RV Parks In Mariposa, California

For full hookups and big-rig room, the Hwy 140 private parks lead: the Yosemite / Mariposa KOA in Midpines has full-hookup pull-throughs, a pool, and a lake, and Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal is the closest RV park to the Arch Rock valley entrance. The county-run Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park offers level water-and-electric pads near town. For public no-hookup camping, the BLM Merced River sites near Briceburg are primitive and first-come, and the Yosemite Valley campgrounds are the coveted, hard-to-book prize. Most RVers base on Hwy 140 and drive into the park.

Hwy 140 from Mariposa is the best big-rig route into Yosemite because it is the lowest and least steep of the entrance roads and stays open all year. You can drive the rig to the valley, but RV camping inside the valley is limited, with strict length limits and no hookups, and parking is tight. The far easier plan is to base at a full-hookup park along Hwy 140 (Mariposa, Midpines, or El Portal) and drive a car or ride the valley shuttle in. Avoid bringing a big rig over Tioga Pass (CA-120) or the steeper southern CA-41 route.

The private Hwy 140 parks do. The Yosemite / Mariposa KOA and Indian Flat RV Park offer full or near-full hookups with 30 and 50 amp service, and the KOA has big-rig pull-throughs. The Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park has water and electric but not always sewer at every site. The public options do not have hookups: the BLM Merced River sites and the Yosemite Valley campgrounds are no-hookup, with dump stations available, so you run on your own resources. If you want full hookups and big-rig space, book one of the private parks along Hwy 140.

It spans a wide range. The BLM Merced River sites are the cheapest at roughly $10 to $15 a night for primitive first-come camping, and Yosemite Valley sites are about $36 a night if you can win one. The Mariposa Fairgrounds sits at moderate county rates with hookups. The private Hwy 140 parks run higher, generally $50 to $80-plus for a full-hookup site in summer, with the KOA at the top. Remember to add the Yosemite entrance fee (or use an America the Beautiful pass). To save, visit in fall and book weekly if you are touring the Sierra.

Very hard. The Upper, Lower, and North Pines campgrounds in Yosemite Valley release on Recreation.gov five months in advance in monthly blocks, and the popular summer dates sell out within minutes of opening. If you want one, set an alarm for the exact release time, log in early, have your dates and a backup ready, and expect to compete with thousands of others. Most RVers do not win this lottery and instead base at a full-hookup park along Hwy 140, which is honestly more comfortable for a big rig anyway. The valley sites also have length limits and no hookups.

Fall is our pick for easy camping: mild, golden weather, thinner crowds, and far simpler reservations than summer, though the waterfalls run low. Spring is spectacular for scenery, with the waterfalls peaking in May, but the valley is busy and you will need to book early. Summer is the peak, with hot foothills, a packed valley, and often a timed-entry requirement just to drive in, so reserve everything months ahead. Winter is quiet and beautiful, with Hwy 140 open all year (carry chains) and the valley dusted in snow, a great time if you do not mind the cold.

Sometimes, depending on the year and season. Yosemite has used a timed-entry (peak-hours) reservation system during busy periods, typically required to drive into the park on summer days and some spring and fall weekends, separate from any campground reservation. The rules change year to year, so the single most important thing to do before a peak-season visit is check the current entry requirements on the official park website. If a reservation is required and you do not have one, you can be turned away at the gate during the controlled hours, so plan ahead or enter outside the reservation window.

Yes, modestly. The BLM Merced River campgrounds near Briceburg (McCabe Flat, Willow Placer, Railroad Flat) are first-come, primitive, no-hookup sites along the Wild and Scenic Merced, best for smaller self-contained rigs since access and sites are tight. The Sierra National Forest also has dispersed and small developed campgrounds in the hills around Mariposa. Inside Yosemite itself there is no boondocking, and overnight parking is restricted. So while the area offers some budget first-come public camping, big rigs and anyone wanting hookups should plan on a reserved private park along Hwy 140 instead.

Yes, at the private Hwy 140 parks. The Yosemite / Mariposa KOA has big-rig pull-throughs and full hookups, and the Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park offers open, level pads that are easy for long rigs. Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal is tighter and wooded, so call ahead for a big rig there. The catch is inside Yosemite, where the valley campgrounds have strict length limits and primitive BLM sites cannot take big rigs at all. The right plan for a 40-footer is to base on Hwy 140 with full hookups and tour the park by car or shuttle.

Plenty. Mariposa is a real gold-rush town with the oldest continuously used courthouse in California, a strong mining and mineral museum, and a walkable historic Main Street. The Merced River along Hwy 140 is excellent for rafting and swimming in early summer. Near the park’s south end, the Mariposa Grove holds hundreds of giant sequoias including the Grizzly Giant. Add scenic foothill drives on Highway 49 through gold country, local wineries, and dark-sky stargazing away from valley light, and you can fill the non-park days easily, which helps if you are spacing out timed-entry park visits.

The lower-elevation options stay open while the high country closes. Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal and the Mariposa Fairgrounds generally operate year-round, since the foothills along Hwy 140 rarely get heavy snow, and Hwy 140 itself is Yosemite’s designated all-year route. The KOA and some private parks reduce hours or close in deep winter, so call ahead. Inside the park, Tioga Pass and the high campgrounds close, while a limited valley campground may stay open. Winter camping here means basing low along Hwy 140, carrying chains, and driving up to a snowy, peaceful valley when conditions allow.

Because the public campgrounds (BLM Merced River, Yosemite Valley) have no sewer hookups, they rely on dump stations, including the one in Yosemite Valley, which you can use during a park day. The private Hwy 140 parks include full hookups at the site, so you dump and fill directly there. If you are staying somewhere without a dump or passing through on Hwy 140, see our companion guide to RV dump stations in Mariposa for the nearest public and commercial options, including locations, hours, and any fees, so you can plan tank stops around your Yosemite days instead of scrambling for one.

For full hookups and big-rig room, the Hwy 140 private parks lead: the Yosemite / Mariposa KOA in Midpines has full-hookup pull-throughs, a pool, and a lake, and Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal is the closest RV park to the Arch Rock valley entrance. The county-run Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park offers level water-and-electric pads near town. For public no-hookup camping, the BLM Merced River sites near Briceburg are primitive and first-come, and the Yosemite Valley campgrounds are the coveted, hard-to-book prize. Most RVers base on Hwy 140 and drive into the park.

Hwy 140 from Mariposa is the best big-rig route into Yosemite because it is the lowest and least steep of the entrance roads and stays open all year. You can drive the rig to the valley, but RV camping inside the valley is limited, with strict length limits and no hookups, and parking is tight. The far easier plan is to base at a full-hookup park along Hwy 140 (Mariposa, Midpines, or El Portal) and drive a car or ride the valley shuttle in. Avoid bringing a big rig over Tioga Pass (CA-120) or the steeper southern CA-41 route.

The private Hwy 140 parks do. The Yosemite / Mariposa KOA and Indian Flat RV Park offer full or near-full hookups with 30 and 50 amp service, and the KOA has big-rig pull-throughs. The Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park has water and electric but not always sewer at every site. The public options do not have hookups: the BLM Merced River sites and the Yosemite Valley campgrounds are no-hookup, with dump stations available, so you run on your own resources. If you want full hookups and big-rig space, book one of the private parks along Hwy 140.

It spans a wide range. The BLM Merced River sites are the cheapest at roughly $10 to $15 a night for primitive first-come camping, and Yosemite Valley sites are about $36 a night if you can win one. The Mariposa Fairgrounds sits at moderate county rates with hookups. The private Hwy 140 parks run higher, generally $50 to $80-plus for a full-hookup site in summer, with the KOA at the top. Remember to add the Yosemite entrance fee (or use an America the Beautiful pass). To save, visit in fall and book weekly if you are touring the Sierra.

Very hard. The Upper, Lower, and North Pines campgrounds in Yosemite Valley release on Recreation.gov five months in advance in monthly blocks, and the popular summer dates sell out within minutes of opening. If you want one, set an alarm for the exact release time, log in early, have your dates and a backup ready, and expect to compete with thousands of others. Most RVers do not win this lottery and instead base at a full-hookup park along Hwy 140, which is honestly more comfortable for a big rig anyway. The valley sites also have length limits and no hookups.

Fall is our pick for easy camping: mild, golden weather, thinner crowds, and far simpler reservations than summer, though the waterfalls run low. Spring is spectacular for scenery, with the waterfalls peaking in May, but the valley is busy and you will need to book early. Summer is the peak, with hot foothills, a packed valley, and often a timed-entry requirement just to drive in, so reserve everything months ahead. Winter is quiet and beautiful, with Hwy 140 open all year (carry chains) and the valley dusted in snow, a great time if you do not mind the cold.

Sometimes, depending on the year and season. Yosemite has used a timed-entry (peak-hours) reservation system during busy periods, typically required to drive into the park on summer days and some spring and fall weekends, separate from any campground reservation. The rules change year to year, so the single most important thing to do before a peak-season visit is check the current entry requirements on the official park website. If a reservation is required and you do not have one, you can be turned away at the gate during the controlled hours, so plan ahead or enter outside the reservation window.

Yes, modestly. The BLM Merced River campgrounds near Briceburg (McCabe Flat, Willow Placer, Railroad Flat) are first-come, primitive, no-hookup sites along the Wild and Scenic Merced, best for smaller self-contained rigs since access and sites are tight. The Sierra National Forest also has dispersed and small developed campgrounds in the hills around Mariposa. Inside Yosemite itself there is no boondocking, and overnight parking is restricted. So while the area offers some budget first-come public camping, big rigs and anyone wanting hookups should plan on a reserved private park along Hwy 140 instead.

Yes, at the private Hwy 140 parks. The Yosemite / Mariposa KOA has big-rig pull-throughs and full hookups, and the Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park offers open, level pads that are easy for long rigs. Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal is tighter and wooded, so call ahead for a big rig there. The catch is inside Yosemite, where the valley campgrounds have strict length limits and primitive BLM sites cannot take big rigs at all. The right plan for a 40-footer is to base on Hwy 140 with full hookups and tour the park by car or shuttle.

Plenty. Mariposa is a real gold-rush town with the oldest continuously used courthouse in California, a strong mining and mineral museum, and a walkable historic Main Street. The Merced River along Hwy 140 is excellent for rafting and swimming in early summer. Near the park’s south end, the Mariposa Grove holds hundreds of giant sequoias including the Grizzly Giant. Add scenic foothill drives on Highway 49 through gold country, local wineries, and dark-sky stargazing away from valley light, and you can fill the non-park days easily, which helps if you are spacing out timed-entry park visits.

The lower-elevation options stay open while the high country closes. Indian Flat RV Park in El Portal and the Mariposa Fairgrounds generally operate year-round, since the foothills along Hwy 140 rarely get heavy snow, and Hwy 140 itself is Yosemite’s designated all-year route. The KOA and some private parks reduce hours or close in deep winter, so call ahead. Inside the park, Tioga Pass and the high campgrounds close, while a limited valley campground may stay open. Winter camping here means basing low along Hwy 140, carrying chains, and driving up to a snowy, peaceful valley when conditions allow.

Because the public campgrounds (BLM Merced River, Yosemite Valley) have no sewer hookups, they rely on dump stations, including the one in Yosemite Valley, which you can use during a park day. The private Hwy 140 parks include full hookups at the site, so you dump and fill directly there. If you are staying somewhere without a dump or passing through on Hwy 140, see our companion guide to RV dump stations in Mariposa for the nearest public and commercial options, including locations, hours, and any fees, so you can plan tank stops around your Yosemite days instead of scrambling for one.