Visiting Yosemite National Park is a favorite vacation destination for many . With the famous
Yosemite view of Half Dome and the cascading
Yosemite waterfalls dominating most park pictorials, these
Yosemite mountain and water icons beckon photographers, naturalists, hikers, and anyone else with a love of nature to visit its natural splendor.
Many people who go here often choose to stay in Yosemite for several days in order to explore all the park has to offer. Without planning far in advance, lodging inside the park can prove difficult. There are many lodging choices outside the park, however. One of these places is Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails Campground near Groveland, California.
According to Yosemite Lakes website, "Yosemite Lakes has welcomed campers since the 1920s...located only 5 miles from the West Gate of Yosemite National Park." Amenities listed include: Adult Center, Basketball Court, Beach, Country Store, Family Center, Fish Cleaning Stations, Hiking Trails, Horseshoe Pits, Lake, Laundry Facilities, Mini-Golf, Ping-Pong, Playground, Pool Table, Shuffleboard, TV Room, Volleyball Court, Wi-Fi Access." They offer sites for RV camping with hook-ups and several types of cabins, Yurts, and Tent sites.
You need to buy a Thousand Trails membership in order to stay here and, as a member, you are able to have guests stay with you in a limited capacity. Yearly membership starts at just under $500 and up.
Visiting the Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails website, or the Thousand Trails Campground main website paints Yosemite Lakes as the perfect place to stay for visitors to Yosemite. During a recent three-day visit I had to opportunity to check out exactly what a guest might expect.
I chose one of the air-cooled TT Cabins for $105 nightly (one of 10 available)--with temperatures often soaring over 100 in the summer, it is highly recommended to choose a unit with air. The TT cabin is very small-about 150 sq. ft. of living space. This includes a small table set against the wall, with 4 chairs (unlikely you could fit 4 people around the table), a futon style couch that makes into a double bed, a bathroom with shower, kitchen area, and a bedroom with a queen bed.
There are several steps to climb to get to the front door and a porch where there is enough room for 2 chairs. One unit is equipped with a handicap ramp. Parking is conveniently located right in front of each unit. There is a ceiling fan in the living room and one in the bedroom for added air circulation.
The kitchen was equipped with table settings for four, a refrigerator/freezer, microwave, small coffee maker, toaster, pot and skillet, one mixing bowl, dish washing soap, and a few kitchen utensils. The bathroom was stocked with a small bar of soap, 2 towels, 2 hand towels and 2 washcloths. Each unit had cable TV but the system is tricky to operate. When you arrive be prepared to make your own beds (you will receive a plastic bucket with linens). When you leave you need to strip your beds and remove all trash.
The grounds are located near a river stocked often with brown trout making the potential for catching small fish possible. There is a fish cleaning station near the TT cabins and river access. The river bottom is deep mud in this area. There is also an area of the river behind the lodge that is accessible for wading if you are able to navigate rather short, but steep embankments down to the water.
The water in this area is clearer and more appealing than near the cabins. At one time, this was the site for the lake where they offered life jacket rentals, small boat rentals, and a beach for swimming-it is now long gone however. Only the dock remains on dry land as a reminder of why this campground may have originally been called "Yosemite Lakes".
Getting to Yosemite National Park took longer than expected. West Yosemite gate is about 5 miles from Yosemite Lakes Campground, but it took an hour to arrive at the entrance due to the stop-and-go backed up summer traffic on a very narrow, winding 2-lane mountain road (hwy 120). Yosemite valley was still another 24 miles after the gate.
The Yosemite Lakes Campgrounds offers a mix of pros and cons. While the TT cabins would be incredibly cramped with more than 2 people, they are charming with a "woodsie" feel. The river is beautiful and relatively gentle making wading refreshing on a hot day. The surrounding woods are gorgeous with birds and other wildlife (including snakes).
The staff onsite at Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails were also a mix of pros and cons-from helpful and friendly, confused and incapable, to hostile and unfriendly-- depending on whom I talked to. Several occupants at Yosemite Lakes reported many disappointing situations to me in my interviews:
--Two units had ant infestations.
--You are only allowed 1 room key and if you lose it there is a $50 fine
--One unit had a broken AC (although the management rented it to them without letting them know or compensating them during weather of 97+ degrees).
--Several issues came up with reservation confirmations for a large party there as the staff apparently was confused about their own booking system. This party was led to believe that there were several amenities for groups that ended up not being available. This party reportedly spent more than $3,000 on their accommodations.
--Upon calling about my own reservation, the staff member was friendly, but unable to offer accurate information on what a TT cabin contained or what size of bed it had. There was no information on their local website about the cabin at the time.
--One person was threatened by security with a $500 fine for having a "covered, approved fire" because it was higher than 18 inches. This group was told they were not allowed to have any more fires by security.
--A person was threatened by security with a fine for hanging a piñata between 2 cabin decks, 4 feet off the ground for 4 year olds who were celebrating (their party occupied both cabins).
--Several campers claimed the staff was rigid, rude and unhelpful.
--One man went to the small store on site and was told to "hurry up and get what you need we are closing" by the male store clerk
--One man was yelled at for going about 7MPH in a 5MPH area
--Trash receptacles were locked up with trashed piled outside. Maintenance had to be tracked down to unlock
--Most of the main buildings had peeling paint and old, worn accoutrements
--WiFi was only available at the lodge, not in the individual units or sites
--Gas was $3.99 a gallon and only $3.19 in Groveland just down the highway.
--The store on the property closed each day (weekend) at 4:00pm
--The miniature golf was void of anything except sun bleached astroturf and holes
--No prepared food is available on site (the restaurant is gone)
--If you stay here in your RV, be prepared to park in very tight spaces
--RV parking spaces are packed tight offering a clear view into your neighbors RV
After interviewing several guests and having experienced an un-welcomed feeling myself, my opinion about Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails Campground is that it has lost much of its original charm. The facility has lots of potential, however, overall I was very disappointed with what you are led to believe from the website, versus what you get when you arrive. I wanted to love this place...but I couldn't, therefore I cannot recommend it.
I would recommend checking out other possibilities in the area when visiting Yosemite, rather than choosing Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails Campground (Thousand Trails/NACO camping).
Sources:
Yosemite Lakes Contact information:
(209) 962-0121
31191 Hardin Flat Rd., Groveland, CA 95321
Thousand Trails, NACO, Leisure Time, Outdoor World,
Mid-Atlantic Resorts and Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc.
http://stayatyosemite.com/
https://www.thousandtrails.com/zonecampingpass/index.aspx
Photogirlstudio.com
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