resort, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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GOT COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?

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27 thoughts on “Yosemite Lakes RV Resort Campground Groveland CA”

  1. Our stay at YL was the best ever. Of all of the TT campgrounds we’ve stayed at, this one takes the cake. The staff was on top of things the entire time we were there. The country store had everything we needed. We will definitely be going back soon. I will highly recommend YL to friends and family. Thanks for the memories from the Contreras clan.

    Reply
  2. Just came back from YL yesterday and loved the time spent there. Thought it would be super crowded, but not really. The weather was all over the board, including snow at the campground, wow!
    As far as the the route, we have a Solitude 373 fifth wheel, which is 41 feet overall, plus the truck and had no problem up or down the grade. We stayed with in the speed limit and enjoyed the views.
    We look forward to going back. We have been there three times within the last 6 months.
    That is my 2 cents. All good!

    Reply
    • Thanks for your comment and glad you enjoyed your stay. Snow – wow! That would have been special! Sounds like you have a diesel truck which would pull better up that hill than our gasser did! Sounds like you are making good use of your membership with 3 stays there already! Cheers

      Reply
      • This is a para from the blog post:

        Yosemite Lakes RV Resort and campground is located right by Yosemite National Park in California. It is actually located about 5 miles west of the western entrance of national park just off Highway 120. You should be aware that many of the roads in the California mountains are not great for RVs. There are many roads with narrow lanes, tight turns and steep grades, and the roads into this area are certainly no exception. We spent extensive time on route planning to find the roads with the most reasonable grades for our gas powered motorhome. The campground voicemail will suggest coming straight in from the west on Highway 120, but after calling the ranger station, they advised us to take the less precarious Highway 132 – this was confirmed by many locals as the most gentle grades, and lower traffic. If towing a car, and you have a second driver, we would recommend unhooking your toad (as we did) in the town of Coulterville, before the largest hill climb of the drive begins. Likewise, we waited to reconnect our car in Coulterville to avoid straining our RV on the downhill. The drive into this area on the mountain roads can definitely be a challenge for most RVers, so be prepared, take your time and plan your route. Even our adventurous friends who drove in with their Jeep Wrangler admitted they were a bit shaken up by the drive in via Highway 120!

        Hope that helps!

        Reply
  3. Hi Mark, great review – lots of good advice! We are coming from the U.K. and are picking up a 24ft RV in San Francisco. As we aren’t used to driving this type of vehicle, do you think the route you have suggested (via 132) will be reasonably comfortable for us novices? (Just trying to ease my anxiety about the drive to YL RV Park!).

    Reply
    • Hi there! You should be fine in a 24foot RV, and you won’t be towing, just take it easy and slow and pay attention. But for extra peace of mind, you might like to call the ranger station to see what they advise as well. Have a great trip!

      Reply
  4. WOW! What a great review! I literally just booked reservations this morning at Yosemite Lakes. I noticed you have a YouTube channel which I subscribed to as well. Did you make a vlog of Yosemite Lakes? Keep up the great work!

    Reply
  5. I recently subscribed to RVlove on youtube as your circumstances and goals most closely match mine and my wifes regarding the RV lifestyle. One question that I have not seen covered is the necessity for reserving TT campgrounds and how far in advance you recommend to do so. I hope not to be so structured and rigid in our travels trying to make a reservation made months before. How likely is it to show up at a TT campground and getting in that very day? By the way, your content has made it quick and easy to research our new lifestyle and give some ideas as to what we can expect on our journey. THANK YOU

    Reply
    • Hi Joel, thanks so much for your positive feedback, it is always our goal to make it easy for people to find the information they need. The answer to your question varies, depending on so many factors. It really depends on the campground, the time of year, how popular it is (the campground/time of year, peak seasons. During peak times like winter in the south, summer in the north and on holiday weekends it will be harder (though not always impossible) to find a reservation ‘on the day’. Outside of those times, it may be much easier – again depending on the location eg. Palm Springs, Verde Valley and the Florida parks are usually booked up during the winter. Whalers Rest, Moody Beach and Pacific City may be hard to get ‘same day’ reservations in the summer. All that said, people do change and move their reservations frequently. So you could pull up and find a park that was booked up the week before has an opening on the day you show up – it’s all the luck of the draw. BUT this is going to be an issue at all campgrounds and RV parks, not just Thousand Trails, as RVing just gets more popular. We are planners as we work, so tend to make reservations as far in advance as possible, but it’s also very easy for us to go online and make a change, push a reservation back in need as well, or even arrive a day really, pending availability. We know plenty of RVers who do travel without reservations and get by just fine – you would just need to be aware that you will need to be more flexible, and prepared to move on and find somewhere else if the place you show up at is full. Off-season, you won’t have as much problem finding places to stay, but we do recommend making reservations ANYWHERE during peak/holiday periods. For us, TT is very worthwhile as it saves us so much money. We consider our reservations more of a guideline than having our plans set in stone – we change/cancel reservations regularly – and it’s easy to do that online. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  6. Hi Mark,
    We too are going to Yosemite Lakes but I am unsure of your suggested route. At Coulterville do you go up the road marked Greeley Hill Rd on google maps to Smith Station Rd (also marked J132) or go up 49 to 120?

    Reply
    • Hello Bob,
      We went up Greeley Hill Road to Smith Station (still 132) and had that route confirmed as easiest by many locals. The one you want to avoid is Priest Grade. The section between Moccasin and Priest is apparently pretty scary in an RV. We had intended to check it out in our towed vehicle, but our stay got cut short. There is still a pretty big hill on 132, but not as tight and steep as the other options.

      Reply
  7. I recently subscribed to RVlove on youtube as your circumstances and goals most closely match mine and my wifes regarding the RV lifestyle. One question that I have not seen covered is the necessity for reserving TT campgrounds and how far in advance you recommend to do so. I hope not to be so structured and rigid in our travels trying to make a reservation made months before. How likely is it to show up at a TT campground and getting in that very day? By the way, your content has made it quick and easy to research our new lifestyle and give some ideas as to what we can expect on our journey. THANK YOU

    Reply
    • Hi Joel, thanks so much for your positive feedback, it is always our goal to make it easy for people to find the information they need. The answer to your question varies, depending on so many factors. It really depends on the campground, the time of year, how popular it is (the campground/time of year, peak seasons. During peak times like winter in the south, summer in the north and on holiday weekends it will be harder (though not always impossible) to find a reservation ‘on the day’. Outside of those times, it may be much easier – again depending on the location eg. Palm Springs, Verde Valley and the Florida parks are usually booked up during the winter. Whalers Rest, Moody Beach and Pacific City may be hard to get ‘same day’ reservations in the summer. All that said, people do change and move their reservations frequently. So you could pull up and find a park that was booked up the week before has an opening on the day you show up – it’s all the luck of the draw. BUT this is going to be an issue at all campgrounds and RV parks, not just Thousand Trails, as RVing just gets more popular. We are planners as we work, so tend to make reservations as far in advance as possible, but it’s also very easy for us to go online and make a change, push a reservation back in need as well, or even arrive a day really, pending availability. We know plenty of RVers who do travel without reservations and get by just fine – you would just need to be aware that you will need to be more flexible, and prepared to move on and find somewhere else if the place you show up at is full. Off-season, you won’t have as much problem finding places to stay, but we do recommend making reservations ANYWHERE during peak/holiday periods. For us, TT is very worthwhile as it saves us so much money. We consider our reservations more of a guideline than having our plans set in stone – we change/cancel reservations regularly – and it’s easy to do that online. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Marc, Great info as we are TT members and are planning on going to Yosemite Lakes this summer. I started looking at the routes and didn’t like all the tight turns on the 120, as I have a Phaeton 42′. I talked with someone at YL and they said the 132 is better, but I will take your advice and disconnect the toad in Coulterville. I look forward to more reviews of other TT parks that you and Julie stay at.

    Reply
  9. Marc, Great info as we are TT members and are planning on going to Yosemite Lakes this summer. I started looking at the routes and didn’t like all the tight turns on the 120, as I have a Phaeton 42’. I talked with someone at YL and they said the 132 is better, but I will take your advice and disconnect the toad in Coulterville. I look forward to more reviews of other TT parks that you and Julie stay at.

    Reply
    • Thanks Sam, yes we are very glad we unhooked and took 132, even that road had a few turns that didn’t excite us but still less scary than 120. More reviews on the way – all the best!

      Reply
  10. Thank you Marc and Julie. We had planned to go there this spring with our close friends, but unfortunately, he recently had a stroke and is partially paralyzed. He is recovering, but it will be some time before he is up and running on a cylinders. We are now planning this trip for next year. Looking forward to meeting the two of you at a future meet up.
    Greg & Marsha Locke
    Leisure Traveling’ Lockes

    Reply
    • Hi Greg and Marsha, So sorry to hear about your friend! Hope he is on the path to recovery. We just never know when something like this might happen, do we? Hope you enjoy your stay at Yosemite and look forward to meeting you ‘down the road’ – Safe travels!

      Reply
  11. Thank you Marc and Julie. We had planned to go there this spring with our close friends, but unfortunately, he recently had a stroke and is partially paralyzed. He is recovering, but it will be some time before he is up and running on a cylinders. We are now planning this trip for next year. Looking forward to meeting the two of you at a future meet up.
    Greg & Marsha Locke
    Leisure Traveling’ Lockes

    Reply
    • Hi Greg and Marsha, So sorry to hear about your friend! Hope he is on the path to recovery. We just never know when something like this might happen, do we? Hope you enjoy your stay at Yosemite and look forward to meeting you ‘down the road’ – Safe travels!

      Reply
  12. It is a beautiful campground. We just got back (2-13-18) from an eight night stay. Btw, there is a really nice bike ride that heads east on Hardon Flat Road and then make a right on FS1S12. You will be limited only by time available and endurance. Also the drive to Hetchy Hetchy is really nice. Thank you for all your great info on Thousand Trails.

    Reply
    • Thank you for that feedback and compliments Brian, Next time we are there, I definitely look forward to having more time to bike. I bet it is beautiful up there this time of year, but surely a bit cold at that elevation.

      Reply
  13. Hi Mark,
    We too are going to Yosemite Lakes but I am unsure of your suggested route. At Coulterville do you go up the road marked Greeley Hill Rd on google maps to Smith Station Rd (also marked J132) or go up 49 to 120?

    Reply
    • Hello Bob,
      We went up Greeley Hill Road to Smith Station (still 132) and had that route confirmed as easiest by many locals. The one you want to avoid is Priest Grade. The section between Moccasin and Priest is apparently pretty scary in an RV. We had intended to check it out in our towed vehicle, but our stay got cut short. There is still a pretty big hill on 132, but not as tight and steep as the other options.

      Reply

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