Porcupine Flat Campground Near Tioga Road
Porcupine Flat Campground is closed in 2022.
Porcupine Flat is a more primitive-style campground with narrow roads, making it unsuitable for RVs. Tent campers will have to filter, boil or treat water from nearby Porcupine Creek for cooking and drinking. Since theres no running water at this campground, the restrooms are pit-toilets.
Located at 8,100 feet in elevation, Porcupine Flat Campground usually has a short season, normally open mid-July through early October.
Do I Need A Reservation To Visit Yosemite
Yes, if you are driving a vehicle into or through Yosemite National Park between 6 am and 4 pm , you must have one of the following with matching photo ID:
- A reservation for a campground in Yosemite National Park: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Camp 4, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, or Yosemite Creek
- Commercial use authorization
- Special use permit
Driving through the park without stopping requires a reservation if entering the park between 6 am and 4 pm.
The vehicle entrance fee, which is valid for three days, still applies. For those with an overnight reservation, the fee is valid for three days or the duration of the overnight reservation . Credit cards are the only form of payment accepted for entrance fees.If you enter the park via YARTS buses, bicycle, on foot, or on horseback, or if you visit Hetch Hetchy, you do not need a peak-hours reservation to enter the park. Park entrance fees still apply.
New: Plan To Enter Outside Of Peak Use Times After 4 Pm Or Before 6 Am
Sunset lovers and night photographers rejoice! NPS heard you. This temporary restriction is designed to reduce traffic congestion during peak hours, so if youre planning to arrive outside of these times, you dont need to get peak hour reservations.
If you enter the park before 6 am, you can stay and enjoy the park during the day. If thats too early, simply spend the day enjoying things to do outside Yosemite and drive in after 4 pm. At summer solstice when the sun sets around 9 pm, thats 5 whole hours to explore the park even if you dont get a vehicle reservation.
The regular entrance fee still applies if you enter after peak hours. Also, your off-peak pass will be valid for three days, however, it will only be valid outside of peak hours for those days.
Read Also: Camping World In Bowling Green
Why Is The Park Changing From Day
In response to public feedback, we are piloting a peak-hour reservation system, similar to what some other national parks have tried. This system may provide more flexibility and alternatives for those unable to get a reservation while allowing us to manage parking and traffic issues during the busiest time of day.
Ferguson Fire Community Meeting El Portal July 18
The Unified Commanders, CAL FIRE, US Forest Service and Mariposa County Sheriffs Office, will be hosting a community meeting to discuss the current situation of the Ferguson Fire. Officials will be giving an operational briefing highlighting the current actions that firefighters are taking on the fire. Current maps of the fire will be available, as well as other handouts. Additionally, officials will be available to answer questions.
Recommended Reading: Rv Camping Near Pocatello Idaho
Wawona Campground Near Wawona Road
Wawona Campground is closed in 2022.
The farthest south of Yosemites campgrounds, Wawona is close to the community of Fish Camp and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias. Situated along the South Fork of the Merced River and at an elevation of just 4,000 feet, its picturesque and often warm in early and late season.
Wawona can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length and has a nearby dump station located in Wawona. Drinking water and flush toilets are also located at this campground.
Yosemite Fire Update From August 10 2014
Firefighters have achieved 100% containment of the El Portal Fire and fire managers continue to release resources. The Dark Hole Fire began by a lightning strike on July 17. It is being suppressed by handline construction using minimum impact suppression tactics and natural barriers of granite ridgelines and out-croppings. The fire is currently 862 acres and is 68% contained.
You May Like: State Park Rv Camping Cost
Not Everything In The Park Will Be Open
Just because a national park reopens does not mean everything within the park is open. Staffing challenges may mean that there are limited services available. Be sure to check each park website to ensure that the services you need are available. Lastly, avoiding crowds and practicing Leave No Trace principles in the park are more essential now than ever with reduced park staff. Weve teamed up with organizations and brands across the outdoor industry to help you make smart decisions on recreating to keep yourself and others healthy and to keep access to our beloved public places open. You can read more about how to #RecreateResponsibly.
Yosemite National Park Implements Enhanced Stage 2 Fire Restrictions
Wood fires are prohibited park-wide. Yosemite National Park is experiencing poor air quality due to the Creek Fire, which is an ongoing wildfire burning near Yosemite National Park. The smoke from this fire is degrading air quality throughout the park by creating unhealthy levels of particulate matter.
You May Like: Red Top Mountain State Park Camping
Wawona Northwest Prescribed Fire Update
Yosemite National Park firefighters conducted two days of ignition operations and completed the 150 acre Wawona Northwest Segment B Prescribed Fire Monday evening, April 22. Firefighters have begun mop-up activities to secure the fire perimeter. Those actions may include burning out of interior islands and pockets of unburned fuel that could flare up and threaten existing fire perimeter lines. Active burn down will last 1 2 weeks. Community members and visitors will continue to observe crews from various federal and state agencies conducting mop-up operations.
Obtain One Of The Following
- Commercial Use Authorization
- Special Use Permit
Each of these requires a different reservation or permitting process, and you wont need to duplicate efforts with the temporary vehicle reservation as well.
Note to Annual Passholders: Day-use vehicle reservations ARE REQUIRED, but your annual National Parks pass covers the entrance fee, so make sure you look for a check box on the recreation.gov site so you only pay the $2 reservation fee and not the $35 entrance fee.
Youll need a day-use reservation for your vehicle to enter Yosemite between May 21 and Sep. 30, 2021. Make sure you get one online ahead of time at recreation.gov.
You May Like: New Melones Lake Camping Reservations
Yosemite Fire Update #8
Thunderstorms came through the park July 19 through 22. There are nine confirmed lightning-caused fires. Lightning-caused fires can take days or weeks to detect because vegetation has to dry out enough to create smoke or visible flames after the storm passes over. Additional fires may be discovered as temperatures rise and fuels dry out. Most of these fires are small: single-tree strikes that amount to less than a tenth of an acre. These fires are in the wilderness and are being monitored by either fire crews hiking into the fire areas or via air reconnaissance due to location, sparse fuels, and low growth potential. Yosemite and Point Reyes fire crews are monitoring all fires.
Yosemite Fire Update #14
Yosemite has been experiencing periodical air quality changes due to regional fires. Numerous large fires are burning along the entire western part of the United States and transport winds are carrying smoke across a very large region. This pattern may continue for the next few days. We urge everyone to consider air quality when planning outdoor activities.
Recommended Reading: Best Camping Spots In West Virginia
Yosemite Fire Update #2
The Lakes Fire in the Chilnualna Lakes area, between Turner Meadow and Buena Vista Peak, is a lightning caused fire that is being managed for multiple objectives.This week, Yosemite Crew 1 personnel hiked into the fire and reported it to be 15.3 acres with the most activity on the northeast and southwest edges of the fire, due to the slope and wind alignment.Growth potential is estimated to be high.
Yosemite Campgrounds Open For 2021
Yosemite Campgrounds Open for 2021: In case you missed it, Yosemite National Park opened up additional campgrounds for camping! Now you can make a reservation and camp at Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows and Camp 4 for arrival through August 14th. Unfortunately, most campsites are already booked for arrivals through August 14th. The next opportunity to book campsites will be on April 15th at 7am PDT .
Bridal Veil Creek Campground will also open . Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, and Porcupine Flat Campgrounds will not open in 2021.
Cancellations Happen!
Remember, cancellations do happen. Get a text & email alert when a Yosemite campground has availability through cancellations with Campsite Assist!
Yosemite Valley
Upper Pines Campground: On March 15, reservations became available for arrivals between July 15August 14 for 120 sites. There will also be 17 additional sites available between May 1 and August 14. Campsites closed for 2021: 004, 008, 012, 016, 020, 038, 040, 056, 058, 060, 063, 065, 070, 079, 081, 084, 094, 097, 101, 107, 115, 118, 122, 123, 127, 130, 131, 134, 138, 148, 149, 152, 157, 160, 161, 164, 165, 166, 168, 169, 173, 174, 177, 180, 181, 183, 188240.
Lower Pines Campground: On March 15, reservations became available for April 19August 14. Lower Pines Campground will open April 19October 25 with 64 sites. Campsites closed for 2021: 022, 032, 046, 047, 056, 057, 064, 066, 074, 075.
Don’t Miss: Camping Near La Junta Colorado
Common Closures In Yosemite National Park
Yosemite Lodging Closures
Yosemite has thirteen in-park campgrounds. To choose which campground will best serve your needs, read all about camping in Yosemite. Upper Pines, Camp 4, Hodgdon Meadow, and Wawona are typically open year-round. The other campgrounds are primarily open during the main summer season .
Reservations for the in-park campgrounds open up 5 months in advance on the 15th of the month. So if you are planning on starting your trip on July 7, then youll want to make your campground reservation on February 15.
Youll find seven lodges in the park. The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge, and Curry Village are usually open year-round. The other lodging options are open seasonally .
Reservations for the in-park lodges generally open up one year in advance of your travel dates.
Common Road Closures in Yosemite
Most of the popular activities in Yosemite are only accessible from about mid-May through mid-October. If youre hoping to see all of the cant-miss spots, be sure to plan your trip during those months.
The Hetch Hetchy Entrance stays open year-round but is only open during daylight hours. If there are operating hours listed here, you cannot enter this part of the park outside of these hours.
The entire Glacier Point Road is usually open from about the beginning of May through October, depending on the weather. During the winter, the Glacier Point Road stays open to the Badger Pass Ski Area, where you can ski, snowshoe, or go tubing.
Can You Drive Through Yosemite Without A Permit
You are not need to make a reservation to drive through the park to reach a location on the opposite side of the park. The ranger at the entry station will issue a time-stamped permit that is good for the amount of time it takes to travel from one entrance to the next. You must take the shortest and most direct way out of the park stopping is not permitted.
You May Like: Tent Camping Near Baton Rouge
Happy Isles To Little Yosemite Valley Backpack
For a truly family-friendly backpacking trip, consider Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley, a very popular area precisely because it is such a great place for day hikes to Half Dome and for bringing the family on a short backcountry adventure. Be aware it is one of the most difficult places in the park to get a wilderness permit.
Spend a couple days hiking around this long, flat valley surrounded by granite domes, waterfalls and the Merced River that cuts through it. The campground is pretty rustic with shared food lockers and a pit toilet.
Camping is not allowed between Yosemite Valley and Little Yosemite Valley, so you have to set up camp a minimum of two miles past the trailhead. This means at or beyond either Moraine Dome or the Half Dome/John Muir Trail junction. Camping is not permitted on top of Half Dome or at Lost Lake.
You will need a wilderness permit to backpack in the park. Sixty percent of permits are available via a lottery 24 weeks in advance on www.recreation.gov. The remaining 40% are available seven days ahead on a first-come, first-served basis, also on www.recreation.gov. Log on the second permits become available for your best chance at getting one of these very competitive campsites. If you plan to hike Half Dome on your trip, you will need to add a Half Dome permit to your wilderness permit.
Pack Smart And Heed All Bear Warnings
Weather can be unpredictable and temperatures can change quickly in the Yosemite Area. It is not uncommon to see freezing temperatures and even snow as late as June, especially if youre visiting the higher elevations. Be sure to pack plenty of extra layers, including long-sleeve mid-layers, a down or fleece pullover, and a lightweight waterproof jacket even if youre visiting in summer. A plastic poncho can also come in handy for freak downpours and misty waterfall hikes.
Yosemites black bears are notoriously curious and are known for their voracious appetite. Bears that frequently come into contact with human food and other scented or flavored items like toothpaste can become aggressive towards humans and then sometimes need to be euthanized by park staff.
To keep the bears safe, its important to follow all food storage guidelines. Its also the law, and not following the rules can result in a hefty fine and loss of your camping permit. Bear food storage regulations include storing all food and scented items in your food locker, only having food out if you are actively using it, and disposing of all food in bear-proof garbage cans. If youre backpacking, you need to use bear-resistant food containers, which can be purchased or rented in Yosemite National Park.
You May Like: Rv Camping Near Port Townsend Wa
Meadow Fire Update #7
Last nights operational briefing indicated an additional 30 percent containment of the fire. There are still a few isolated heat sources along the fires perimeter with most of the heat dispersed through the fires interior. Crews continue to patrol containment lines and address hot spots as needed. Isolated heat sources are scattered throughout the fire. Air quality continues to increase as fuels are consumed. Acres burned: 4,772 Containment: 80% Estimated containment: 9/21/14
Yosemite Fire Information And Updates
About This Blog
Fire is a natural and essential part of Yosemite. We manage fire carefully and study how it interacts with the parks ecosystems, and suppress fires that are human caused or threaten people or property. This blog provides updates about fires in Yosemite.
You can also find fire updates at:
Fire Management plans on burning the piles near the Yosemite Elementary school next week, May 3-6, 2022.
You May Like: Camping In New Mexico In November
Dog Rock Fire Update For October 10 2014 At 8 Am
Fire activity has decreased significantly and less smoke will be visible today. Firefighters will continue to mop-up the fire’s northern edge. Over 7,000 feet of hose has been deployed in that area to assist crews with this work.
Due to the excellent progress firefighters have made the evacuation of Foresta was lifted thisafternoon. Control lines and hoselays along the north end of the fire are complete. Crews will work to mop-up that area of the fire to assure it remains contained.
Yosemite Fire Update #4
The lightning caused Yosemite Creek, Boundary Peak and South Fork Fires have been declared out. The remote Wheel Fire, near Glen Aulin will be looked over by helicopter flights, although no smoke has been reported in a number of days from this fire. Haze and smoke from numerous regional fires are impacting air quality within Yosemite National Park. The most visible haze is from the Washington Fire near Lake Tahoe.
Don’t Miss: Camping Cabins Near Colorado Springs
America The Beautiful Pass
If youre planning to visit more than 2-3 big national parks in a year, you should consider getting the America the Beautiful Pass.
This pass is sold at REI, costs $80, and will get you into all of the National Park Service sites.
You can also buy the America the Beautiful Pass at any park entrance station that collects fees or online here. The National Park Service sells discounted passes for seniors and veterans.
Get your FREE California Travel Planner including printable checklists and my favorite two-week itinerary for the state.
Yosemite Rv Camping Inside The Park
In Yosemite National Park, RV Camping is only allowed in designated campsites. That means no pulling over by the side of the road or parking overnight in parking lots. If you want to stay inside the park, youll need to get an official campsite. Unfortunately, due to high demand, this can be a challenging process.
You May Like: Yellow Post Camping Big Bear
Ditch The Rv Take The Shuttle
Parking for RVs is limited inside Yosemite National Park, especially at trailheads.
You should leave your RV at the larger visitor center parking lot, and use the free Yosemite Valley shuttle to get around. Show up to the park before 9am to beat the lines.
If you want to leave your RV outside the park you can find Greyhound and Amtrack services that take you into the park.
Tickets for these services could run out early so make reservations ahead of time.