Yosemite National Park's Sizable Campground Undergoes Exciting Renovations and Features Interesting Hike-Up Accommodations
Tuolumne Meadows Campground Reopens After Major Renovation
Tuolumne Meadows Campground, located in Yosemite National Park, has reopened after a three-year closure for a transformative $26 million rehabilitation project. The campground, which is the largest in the park and one of the most expansive in the National Park System, covering almost 140 acres of land, has undergone significant changes and upgrades.
The project addressed over $11 million in deferred maintenance and updated infrastructure, providing more ecological conservation and protection. The upgraded campground now offers 336 sites, including 304 standard and hike-in sites, 21 backpacker sites, seven group sites, and four horse sites. Fees for the campground are $36 per night for standard sites, $75 for group sites, and $50 for horse/stock sites.
One of the key improvements is the addition of ten new and renovated restrooms that are compliant with the Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standards. The project also included the addition of 29 new hike-in campsites, revitalized campsite fixtures like picnic tables, fire rings, and food lockers, and an accessible Dana Campfire Circle with companion seating.
The campground typically brings in about 141,000 overnight guests and roughly 500,000 visitors to its surrounding area each year. Nearby amenities include a small grocery store, a grill/restaurant, and a post office in Tuolumne Meadows. A dump station operates in the summer in Tuolumne Meadows.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground is located along Tioga Road, about an hour and a half's drive from the Yosemite Valley floor, and closer to the town of Lee Vining than the bustling Yosemite Valley. With reservations nearly entirely booked out, visitors are eager to experience the revitalized area.
The reopening of Tuolumne Meadows Campground coincides with the historic opening of all 13 Yosemite campgrounds for the first time in six years. The campground's high elevation brings cool nights, often ten degrees cooler than Yosemite Valley. However, it's important to note that Tuolumne Meadows Campground has limited cell service, no internet, and no ice for sale, so visitors should plan ahead.
The campground's bear country status requires strict food storage in provided lockers. Showers are available in Yosemite Valley at Curry Village. The unique alpine environment of the campground, which sits at a high elevation of about 8,600 feet, is open seasonally (usually July to late September), adding to its appeal for those seeking solitude and cooler summer conditions away from the valley crowd.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground offers a quieter, less crowded, and pristine high-country experience distinct from the famous Yosemite Valley, with vast subalpine meadows, granite domes, alpine rivers, and seasonal wildflowers in a stunning but often overlooked area. The campground sits at a high elevation, providing a unique alpine environment that is open seasonally, making it a favored basecamp for backcountry exploration.
These factors position Tuolumne Meadows Campground as an underrated, spectacular destination within Yosemite, embodying qualities of a "sleeper" national park: exceptional natural beauty, improved facilities, and relative seclusion not widely known or visited by the majority of park tourists. The reopening of Tuolumne Meadows Campground signals brighter futures for national park infrastructure nationwide.
Travelers exploring Yosemite National Park can now add Tuolumne Meadows Campground to their itinerary, as it has reopened after a major renovation, complete with updated facilities and improved infrastructure. The campground's expansive landscape, featuring subalpine meadows, granite domes, and alpine rivers, provides a tranquil, less crowded lifestyle seemingly untouched by the usual park crowds.
