Yosemite Campgrounds Opening Dates Change

[maverick]

Yosemite NP:

There's still lots of snow in the high country, so we've changed the tentative opening dates for Tuolumne Meadows Campground and Bridalveil Creek group sites from July 15 to August 1. We will not be accepting reservations for dates prior to August 1 for these two campgrounds for now. The campgrounds could still open earlier. We'll provide updates once we make a determination (we won't know for a few months, at least).

Campground reservations are available March 15 at 7 am PDT for camping dates from July 15 to August 14 in all other reservation campgrounds (and for August 1-14 for Tuolumne Meadows and Bridalveil Creek group sites) via https://www.recreation.gov/.

[gary c.]

Thanks for the post. I was just thinking tonight that I wanted to call and ask about what the new date might be.

[markskor]

Be aware that these latest dates posted are for when TM campground reservations are accepted, not the date when the campgrounds are actually open...weeks before. Last year, for example, Yosemite had the TM complex opening June 14 while no reservations were taken there till July 1.
My guess is, (BTW, the snow here in Mammoth Lakes @ 8000 ft has already lost 4 feet this week), that the TM complex will open ~ July 15.

[maverick]

Be aware that these latest dates posted are for when TM campground reservations are accepted, not the date when the campgrounds are actually open...weeks before. Last year, for example, Yosemite had the TM complex opening June 14 while no reservations were taken there till July 1.
My guess is, (BTW, the snow here in Mammoth Lakes @ 8000 ft has already lost 4 feet this week), that the TM complex will open ~ July 15.

Exactly, hence their usage of the word "tentative".

[gary c.]

I understand about the extended "planned" reservation date. But how do we know when they open up and will it be drive up only. A group of us were going to go for the long shot of trying to get a group site for 4th of July. Now I don't see that happening.

[markskor]

Gary,
They have not told us when the store is to re-open this season...nobody knows...looking forward to going back though!
So chill out, plan for ~ July 1 or slightly before, (realize that having that Yosemite corridor open for holiday tourists drives our Eastern economy),
and I will immediately post here anything heard from Aramark.
Mark

[Hobbes]

Aye carumba, what is with the reliance on reservations? TM campground is huge; unless it's a major holiday, I've never seen it full. We go every year - spend the first night down @ June lake after driving our RV from SoCal, then head up to TM early the next day to put our name on the wait list. Our RV is only 22', so we can park it like a normal car and go for a short hike. Get back by noon-1 when the rangers start handing out spots, drive in and get settled. Easy peasy - the key to this game isn't when the system begins to take reservations, but when the campground actually *opens*.

[longri]

TM campground is huge; unless it's a major holiday, I've never seen it full.

Never?

I see it full every year. I've stood in line early A.M. with a bunch of other people trying to get spots. I've been wait listed. I'm not talking about a major holiday, just prime season. During the peak it can be crazy even in the middle of the week. One year it was so bad they modified their policy on stay extensions because there were so many people who couldn't get into a campsite. Now that's not to say you can't drive in at 11pm and illegally poach an apparently unoccupied site sometimes, but that's not the same as saying it isn't full.

Frankly, I find the pre- and post-campground periods to be the most peaceful and pleasant time in Tuolumne. If it takes a little longer to open this year I think that's okay.

[maverick]

If it takes a little longer to open this year I think that's okay.

No, no, no, Mark needs to get to work, and shortening his stay at the Tuolumne store will make him grump and we would not want that.

[mkbgdns]

the last few years, I've gone up the week TM opens. my recollection is that only the first day, if it's the day of the early-opening-announcement, is drive-up only, after that the reservation site accepts reservations. hasn't been crowded, but keep in mind that during the drought, it opened before school was out. not this year.