Mammoth Yosemite 2wd camping

[Adventurezoutside]

Send me a link, thanks

[daveb]

Originally Posted by SixCardCharlie

Ive actually stayed there for a few nights. The map/information paper that you get when you go in actually says you can stay there till a certain month in the year.

I think it was october. I could have read somthing wrong and just got lucky lol..

I could be wrong but I think they mean you can park there overnight until October. The parking lot also serves as a trailhead to foot trails. Several of our group have stealth camped there but my understanding is you're not allowed to camp there unless they changed the rules during the past year or so. Before I'd attempt to overnight at Glacier I'd call the park service and ask.

[Adventurezoutside]

Im not interested in Stealth camping, I will be pitching tents with 4 kids, No stealth there. LOL Thanks for everyones input, Im still searching for ideas

[Sierrasclimber]

Just have to clarify this one. Yes, Camp 4 is "walk-in". You must lineup at 5 am; it fills every morning. You cannot get a campsite but each site hold 6 people and at registration you're assigned a site to share based on the number of spaces available in sites. You are not allowed to sleep in your rig there. The camp ground is full of climbers and alcohol. I love it there but no longer can deal with lining up at that time. I would not recommend it for a family.

Personally, I would save a trip to Yosemite Valley until sometime you can book a campsite in one of the Pines Campground (Upper, Lower, or North). The Pines are crowded and noisy, Yosemite is crowded, just accept that or go elsewhere.

As I think was said previously, I'd recommend going to the June Lake area. I just go boondock North of Mammoth and East of 395. Lots of Forest Service land out there.

[daveb]

Right now several of the high altitude camps are likely closed due to snow but by the end of July they should all be open. The passes opened during Memorial Day. Eric is correct about the heat & skeeters. The hottest times of the year are late July-August. We usually use the Bridalveil campground in that time of the year and it's cool enough at night to need a fire. But even the valley floor cools down to reasonable temps on all but the hottest days. Tuolumne Meadows has a large campground and takes reservations IIRC. Have you tried to book a spot there? Yes it's a bit of a drive to the valley floor but I'd think grabbing a reservation would be easier there than the valley.

[Adventurezoutside]

I have tried to book everywhere, no available sites within 40 miles

[Gooseberry]

I can't find the post but soquel meadows up by bass lake is great.

Found it

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/so...O&parkId=71669


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[joefromsf]

Originally Posted by Adventurezoutside

So I just got granted vacation days for July 20 through the 25th, would like to try out some camping with the family, we are looking for a campsite that is 2wd friendly, we are planning on taking the 395 up, and doing a couple day trips into Yosemite, all reserved campsites have been gone for months now, can anybody recommend any cool places to camp that are stillwithin a reasonable distance to the park, we will be tent camping and have four kids ages four through 10

Any help would certainly be appreciated, thank you

Tuolumne Meadows campground along Tioga Rd has 50% of its sites reserve-able in advance, the rest are first come first serve. According to my calendar, July 20th is a Wednesday. If you are in line at the reservation window at 8:00 AM on a weekday morning you will easily get a campsite there, I highly recommend anything on the "A" loop as it next to Lyell Creek. You may get a campsite arriving later later but not on the coveted "A" loop.

If you can find a dispersed site along 395 for your first night and get to TM early the next day, you can easily settle into a fixed campsite there for the rest of your vacation.

If you don't need to see waterfalls, I think Tuolumne Meadows is just as scenic and way less crowded than the Valley. But it is possible to go into the valley for day trips, though probably 1.5 hours each way.

Note that every non-reservable campground in Yosemite probably has some turnover each day (except some holiday weekends) and you can obtain a site if you are at the CG kiosk early enough.

Although not appropriate for the OP, if you are self contained you may able to park and sleep in your vehicle in the turnout above Tioga Lake just outside the park boundaries. We did this many times during our rock climbing years when arriving late at night, before going to the Tuolumne Meadows CG kiosk in the morning.

[daveb]

Your original post mentioned Mammoth so maybe a long day trip into Yosemite isn't out of the question but it sure won't give much time to explore. Now if your wanting a to look at few spots slightly out of the way there are some camps outside Mono Lake that might be of interest. I like the sites at Sawmill, Crooked Meadows and Taylor Canyon but I've never been there in July. I wrote about those here
There are also spots along Lee Vining Creek but they are not what I'd call premium. If you want to shoot for a camp inside the park, you can always grab one of the spots close to Lee Vining and take a day trip into the Yosemite area and look to find what is open. People have to be out of their camps by about noon. I've never had a problem during the middle of the week unless it is close to a holiday.

[killacks]

I've been on the same quest...

Seems like Crane Flat campground has plenty of available spots. Some at Wawona as well. Both these sites are not in the valley, but relatively near by it seems.