Crane Flat
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
| Address: | Crane Flat Campground, Groveland, CA 95321, USA |
| GPS: |
37°44'53.1"N 119°47'58.7"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | California |
Restrooms Picnic Tables Trails Rocks Wildflowers Pet Friendly National Park
Backpack, Camp, Hike, and Snowshoe
Crane Flat Campground is a meadow and forest between Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias. The campground is 30 minutes outside Yosemite Valley, has restrooms and picnic tables, and accommodates both tents and RVs. The campground is open July-October, and each campsite comes with a fire pit, picnic table, and a food locker to keep your food and the bears in Yosemite safe. There are no more than 6 people allowed to a campsite, unless you reserve a bigger site that hosts 13-30 campers.
Birdwatching is an activity enjoyed year-round by many people who visit Crane Flat. Some of the most popular birds in Yosemite are the great gray owl, spotted owl, peregrine falcon, pileated woodpecker, and the northern goshawk.
Nearby hikes open in the spring and fall include Lukens Lake, Tuolumne Grove and Nature Trail, Merced Grove, Harden Lake, May Lake, North Dome, and Ten Lakes.
Skiing and snowshoeing is available in the winter, and Crane Flat has some awesome options. Nearby trails include Crane Flat Lookout, Tuolumne Grove, Gin Flat Loop, Clark Range View, South Landing Road, Rockefeller Grove, and Merced Grove. Remember the icy conditions make these activities more dangerous, and winter days are shorter, so you may not be able to travel as far as you would like to.
More Information
Yosemite National Park Itinerary
This Yosemite National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yosemite National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yosemite-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diinRecreation.gov - Camping, Cabins, RVs, Permits, Passes & More
We’re here to help you dream up your next trip, figure out the details, and reserve experiences at over 3,600 facilities and 103,000 individual sites across the country.
https://www.recreation.gov/Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
- Head southwest on CA-120 E toward Tuolumne Grove RdToll road(7.5 mi)
- Turn right onto Yosemite National Park RdToll roadDestination will be on the left(0.2 mi)
It is accessible year round, but tire chains may be required October through April.
Other Hiking Trails, Snowshoe Trails, and Backpacking Trails Nearby
Hite Cove Trail
El Portal, California
8.2 miles SWOne of Yosemite's earliest wildflower blooms lights up the Hite Cove Trail in spring, with the added bonus of watching the South and Central Fork Merced rivers merge.
Hike, Swim 0.2 mi
Bridalveil Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.7 miles EA 620-foot waterfall that flows year-round and soaks onlookers with mist — Bridalveil Falls is just a quick half-mile paved walk from the trailhead, wheelchair accessible and pet friendly.
Hike 0.2 mi
Ribbon Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
8.8 miles EThe longest single-drop waterfall in North America at 1,612 feet — seasonal and best seen in late morning when the sun hits it directly, visible from El Capitan Road as you enter Yosemite Valley.
Hike
Horsetail Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
9.4 miles EFor a few weeks in mid-to-late February, Horsetail Falls glows orange with reflected sunset light — a rare 'firefall' phenomenon requiring clear skies and a parking permit.
Hike 15.9 mi
Valley Loop Trail
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.5 miles EAn 11.5-mile loop trail through the heart of Yosemite Valley following the Merced River past wildflower meadows, the Three Brothers, El Capitan, and Bridalveil Falls — with nearly no elevation gain.
Hike 0.5 mi
McGurk Meadow
Yosemite National Park
10.8 miles SEA flat, 0.8-mile walk through one of Yosemite's most secluded wildflower meadows, complete with a brook and a historic 1800s cabin — few visitors, pure charm.
Hike 1.2 mi
Taft Point
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
10.9 miles EA 5-mile Yosemite loop pairing Sentinel Dome with Taft Point, offering El Capitan views, dramatic cliff fissures, and 3,000-foot valley vistas — no guard rails, so watch your footing.
Hike 0.8 mi
Lower Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.1 miles EA short, flat walk to the base of a 3,967-foot waterfall — twice the height of the Empire State Building and one of North America's tallest, best visited in spring or early summer before it dries.
Hike 0.7 mi
Cook's Meadow Loop
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.3 miles EA nearly 1-mile, nearly flat loop in Sentinel Meadow with close-up views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, Glacier Point, and Sentinel Rock — Yosemite's best easy walk.
Hike 4.6 mi
Four Mile Trail
Yosemite National Park
11.6 miles EA 4.7-mile one-way hike connecting Yosemite Valley to Glacier Point with views of Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, El Capitan, and the Royal Arches — best visited in spring when the falls run full.
Hike
Harden Lake
Big Oak Flat, Yosemite National Park
11.8 miles NEA long but gentle 5.8-mile walk down old Tioga Road through granite domes and red fir forest to a serene lake ringed by wildflowers — with optional extension to the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne.
Backpack, Hike 2.9 mi
Upper Yosemite Falls
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.8 miles EThe tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425 feet — a 7.2-mile, 2,600-ft-gain hike to the top of Upper Yosemite Falls with stunning valley views along the way.
Hike 0.7 mi
Lukens Lake
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
12.3 miles NEA short 1.6-mile forest walk to a secluded lake famous for the luminescent shooting stars visible while you swim, plus a wildflower meadow that peaks in July.
Hike, Swim 0.3 mi
Glacier Point
Yosemite National Park
12.4 miles EPerched at 7,214 feet above Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point delivers bird's-eye views of Half Dome, El Capitan, and multiple waterfalls — accessible by car or a 4.7-mile hike.
Hike 1.7 mi
Mono Meadow
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
12.9 miles SEA short, lightly trafficked 3-mile round-trip hike through a wildflower meadow recovering from wildfire, offering simultaneous views of Mt. Starr King, Clarke Range, and Half Dome.
Hike 4.1 mi
North Dome
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
13.1 miles EA strenuous 10.4-mile hike through Yosemite forest to North Dome, rewarding hikers with the best straight-on view of Half Dome from 7,450 feet — plus a 0.6-mile detour to a 15-foot granite arch.
Backpack, Hike 0.4-2.1 mi
Illilouette Falls
Yosemite West, Yosemite National Park
13.3 miles EA 4-mile hike starting downhill from Glacier Point to a footbridge view of Illilouette Falls — with a side trip on the quieter Panorama Trail adding Half Dome and Nevada Falls views.
Hike 1.9-2.9 mi
Mist Trail
Yosemite National Park
13.3 miles EA steep, mist-soaked Yosemite staircase hike climbing 639 stone steps past Vernal and Nevada Falls — with Half Dome, Whitecap, and Mt. Broderick views from the switchbacks above.
Backpack, Hike
Mirror Lake
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
13.7 miles EA paved, car-free trail winds to this seasonal lake at the base of Half Dome, offering a still mirror reflection and a popular summer swimming hole.
Backpack, Hike, Swim 2.3 mi
Wapama Falls
Groveland, California
13.7 miles NA 5-mile moderate hike along the Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite to 1,000-foot Wapama Falls — cross a dam, walk through a tunnel, and prepare to get sprayed by the mist at the bridge below.
Backpack, HikeNearby Campsites
Merced River
Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
11.8 miles EThe Merced River circles Yosemite Valley with whitewater, swimming holes, gold-panning spots, and unbeatable views of Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point at every bend.
Camp, Swim, Whitewater
Briceburg Recreation Area
Midpines, California
14.6 miles SWBriceburg is where State Route 140 drops out of the Sierra foothills and meets the Wild and Scenic Merced River, twelve miles east of Mariposa on the road to Yosemite, and it's one of the best public...
Camp, Kayak, Swim 5.7 mi
Ten Lakes
Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
18.5 miles NEA 6.4-mile hike from Yosemite Creek to three of the Ten Lakes Basin's seven lakes, through wildflower meadows, forests, and past the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, gaining 2,200 feet.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 6.1 mi
Glen Aulin
Wawona, California
23.5 miles NEAn 11-mile hike along the Tuolumne River to Glen Aulin with 800 feet of gain, passing Tuolumne Falls, Soda Springs, wildflower meadows, and the stunning White Cascade.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Glen Aulin
Glen Aulin, California
23.6 miles NEA popular introductory Yosemite High Country backcountry hike following the Tuolumne River to a High Sierra Camp beside the White Cascade waterfall, with further options to Waterwheel Falls.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Tuolumne Meadows
Tuolumne County, California
26.3 miles EA stunning alpine meadow in the high Sierra with granite domes and mountain views, the meandering Tuolumne River, and access to Yosemite backcountry — open summer only when the park road is clear.
Camp, Hike 4.0 mi
Saddlebag Lake
Lee Vining, California
32.5 miles NEAt 10,008 ft, this Eastern Sierra alpine lake offers exceptional trout fishing, a scenic four-mile loop, and a water taxi into the heart of the Twenty Lakes Basin.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Crystal Lake
Mammoth Lakes, California
44.3 miles EA 3.2-mile roundtrip Sierra day hike past Lake George, Lake Marie, and Lake Mamie, ending at Crystal Lake beneath the monolith Crystal Crag — shaded trail with room to swim, fish, or picnic lakeside.
Camp, Hike
