The Best Time To Book RV Sites For 2026 Travel

Above, at North Pines Campground in Yosemite National Park in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in November 2015, I got online to book a campsite in Yosemite National Park for April 2016. I was successful in reserving a campsite in North Pines Campground.

I noted the date that reservations are opened and calendared it in my phone. 

RV Travel has an article on the best time to book RV sites for 2026 travel.

They begin it with:

For longtime RVers, securing the perfect campsite isn’t just about picking a date; it’s also about timing, strategy, and knowing how to navigate the increasingly competitive landscape of 2026 RV travel. With peak-season demand growing and digital tools evolving, even experienced road warriors need a smart approach.

To read more, go here. 

Lawless Yosemite Campers Taking Over Campsites During Shutdown

Above, North Pines Campground during the time I was there in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2016, I camped for about a week at Yosemite National Park. I made my reservation months in advance online. I camped at North Pine Campground in Yosemite Valley.

Today, things have gone haywire at squatters are unlawfully camping without permit at North Pines Campground. The Schumer Shutdown is being blamed for this.

RV Travel reported:

RV travelers planning a trip to Yosemite should be prepared for challenges, as lawless Yosemite campers are taking advantage of the ongoing government shutdown.

With much of the National Park Service staff furloughed, some visitors are occupying reserved campsites without permits. It’s creating confusion, safety risks, and frustration for those following the rules.

Lawless Yosemite campers are exploiting the shutdown

A San Francisco Chronicle staff member reported that squatters moved into a reserved campsite at North Pines Campground. These falsely claimed the site was “first come, first served” because of the shutdown.

A ranger later intervened to remove the group, highlighting the lawlessness spreading through the park. Yosemite guides and former officials describe the situation as “like the Wild Wild West,” with only a single volunteer currently patrolling some areas.

To read more, go here.

All Yosemite Campgrounds Opening Beginning This Month

Above, The Beast at Yosemite's North Pines Campground in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yosemite National Park has announced that all 13 campgrounds within the park will be open for the first time since 2019.

According to the National Park Service:

Yosemite National Park will open all 13 park campgrounds this summer, marking the first time since 2019 that all campgrounds have been open. These additional openings will add approximately 500 campsites available to the public for enjoying the park.

"We're very excited to have these campgrounds open to the public as we enter the busy summer season," said Acting Yosemite National Park Superintendent Ray McPadden. "Camping in this park is truly a magical experience, and we want to provide the opportunity for as many visitors as possible."

To read more, go here. 

Save Your RV Refrigerator: Always Level

Above, leveled in Yosemite National Park's North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There is an axiom in the RVing world: always lever your RV to prevent damage to your propane refrigerator. 

No matter how long I am stopped anywhere for overnighting, I always lever the motorhome. If I am stopping somewhere that would be longer than 30 minutes, I shut the refrigerator off. When I get back into the motorhome to get back on the road, I turn it back on.

I have never had to replace my RV's refrigerator due to not leveling since I do the above.

This is a topic in RV Travel that every RVer should read. 

They begin with:

 I read this tip:

Do you level? That’s a question repeatedly posted on RV forums, regarding leveling an RV when stopping at the end of the day. Here’s a typical response: “I try to get it relatively close unless it’s just for an overnight stop, in which case I don’t bother.” Unless it’s an overnight stop? ALWAYS level your RV. Another comment tells you why: “I’m on my second Dometic 4-door. I level METICULOUSLY every time I stop to camp and I check level every morning. I refuse to go thru all that replacement AGAIN.”

RV refrigerators need to be level to work properly, and to prevent damage. No absorption-type RV refrigerator has ever read the fine print that says, “Don’t count the damage caused by operating off-level if it’s only overnight.” Seriously, damage to an RV cooling unit is CUMULATIVE, and every “only overnight” adds up. Can’t level? Shut off the fridge.

I was rather shocked by people’s thinking that running an absorption refrigerator out of level overnight or for any length of time is an acceptable practice. As mentioned above, the damage is cumulative, adding up each time you operate your refrigerator out of level.

To read more, go here. 

RVs and California Emissions Regulations

Above, North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The implementation of California's CARB regulations that could ban the sale of new motorized RVs has not been modified after the outcry when it was announced.

The regulations would affect new Class A, Class B and Class C motorhomes. 

The Travel has posted an article on what people need to know about the new regulations.

They begin it with:

California has some of the best national parks in the U.S. for scenery and road trip adventures, but a new emissions law is about to shake things up. The upcoming regulation will impact RV travel and camping trips across the state— and now, it’s also reshaping how RVs are sold in the state.

If you’re in the market for a motorhome or thinking about upgrading before your next trip, the new standards could limit your options in the not-so-distant future. Although it’s become a touchy topic among RV and camping enthusiasts, California is not banning RV sales outright, but new environmental regulations are making it significantly harder to buy and sell certain models.

Here’s what’s really happening, which vehicles are affected, and how RVers can still navigate the changing landscape.

To read more, go here. 

7 RV-Friendly National Parks

Above, Yosemite National Park's North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Camping in a national park is something everyone should put in their "bucket list" of things to do.

I have camped in several national parks over the years. The first was with my parents in 1968 in Lassen Volcanic National Park in an umbrella tent. The most recent was in 2017 in Grand Canyon National Park in my motorhome. 

It is more difficult these days to secure a campsite. Many parks take campsite reservations a year in advance. I got lucky twice in recent years. I was able to get campsites in Joshua Tree National Park and Lassen Volcanic National Park. I didn't reserve a spot in either. I just drove to each and found a campsite. The only national parks I made reservations for was at Yosemite National Park and Grand Canyon National Park. I had to make a campsite reservation months in advance for a spot in North Pines Campground at Yosemite and Trailer Village at the Grand Canyon.

The Travel has posted a list of seven national parks that they consider "RV-friendly". 

They begin with: 

As a proud American RV owner, you’re probably itching to explore the country’s breathtaking national parks from the comfort of your own mobile home. Luckily, many national parks have an abundance of facilities that cater specifically to RV enthusiasts, providing amenities and scenic routes that make navigating and appreciating nature a breeze.

These parks offer an unforgettable experience for RVers seeking to connect with nature in style, combining nature’s splendor with numerous engaging activities to be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home on wheels. So, get ready to add these seven incredible national parks to your must-visit list, carefully selected to ensure an unforgettable RV adventure.

To read more, go here. 

Tips For Camping In The Mountains

Above, at camp at Manzanita Lake Campground in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Generally speaking, while camping in mountain areas, campgrounds tend to be located in valleys such as North Pines Campground in Yosemite National Park. I camped there in 2016.

I have also camped at Manzanita Lake Campground at Lassen Volcanic National Park. It is 5,900 feet in elevation in the Cascade Mountain Range.

The topic of mountain camping is in an article in RV Life. It provides 8 tips for camping in the mountains.

They begin it with:

Camping in the mountains is a fantastic adventure that you should absolutely take. From way up high, you’ll be able to access amazing hiking trails, play in mountain streams, and see some animals that don’t tend to make their way down to the bigger human civilizations. 

All that said, there are some things you need to keep in mind in order to be properly prepared for camping in the mountains. Here we share our top mountain camping tips so you can go in ready for whatever the mountains may throw your way. 

To read more, go here. 

Planning And Preparing For A National Park Trip

Above, North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since I was a teen of 14, I have been to numerous national parks over the years. Planning for a national vacation (usually camping) had become second nature and since I have a motorhome, I don't have to pack so much as most of what I need is already in the RV.

Planning and preparing for a national park trip is the topic of an article in National Park Traveler. It has many tips what are useful.

It begins with:

During my February visit to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado, I remember sitting in the rental car after braving that incessant, freezing winter wind, eating a snack and thawing out with hot coffee from a thermos. Scanning the parking area, I noticed a young couple in their 20s parked beside me preparing to explore the area. Unlike me, covered head to toe in wool and insulated down and looking like a colorful version of the Michelin Man, this young man wore flared jeans and a jean jacket over his hoodie. His travel partner wore a hoodie over her multi-colored Lycra tights. Both wore sneakers. Each threw a blanket over themselves before advancing into that wall of freezing wind. I’m not certain 10 minutes even passed before I saw those same two scurrying back to clamber into their vehicle and drive away. Were they just acting on a spontaneous whim to quickly check out Great Sand Dunes, or had they intended a further exploration, realizing too late they had not thoroughly planned for winter’s bone-chilling elements?

Nowadays, a visit to a unit of the National Park System requires at least a minimal amount of planning and preparation. Some park units require timed entry reservations, lodging and campsite spots fill up faster, tours sell out quickly, and available rental vehicles might be hard to come by for a specific date. Whether you fly, drive, cruise, or ride the rails, planning ahead for your national park travel avoids these above-mentioned issues and ensures a smoother, more enjoyable stay.

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite To Close Lower, North Pines Campgrounds Monday Due To Flooding Forecast

Above, Yosemite's Housekeeping Camp in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It appears that flooding from the Merced River is still a distinct possibility in Yosemite Valley.

Two campgrounds and Housekeeping Camp will be closed on Monday morning.

Above, North Pines Campground in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Sierra Sun Times reported:

Yosemite National Park officials report the following:

Due to a forecast of flooding, Lower and North Pines Campgrounds and Housekeeping Camp will close on Monday morning, May 15. Additional closures are possible. We will provide an update by Monday evening, May 15.

Unlike the last month’s forecast of flooding, the extended forecast calls for warm weather indefinitely.

To read more, go here. 

8 Best Things To Do In Yosemite

Above, the bottom of Yosemite Falls. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Over the years, I have been to Yosemite National Park, the last time being in 2016. I reserved (early) a campsite in Yosemite Valley at North Pines Campground in April. A few months later, I drove through Yosemite on Tioga Road from U.S. 395 in the Owens Valley to U.S. 99 in the San Joaquin Valley.

Although it rained much of the time I was camping there, I did enjoy the experience.

Lonely Planet has an article on the 8 best things to do in Yosemite National Park. 

They begin it with:

Yosemite National Park is one of those dazzling, large-than-life destinations with a beauty that must be seen firsthand to truly appreciate it.

Renowned landscape photographer and environmentalist Ansel Adams did a good job introducing the public to this iconic park in the 1930s, when he began documenting its magic in black and white. Close to 100 years later, Yosemite remains an iconic photographic locale attracting close to five million visitors each year.

In California’s Sierra Mountains, Yosemite is the third-oldest national park in the US, established in 1890 and home to more than 700 miles of hiking trails, numerous waterfalls and captivating granite cliffs and buttresses with names like Half Dome and El Capitan. You’ll also find towering sequoia trees, diverse wildlife, sparkling turquoise and aquamarine lakes, scenic byways and a historic lodge that takes you back about a century in time.

Here are our 8 top picks for the best things to do in Yosemite National Park.

Above, a morning view of Half Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

RV Leveling Tips

Above, The Beast needed a little help to level it at Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer. 

After several years of RVing, I've gotten pretty good at eyeballing level sites to set up camp. Most often, if the spot isn't exactly level, it only takes a few minutes to level the RV.

For those who need to find an easier way to level their RV, Do It Yourself RV has posted some tips on RV leveling.

They begin with:

Whether you just pulled into a spot at an RV park or you’ve found the perfect spot to boondock, leveling your RV is one of the first things you’ll do.

RV leveling is important for two reasons. For one thing, your RV will be way more comfortable when it’s level. Perhaps a more important reason to level your RV is because of your absorption refrigerator. Absorption refrigerators are designed to function best when they are level. If your RV isn’t level, your refrigerator has to work extra hard to make your fridge cold. It relies on chemical reactions and needs gravity to make them work efficiently. Even occassionally being unlevel will shorten its life.

Maybe more importantly, being unlevel can also lead to your refrigerator overheating and catching fire when you are out camping, and nobody wants that. Here are some great RV leveling tips that will help speed up the process so you can get to doing what you love.

To read more, go here. 

RV Travel: NOW Are The Golden Years of RVing

Above, thanks to the Internet, I was able to camp in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some say that the "golden years" of RV travel were around 40-50 years ago. It probably depends upon where one was located and where they were going at the time.  

I remember full campgrounds even back then and my family having to park in an overflow area overnight and getting up at the crack of dawn to get in line for an open site. There was no Internet available to provide information on available campsites.

An article in RV Travel contends that now are the fabled "golden years" of RVing.

It begins with:

Far too often we get into the habit of glamorizing the “good old days” and reject the present times like we’re witnessing the apocalypse itself. It’s easy to think like this. In a world of overrun RV parks and the disparaging of public lands, I often find myself wishing that I could have experienced RV life back before it became a social media hashtag.

While I’ll never get to experience the sheer openness that came with road-tripping in a time before we all became digitally connected, I can’t help but look around and think, “Damn! We’ve got it good!”

Here’s why I think we’re in the golden years of RVing.

To read more, go here. 

Best Campgrounds At Yosemite National Park

Above, Yosemite's North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Ever wanted to camp in Yosemite National Park but wonder which are the best campgrounds to do so?

You're in luck! Time Out USA has posted a list of the 13 best campgrounds in Yosemite National Park. I have personally camped at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley and enjoyed my stay there. The park's shuttle system stops near the main entrance to the campground, so one doesn't need to drive their vehicle in the park.

They begin with:

Camping is the best way to immerse yourself in a national park. But it can be hard to decide which campground you should stay at in Yosemite. Thankfully, with 13 different campgrounds (as well as a selection of backcountry areas which require a separate wilderness permit), you can choose the one that will make your trip unforgettable. A valley campground ranger once told us White Wolf and Tamarack Flat were her favorites – but really, you can’t go wrong in this beautiful park. 

There are some things you should take into account when deciding which campgrounds in Yosemite are best for you. Some sites aren’t accessible for disabled people, and some require you to treat, filter or boil creek water. If you’re bent on taking a shower, stay at one of the Pines campgrounds so you can walk to Curry Village, where the pool’s showerhouse is the only place you can hose yourself down. Take note of elevations in the descriptions; you might get short of breath at some of the higher campgrounds and wish you had brought an inhaler.

Some campgrounds are currently closed for renovations, and some only open in mid- to late-summer depending on snowload (such as Tamarack Flat, White Wolf and Yosemite Creek), which also means that certain roads in Yosemite will also be closed. If you want to bring your pet, avoid Camp 4, the only one where pets aren’t allowed. Not all campgrounds have RV parking, and only three campgrounds allows horses. All of them will have metal bear boxes to store your food and you MUST use them. Bears will break into your car or tent if you leave any food inside. And they’ll have fun doing it, too.

Finally, you must make a reservation in advance – this is the first year that there isn’t any first-come, first-serve during summer months – and read campground information carefully because each differs in what they offer. 

Otherwise, read on for the best campgrounds in Yosemite National Park. 

To see what they are, go here. 

Research Finding: National Park Campground Reservation System Not Equitable

Above, The Beast at Yosemite's North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I went to the national park reservation site to get a campsite at Yosemite National Park back in November 2015, it was because I knew ahead of time when sites at North Pines Campground would be available at 7:00 am on a specific date. 

I went to the site just before 7:00 and found about a third of the campground's sites were already reserved. I picked a spot and got it. 

Thankfully, it was because I had high speed Internet that I got in and reserved a site right away for the following April.

I considered myself lucky. But there was a nagging feeling that there were some "insiders" involved as a third of the sites were already taken within a minute or so after the sites on the reservation system opened up.

It appears that the system may be more inequitable than I suspected. A study seems to bear this out.

According to Wyoming Public Media:

In the last couple of years, national park campgrounds introduced reservation systems as a way to deal with an influx of users. A new study has found that this system is creating an equity problem.

Will Rice, University of Montana Assistant Professor of Outdoor Recreation and Wildland Management, said he realized a reservation system may not be fair when he saw that on any given day you might have 19,000 people vying for 57 campsites in a federal campground..

"When the odds are that low, any little advantage makes a huge difference to just having a little bit faster internet speed, or having one more friend out in the world who's also helping you," said Rice.

The article goes on to state that possibly a lottery system may be more equitable.

To read the full article, go here. 

6 Years Ago: Yosemite National Park

Above, following my walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls.

Leave it to Facebook to remind me of where I was and doing six years ago this week.

In was in April 2016 that my cat Sierra and I took a little trip to Yosemite National Park for some camping at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.

Above, The Beast at North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The trip was in the middle of the trademark dispute between the government and Delaware North, the former concessionaire of Yosemite's visitor services. Several of Yosemite's attractions were renamed due to the dispute and lawsuit. The names were reverted back following the settlement of the lawsuit.

Above, a view of Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Still, I had a good time enjoying the park, even though it rained there much of the time. I made good use of the shuttle system to get around Yosemite Valley. I made my camping reservations the previous November then they opened up. Thanks to my senior lifetime national park pass, I didn't have to pay to enter.

The night before arriving at Yosemite, I stayed at the Blackstone North RV Park in Fresno. It was a nice RV park, one that I would stay at again should the opportunity arises. 

Above, a cigar store Indian at Bravo Farms. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along the way, I stopped for a break and lunch at Bravo Farms Cheese Factory in Traver. If was a fun stopover with good food and shops to explore.

Above, Sierra enjoying the coffeemaker box. She couldn't fit in it now. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was an enjoyable trip, one that I would recommend.

Things You Should Know About Yosemite RV Camping

Above, a view of Half Dome from Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2016, I took a trip to Yosemite National Park and camped at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley.

I had to wait until about November 2015 for when the reservations website opened to making my campsite reservation. But it was worth it. I got my site in the nick of time as the reservations went like hotcakes as soon as the site opened.

I had been to Yosemite several times in my lifetime, but until that trip, I had never camped in the park.

Above, The Beast at North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

RV Life has posted an article on five things you should know about Yosemite RV camping.

They start it with:

Yosemite National Park is one of the most visited national parks in the country. Once you visit, it’s easy to see why. The scenery in this park is absolutely phenomenal, and the wildlife is incredible.  

Of course, the best way to experience this park is by camping in the middle of the action, and in our opinion, the best way to camp is in an RV. That said, there are some things you should know before visiting Yosemite National Park. 

In this article, we will cover all of the things you must know about Yosemite RV camping. Going in with this knowledge will save you lots of hassle, and it might even save your trip.

 To read the full article, go here.

Yosemite Campground Lottey Opens This Week

Above, The Beast at North Pines Campground in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yosemite National Park's new campsite lottery system opens this week.

Frustrated by the previous system of securing a campsite in a Yosemite Valley campground, a test lottery system is being implemented to ease some of that frustration.

The campground involved with the test is North Pines. I stayed at North Pines in 2016.

The Mercury News reported:

In an attempt to address “frustration and disappointment” over the Yosemite reservations process, the national park this year is testing a lottery for spots at one of its campgrounds.

From 7 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, Jan. 18, to 8 p.m. on Feb. 6,  potential campers can submit their names at the Reservations.gov site for early-access booking of North Pines with arrival dates of July 21 through Sept. 14.

On Feb. 10, 640 selected applicants will be emailed a time slot to make a reservation online, starting the following week.

There is a non-refundable $10 fee to enter the lottery, and campsites cost $36 a night.

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite's North Pines Campground Tries New Reservation System

Above, The Beast at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Six years ago, I camped at North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. I camped there in April 2016 after getting a reservation through the National Park Service's reservation system the previous November.

I found out when the "window" for making reservations for North Pines Campground would open and set my cell phone calendar to alert me about 15 minutes before.

Then, when the window opened, I secured a reservation for the campsite. I was able to see aerial photos of each campsite before and selected my choice. 

Now, the National Park Service is trying something new for reserving a campsite at North Pines Campground.

From the Fresno Bee:

It’s hard to get a summer campsite in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park hopes to at least make the reservation process a little less intense for many by trying something new. 

The popular park in California announced on Friday that it will start a new reservation system, where winners of a lottery get first dibs at making summer 2022 campsite reservations at North Pines Campground. 

The idea is to give lottery winners a chance to make reservations in a less competitive environment during an early access window, where fewer people are online at the same time trying to grab the same campsite.

North Pines is a coveted campground in Yosemite Valley along the Merced River near the Mirror Lake trailhead. Most Yosemite campgrounds are full from April through September. The demand far exceeds availability in Yosemite Valley.

To see how the reservation system will work, go here.

Yosemite Closes Popular Campgrounds Until 2024

Above, Yosemite's North Pines Campground is not subject to the closure. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Finding and reserving a campsite in Yosemite National Park will be a bit more difficult in the next two years.

Three popular and largest campgrounds will be closed for renovations

According to RV Travel:

Three of the largest campgrounds in Yosemite National Park are being closed for extensive renovations. The campgrounds are Tuolumne Meadows, Bridalveil Creek, and Crane Flat. There will be no camping available during the closures. Yosemite is America’s first National Park and the fifth most visited each year.

Tuolumne Meadows will be closed at least through 2024, and perhaps as long as 2025. It is Yosemite’s largest campground at 140 acres and 304 sites. It alone serves 140,000 campers a year.

 To read more, go here.