Crane Flat Campground, elevation 6,200 feet (1,900 m), is located in Yosemite National Park, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of Yosemite Valley. Of all campgrounds outside of Yosemite Valley, Crane Flat is the closest to the Valley in terms of mileage and travel time (20 minutes). The campground is directly off the road, unlike some other campgrounds that may require a rough 2-4 mile drive from the main road to the campsite. Each campsite contains a fire ring, picnic table, and food locker, and is near a bathroom with potable water and flushing toilets.
A reservation is required to stay at Crane Flat. Crane Flat is one of the more crowded campsites outside the Valley, but it is a little less noisy than those in the Valley. There are a total of 271 campsites in 5 different driving loops to choose from. The terrain of Crane Flat is very similar to campgrounds in the Valley though it is higher in elevation and not as flat. Trees surround and tower over the campsites making way for very shady campsite environments. You will not find a creek or any sort of running water in this campground; however, the area is not dry and some sites have a nice view of a meadow.
Directly outside of the campground entrance you will find the Crane Flat Gas Station / Store, which may come in handy if you need to refuel. The campground is about 100 yards from the three roads branches: HWY 120W to San Francisco, HWY 120E to Tioga Road, Big Oak Flat Road to Yosemite Valley.
In the winter time, the campground is converted into a Snow Play Area. Parking in the winter for this snow play area is extremely limited.
Read more about Crane Flat Campground: Destinations Nearby
Famous quotes containing the words crane and/or flat:
“The bells, I say, the bells break down their tower;
And swing I know not where.”
—Hart Crane (1899–1932)
“The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience there is no theater. Every technique learned by the actor, every curtain, every flat on the stage, every careful analysis by the director, every coordinated scene, is for the enjoyment of the audience. They are our guests, our evaluators, and the last spoke in the wheel which can then begin to roll. They make the performance meaningful.”
—Viola Spolin (b. 1911)