Can anybody help a total know nothing from the UK?

Hello all,

My fiancee and I are coming to California this August and are thinking of hiring an RV. We fly into San Francisco and out of Los Angeles.

Obviously, we want to experience the wonders of Yosemite and wondered if you guys could give us some tips?

Specifically, we would like to know;

1) how easy is it to get an RV (small to you but looks quite big to us Brits) around the roads in the park?

2) how does it work once in the park? Should we hire bikes as well to get around the park once we are parked up?

3) Is there are particular site which would be a good spot if we are on foot once parked up?

If you have any other advice for us as we literally know nothing at the moment, the do please pass it on!

Many thanks,

Andrew



Post Edited (07-02-08 04:14)

Hi, Andrew - the answer to this question could be pretty big, or could be manageable. Here are a few things you should keep in mind:

1 - the Waterfalls will be all but nonexistent. The only falls with any flow will be the two "big" falls on the Merced River in Yosemite Valley (Vernal and Nevada Falls), and even they will be fairly low. Bridalveil Fall will have some wispy flow. The rest will be dry. In short, the most impressive features will be the big rocks and the Sequoias.

2 - The High Country near Tuolumne Meadows is always beautiful, but to see it best requires at least some gentle hiking.

3 - All of the main roads can accept RVs fairly well, but not all campsites. If you can arrive in the morning on a weekday, like a Monday or Tuesday, you should be able to find a campsite along Tioga Pass Road. If you are a self-contained RV, it won't matter much whether the site has restrooms or not.

4 - If the High Country should be your focus, there are also other good alternatives for camping. There are some nice campsites along Highway 120 near Tioga Pass and in Lee Vining Canyon just east of the park entrance that would work just as well for an RV.

5 - My own opinion is that smaller is better - a small RV is easier to drive, maneuver, and find a spot for - some campsites won't accept a huge RV. They also use a lot less petrol!

6 - I am not at all certain whether you can rent an RV in SF and drop it off 400 miles away in LA, but if you can, go for it!

7 - How long will you be here and in the park area?

~ Bruce

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Wilderness forever,
Bruce Jensen

Andy from Manchester wrote:

> Specifically, we would like to know;
>
> 1) how easy is it to get an RV (small to you but looks quite
> big to us Brits) around the roads in the park?

Define size. There are RVs that are based on small pickup truck/van platforms all the way to ones the size of city buses. It's a broad category that includes "fifth wheels", popup trailers, etc. You sound as if you're talking maybe a 22' van-based RV.

> 2) how does it work once in the park? Should we hire bikes as
> well to get around the park once we are parked up?

I think bike rentals in the park are required to be returned by closing time. Almost anywhere you'd want to take a bike in Yosemite Valley is accessible by an excellent shuttle bus system using hybrid diesel-electric vehicles.

> 3) Is there are particular site which would be a good spot if
> we are on foot once parked up?

Any of the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley suitable for RVs. It would give you easy access to the shuttle bus and put you within walking distance of Curry Village and maybe the Ahwahnee Hotel. Unfortunately we can almost guarantee that all sites in your timeframe have been reserved. There's the chance of a late cancellation (can check at the central Curry Village office I believe), but it's tough basing a multi-day trip on that possibility.

If you park your RV on the road or a parking lot overnight, there's a good chance that a law enforcement ranger will cite you and/or tell you to leave immediately.

You'll have to take a chance on a first-come, first-served campground. If you don't get it, you may have to follow a backup plan.

> If you have any other advice for us as we literally know
> nothing at the moment, the do please pass it on!

What do you like? There's an extensive trail network and plenty of trails suitable for different fitness levels.

And for Bruce - I think Cruise America can do one-way rentals, although they require those arrangements by phone. For the greater San Francisco Bay Area, their rentals are in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Vacaville, San Mateo, and San Jose.



Post Edited (07-02-08 11:31)

Cruise America (www.cruiseamerica.com) does have one way rentals but for an extra fee that is probably not too high. The euro and pound are plenty strong though.

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Old Dude