Yosemite Area's Best-Kept Secret From Tourists Is This First-Come, First-Serve RV Campground

Yosemite National Park is one of those national parks that tops many visitors' wish lists, known for scenic vistas, Half Dome, and 800 miles of hiking trails. In addition to the well-known attractions, lesser-known places that keep visitors coming back include Hetch Hetchy, known as "Yosemite's Secret Valley," with granite domes, waterfalls, and scenic vistas. Beyond the park itself, there are plenty of attractions and hidden destinations in the greater Yosemite region. You'll find one of these in June Lake, the under-the-radar majestic lakefront mountain town best known as the "Switzerland of California." The first-come, first-served Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground is one of the area's best-kept secrets for RV travelers.

The Aerie Crag Picnic Area and Campground lies along the greater June Lake Loop, a 14-mile stretch on California State Route (Highway 158) near Mammoth Lakes, just off U.S. Route 395. It sits on the shores of Rush Creek in the heart of the Inyo National Forest, at an elevation of 7,200 feet, with the scenic 10,909-foot-high Carson Peak as its backdrop. More specifically, it's located between Grant and Silver Lake and features picnic tables and restrooms, available to anyone venturing around the loop. By definition, an "aerie" is an elevated location or a bird's mountaintop nest, and a "crag" is a steep, rugged rock, which is a fitting name when combined to describe this spot. 

Operating primarily as a day-use area most of the year, it serves as a campground during the busy summer months, aiding with overflow from the more crowded campgrounds in the Yosemite area, particularly its neighbor, Silver Lake Campground. Its campground use is great for those waiting for a spot to open in a more established campground frequented by tourists.

You'll want to be in the know about some of the details, rules, and requirements of this secret spot before embarking on a trip to the area. Aerie Crag offers 10 sites for self-contained RVs only (no tents), which are no longer than 44 feet in length, with no hookups available. The sites are first-come, first-served, with an overnight fee of $23, as of this writing. Quiet hours are observed from 10 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and leashed pets are welcome. You'll need to pack in and pack out your own supplies, particularly drinking water, as none is available at the site, and follow leave-no-trace principles. The campground's sites are marked parking spaces in a paved lot, but campfires are not permitted. 

The Day Use Area operates seasonally, as the June Lake loop and surrounding roads can become impassable in the winter months, so you'll want to check the current status with rangers. This can be done via the U.S. Forest Service website or by contacting the Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center in the town of Lee Vining, at 760-647-3044. It's open Thursday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you're looking for an ideal time to go, June Lake is among the places to experience the best Autumn views in California, and Yosemite is one of the best national parks that transforms into a vibrant fall-hued haven for the season. The campground is sometimes available into the fall months of September and October, but check with the Forest Service to make sure.

As more RV travelers discover this secret campground spot inside the June Lake Loop, they're sharing their experiences. The website Campendium, which is part of the Roadtrippers app, allows campers to rate and review campgrounds across the U.S. Overall, Aerie Crag shows an overall rating of 4 out of 5, with praise for its scenic views, quiet setting, and value as a larger-campground alternative. One user described it as a "happy surprise" after trying to secure a spot at other June Lake campgrounds and noted they "almost had the place to ourselves most nights." Another said it was a "great find when Silver Lake Campground is full" and "stunning in the fall while a third noted that they would stay again, the only downside being the no campfire rule. 

If you're camping at Aerie Crag or just stopping for a rest, you can stretch your legs on a scenic hike right from the picnic area. The Lower Rush Creek Loop Trail is a 2.9-mile round-trip loop, which you can locate from the June Lake Loop Road and Rush Creek. All Trails classifies this loop as an easy hike, which is largely flat along the creekside, with just a 150-foot elevation gain. You can expect the hike to take an hour to roughly 90 minutes, with care taken at a couple of points where the trail crosses the road.  You can also discover additional outdoor recreation at the nearby Silver Lake Campground and Silver Lake, which offer a boat launch and a trailhead with trails leading directly into the nearby Ansel Adams Wilderness area. The Silver Lake Resort has a general store for camping provisions and an on-site cafe.