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Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes
Riverside camping and cabins minutes from Yosemite's Big Oak Flat entrance, with sparse service and rustic amenities.
Strong · Deep coverage · read from 31 sources · 103 traveler insights
80
RoomExpert Score
Strong
The verdict
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Read it your way
This campground and cabin property sits along the South Fork Tuolumne River just minutes from Yosemite's Big Oak Flat entrance. Guests value the convenient park access, scenic river views, and easy check-in process. However, reviewers frequently complain about dirty cabins, unmaintained bathroom facilities, and sparse Wi-Fi and cell connectivity. 16231813
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- Campers praise the natural setting along the South Fork Tuolumne River, which offers scenic water views and spacious sites. 1613
- The grounds are less than a ten-minute drive from the Big Oak Flat entrance, making day trips into Yosemite straightforward. 151611
- Guests consistently note that cell reception is sparse and Wi-Fi is poor, limited mainly to the front desk and laundry room. 13
The catch
- Reviewers disagree on the shared bathrooms; some praise clean, temperature-controlled family stalls and hot showers, while others point out broken toilet stalls and long walks to facilities. 2217
- Nightly rates also divide visitors, with some finding roughly $100 per night steep for a gravel RV site and others considering it a fair trade-off for staying right outside the park. 1318
Who it's for
- — Families wanting river access near Yosemite
- — Campers who do not mind unplugging
- — RV travelers visiting the national park
Skip it if
- — Anyone needing reliable Wi-Fi or cell service
- — Travelers expecting spotless rental cabins
- — Campers seeking luxury bathhouses
Seen on camera
3 moments · 2 videos · Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“I will say the biggest issue was that well for biggest issue for some maybe the fact that there is no cell service here…”
youtube.com1:34“nice clean temperature controlled bathrooms notice that the single stalls there for men or women were wonderful they wer…”
youtube.com3:18“I found that the souvenirs at the Country Store was cheaper than what you would get inside of Yosemite”
youtube.com6:48Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
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Score breakdown
How the 80/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
77read from 1 source · Deep coverage
- “nice clean temperature controlled bathrooms notice that the single stalls there for men or women were wonderful they were family bathrooms the shower ones next to them were even better” 173:18
- “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.” 4
Location
91read from 1 source · Deep coverage
- “If you're planning to go camping near Yosemite, the location of Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes can't be beat. Their campground is less than a 10 minute drive from the Big Oaks Flat entrance into Yosemite Valley.” 15
- “Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes' location was the main reason I booked it. Located just off Big Oak Flat Road in Groveland, our cottage was close enough to reach Yosemite National Park's Big Oak Flat Entrance in less than 10 minutes.” 16
Noise
88read from 2 sources · Light coverage
- “These campgrounds have been around long enough to see the need for upgrades. We parked at the far east end past the cabins in a pull-through group spot. They are the biggest spots and didn't seem like people really use that area much. It was pretty quiet for the two weeks we were there.” 13
- “Lots of trees especially along the river ( creek) fairly quiet even though it's a family atmosphere with lots of kids I think they get worn-out playing in the water.” 13
Room
81read from 1 source · Deep coverage
Service
84read from 1 source · Deep coverage
- “Checking in at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes is so simple! Before you even arrive you'll be sent a link to check in online. Then, once you arrive at the Front Office, checking in with the staff is quick and painless!” 15
- “The campground here is very nice the 1000 trails employees and personnel are super helpful.” 13
Bed & Sleep
84read from 1 source · Deep coverage
Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Value
78read from 1 source · Deep coverage
- “Expect to pay an average of about $100 per night for an RV site during peak season. This may seem a bit expensive, but you're paying for a premium location that's right outside Yosemite. Considering the proximity and the amenities of this resort, the prices are actually quite reasonable.” 18
- “The price was high but were willing to pay for a confirmed place to stay during June 2021.” 13
Where it is, how to reach it
31191 Hardin Flat Rd.
Groveland, California
95321 USA
Details checked 2026-09-13
Where it sits
Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes and the 15 other hotels we cover in Yosemite. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Right in line
On par with what $ usually buys
Scores 2 points below the modest median of 82, across 516 hotels in the same bracket. In Yosemite it sits 1 point below the local median of 81.
Price bracket
$
Modest
- This hotel
- 80
- Bracket median
- 82
- Index median
- 86
Based on 516 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
Ask for
- 1 mention
Avoid
No location within the hotel draws repeated complaints yet.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
Service
79
Bathroom
70
Noise
66
Room
57
Value
55
Location
9
View the 71 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
View2 mentions
Service36 mentions · 1 filmed
- “Unclean site; small bits of trash (as is common for Thousand Trails; they typically don't clean sites)” 14
- “When checking in, the friendly host took us in a golf cart to pick a spot.” 22
- “I contacted Thousand Trails customer service and was told that it was not possible to use the value of the complimentary pass toward the payment of my current subscription or toward upgrading my subscription. That tells me that Thousand Trails does not care about their current customers only about selling new subscriptions.” 10
- “The check-in agent was welcoming and friendly.” 16
- “The campground here is very nice the 1000 trails employees and personnel are super helpful.” 13
- “Kind of deceptive that they say the park entrance is only 5 miles away. Technically it is but the stuff you want to see is much further along.” 28
- “Bathrooms are rarely cleaned - three nights in there were still dirty.” 13
- “We are thousand trails members and sometimes it's not the best spots but the staff were so friendly and helpful and when we were having power issues they were able to move us to a better location (on the river) and have just really been accommodating.” 13
- “A few things you should know about Yosemite Lakes: The sites on the river are our favorites, but they're in the trees so don't expect to get satellite TV. There's no cell reception unless you have Verizon and a booster + external antenna (we wish we would have had our sleek then).” 23
- “Check in was a breeze, very friendly and informative.” 13
- “Staff was very friendly and accommodating when we asked to change sites due to the noise from the pumping station next to our site.” 22
- “While the staff are friendly and most facilities are reasonably clean, the overall vibe just doesn't live up to the promise.” 7
- “Poor quality parks. Terrible customer service.” 10
- “To speak to someone is hard, and there was literally only maybe two people I did speak to that had actual costumer service and were kind.” 10
- “Checking in at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes is so simple! Before you even arrive you'll be sent a link to check in online. Then, once you arrive at the Front Office, checking in with the staff is quick and painless!” 15
- “very little communication or direction from the staff at check in.” 22
- “When I contacted customer service, I was told I needed to call every time I wanted to make a reservation. Each call resulted in excuses and options that had nothing to do with the locations I actually wanted. At one point, a representative shrugged it off with "oh well," which told me everything I needed to know about how little they care.” 10
- “Staff were all very friendly.” 13
- “The grounds of the campground do have a significant amount of trash.... That's the only big downside. And that's on the campers! Pick up your trash people....” 13
- “Eva was very understanding and kind to us; be mindful that by this time it was already dark. she allowed us to go get checked into our campsite and get settled in and we can come back up to the office in the AM to get checked in and just pay for the prior night.” 10
- “Company is absolutely horrible. Some of the worst customer service I've ever dealt with.” 10
- “See more They refuse to cancel my membership. They refuse to cancel my membership. The sales person told me it was possible to cancel at any point and management is refusing to allow it being cancelled.” 10
- “The cabin was filthy from the moment we walked in. The floors looked like they hadn't been mopped in months, and the overall cleanliness was completely unacceptable.” 10
- “As a campground, Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes offered less service than a hotel. We only interacted with staff at the welcome center and general store, and both were friendly and accommodating. All of our needs were met, and we were happy with the service.” 16
- “I want to be very clear that cell service and Wi-Fi is pretty sparse. But honestly-that's the way I prefer it when we're camping together as a family.” 15
- “Still, this is one of those places where I'd make sure you're using a water pressure regulator. There was essentially no cellular service at our campsite.” 8
- “I will say the biggest issue was that well for biggest issue for some maybe the fact that there is no cell service here there is absolutely zero AT&T Verizon whatever you had there was nothing to be had as far as cell service” On camera171:34
- “The park has free WiFi in the lodge, which is nice, but your way out there so speeds are slow.” 23
- “The staff was on top of things the entire time we were there.” 4
- “Typical small sites, narrow roads. But worst of all lousy wireless and no cell service .” 13
- “Bathrooms were nice but not well maintained” 13
- “Check-in was quick and easy.” 13
- “Power went out to the entire campground two days in a row. Not the campground's fault as high winds knocked out power to the entire area. They were nice and let us use our generator even though they are not allowed any other time.” 13
- “The staff was very friendly and helpful! We will definitely be back one day.” 13
- “The campground was decent though, and everyone we spoke with was nice.” 13
- “The representative answered the phone with a simple, "Hello." After an awkward pause, he finally said, "Thousand Trails... can I help you?" It wasn't exactly the professional first impression I'd expect when calling about a membership that costs thousands of dollars.” 10
Noise3 mentions
- “These campgrounds have been around long enough to see the need for upgrades. We parked at the far east end past the cabins in a pull-through group spot. They are the biggest spots and didn't seem like people really use that area much. It was pretty quiet for the two weeks we were there.” 13
- “Lots of trees especially along the river ( creek) fairly quiet even though it's a family atmosphere with lots of kids I think they get worn-out playing in the water.” 13
- “Some massive construction going on all day while we're here however which is unfortunate. Lots of rumbling noises and back up beeping etc.” 22
Room6 mentions
- “The refrigerator had more than enough room and had a good-sized freezer.” 16
- “The inside was smaller than an average hotel room but more functional and homey. This was such a comfortable place to stay and had everything we needed.” 16
- “Great site lots of room for tent and great view” 13
- “On the other side of the cottage was a small room with 2 built-in bunk beds. These twin-size cubbies were perfect for our kids.” 16
- “Both sides of the bed had nightstand shelves with regular wall plugs. There wasn't a closet or dresser, but the storage bench and hanging rod worked fine for a couple of nights.” 16
- “WiFi poor and limited to the front desk and laundry room.” 13
Location13 mentions
- “On the positive side of things, guests enjoyed this park location. It's right next to the entrance to Yosemite and provides easy access.” 18
- “Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes' location was the main reason I booked it. Located just off Big Oak Flat Road in Groveland, our cottage was close enough to reach Yosemite National Park's Big Oak Flat Entrance in less than 10 minutes.” 16
- “Would stay again reel close to yosemite entrance” 13
- “Great location to access the RT 120 west entrance to Yosemite National Park. Only 5 miles away from the gate.” 22
- “If you're planning to go camping near Yosemite, the location of Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes can't be beat. Their campground is less than a 10 minute drive from the Big Oaks Flat entrance into Yosemite Valley.” 15
- “That's still an excellent location for visiting Yosemite, but families should plan their mornings around the full drive rather than assuming they'll be in Yosemite Valley 20 minutes after leaving the campground.” 8
- “Yosemite Lakes RV Resort is located just five miles from the west entrance to Yosemite National Park and was perfect for our Spring Break trip.” 11
- “Nice location to access Yosemite NP and ambiance next to the river.” 22
- “We stayed for seven nights in a 50-amp full-hookup riverfront site, and our campsite ended up being one of our favorite parts of our entire Yosemite stay. We had a 50-amp full-hookup back-in site directly on the river, and the location was incredible.” 8
- “As noted, it is all about location! It is close to the entrance to Yosemite, but all of the entrances are a good distance from the heart of the park. Can't beat the location, but the large number of ratings shows that the average is not that great.” 18
- “Good location to see Yosemite NP” 29
- “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.” 4
- “As this article states, this is a very beautiful park located in a very beautiful location.” 18
Value5 mentions
- “We paid $100 per night and I expected nicer facilities. There was goose poop right outside the bathrooms and the walk looked liked it hadn't been swept in a long time.” 22
- “The price was high but were willing to pay for a confirmed place to stay during June 2021.” 13
- “There's NO phone signal of any kind for miles. There is Jabba Communications wifi throughout that campground that you can pay for but it's pricey and very shoddy and unpredictable here. Unless you're staying for a long time it's not worth it.” 13
- “Expect to pay an average of about $100 per night for an RV site during peak season. This may seem a bit expensive, but you're paying for a premium location that's right outside Yosemite. Considering the proximity and the amenities of this resort, the prices are actually quite reasonable.” 18
- “I actually spoke with two different representatives, and neither seemed familiar with their own properties, rental options, or pricing.” 10
Bathroom6 mentions · 1 filmed
- “Bathrooms are late but not kept up. Men's didn't have one toilet stall working (there are only 2) and women's one sink was out of order.” 13
- “Bathrooms on the terrace are a single stall, two sinks, and a nice hot shower with a handheld shower head which was nice.” 22
- “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.” 4
- “The bathroom was compact but functional. There was a single sink, shelving, a toilet, and a bath/shower combo.” 16
- “nice clean temperature controlled bathrooms notice that the single stalls there for men or women were wonderful they were family bathrooms the shower ones next to them were even better” On camera173:18
- “And the bathrooms were quite basic and the nearest shower to our site was a long walk.” 22
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- No reviewer has named an individual room number here yet.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 2 sources — too thin to rely on.
- 12 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Deep coverage · 59/100We read 31 sources for this property, and pulled 103 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-13.
0
Editorial
29
Blogs & sites
2
Video reviews
0
Podcast segments
Breadth
38
Depth
58
Freshness
96
Watch this hotel
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Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 31 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 30CA-120 vs J132 to Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakesirv2.comReview site2026-08-22CurrentRead originalirv2.com
- 8Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Review: Camping Near ...rollingwilliams.comReview site2026-08-18Current4 quotes used
“That's still an excellent location for visiting Yosemite, but families should plan their mornings around the full drive rather than assuming they'll be in Yosemite Valley 20 minutes after leaving the campground.”
Read originalrollingwilliams.com - 10Read Customer Service Reviews of www.thousandtrails.comtrustpilot.comReview site2026-08-17Current18 quotes used
“I contacted Thousand Trails customer service and was told that it was not possible to use the value of the complimentary pass toward the payment of my current subscription or toward upgrading my subscription. That tells…”
Read originaltrustpilot.com - 13Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Campingthedyrt.comReview site2026-08-12Current28 quotes used
“Toilets and sinks were very clean.”
Read originalthedyrt.com - 22Yosemite Lakes Thousand Trails, Groveland | Campendiummaps.campendium.comReview site2026-05-21Current10 quotes used
“When checking in, the friendly host took us in a golf cart to pick a spot.”
Read originalmaps.campendium.com - 7What's your experience with Thousand Trails? The parks, ...reddit.comForum thread2025-10-17Recent2 quotes used
“When we arrived today, we found used menstrual pads and cigarette butts scattered around our site-and noticed that many of our neighbors have been living here for like a year.”
Read originalreddit.com
Showing 6 of 31 cited · 31 read
1/6
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