Yosemite’s Tuolumne Meadows Campground To Reopen

Tuolumne Meadows Campground in Yosemite National Park—Yosemite photo

Yosemite, CA — Tuolumne Meadows Campground in Yosemite National Park will open next week after a three-year renovation project.

The site will reopen on Tuesday, July 1, following the completion of a $26 million rehabilitation project funded through the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA).

This is the first time Tuolumne Meadows Campground has been available to visitors since building began in 2022. Park officials noted that the improvements not only revitalize one of the National Park System’s largest campgrounds—with 336 standard and hike-in sites, 21 backpacker sites, seven group sites, and four horse sites serving up to 2,200 visitors per night.

“Tuolumne Meadows is a treasured destination for families, backpackers, equestrians, and nature lovers from around the world,” said Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Ray McPadden. “Thanks to the Great American Outdoors Act, we’ve been able to revitalize this beloved campground in a way that honors its past, protects its environment, and prepares it for future generations of visitors.”

To make a reservation, go to Recreation.gov beginning on the following dates:

• July 1 for arrivals between August 1 and September 1
• July 15 for arrivals between September 2 and September 14
•  August 15 for arrivals between September 15 and September 21

The park will also open the Porcupine Flat and Bridalveil Creek campsites on July 15. Beginning July 1, these bookings will be given every day, 14 days before their arrival date.

Park officials provided these key project campground modernization improvements in Yosemite:

• New and upgraded restroom facilities, bringing the total to ten, all meeting Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards. Plus, a new winter camping vault toilet.
• Twenty-nine new hike-in campsites
• New campsite furnishings (picnic tables, fire rings, and food lockers)
• Utility Upgrades: The project includes replacement of an aged water distribution system and upgrades to sewer infrastructure.
• Amphitheater Access Improvements: The Dana Campfire Circle, a beloved site for ranger-led evening programs drawing hundreds of campers, has been updated with accessible routes and companion seating.
• Ecological Restoration & River Protection: In alignment with the 2014 Tuolumne River Plan, the campground’s Loop A road has been realigned to create a 150-foot buffer from the Tuolumne River. Twenty-one campsites within the sensitive 100-foot buffer zone have been removed and relocated, restoring fragile riparian habitat in a federally designated Wild and Scenic River corridor.