Camping Near Tioga Pass Outside Yosemite

[maverick]

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/re ... 6&actid=29

[MichaelRPetrick]

Yeah it is filthy with people... Way too crowded for my taste near to a weekend start point. Mid-week, a little more tolerable, but still not my cup of tea.

Well, THAT’s not good news - I was planning a night there early next week myself. Now I may reconsider.

On a Monday or Tuesday it might be way less crowded.

Also another thing to bear in mind is that a lot of permits appear to be going unused this year. Folks have commented on seeing way less people than usual in the backcountry since SIPs. Seems like that would translate to the BP campground in TM as well.

[sambieni]

Yosemite staff made it quite clear that social distancing in BP CG is a challenge and to bear that in mind. So perhaps absolute #s are down, but relative space is at more premium due to COVID-19. And they are unfortunately not permitting people to overflow into areas across rest of the campground.

[grampy]

Thanks Mav, for the link.

Perhaps I’ll try one of the less(er)-used Inyo NF c.g.s outside the park.
>> Has anyone stayed at Sawmill walk-in campground (near Saddlebag)? Seems like a 1/4-mile walk in from the road would make it not so popular ... but I could be dead-wrong.
Do I need to get there (or at any of these “first-come first-served” spots) around 2:00 (or before) to get a spot, or would it be fairly easy on a Tuesday ?