With summer coming up I wanted to ask everyone, if you can’t make your Yosemite campsite reservation, please take a moment to cancel it. As you all know, many campgrounds sell out quickly, but they end up half empty because of no-shows. By canceling, you’re giving fellow nature lovers the chance to enjoy the park. Be kind and let someone else have the adventure!
OP is a story teller. In all my years of going to Yosemite, I've never seen campgrounds half empty.
OP may think everyone should stay at the campsite all the day without going anywhere else.
Yeah, one thing that's become more popular in recent years is camper vans. People bring camper vans, leave everything inside, and drive it out for the day to go do something in another part of the park. So the site looks empty until they return, sometimes after dark.
Many people went hiking day time and won’t be back before sunset. There were few days I didn’t see anyone before going to sleep and few tents erected on the second morning like miracles.
That's me, except in my Subaru. It makes booking a trip a little easier when you can stay in different sites each night. Got 2 nights in Upper Pines book ending 2 nights in Hodgdon Meadows next week, hoping to snag a cancelation in the valley to swap one or both nights in Hodgdon.
Here I am, trying to figure out whether to upvote the title or downvote the bullshit.
I camp here frequently, including off season and not always in the valley. At Wawona 2 weeks ago the camp was fully booked and there were quite a few spots open. If you go in the summer I’m sure it will be less empty.
Was at North Pines last Sat night with 18 - 20 empty sites overnight.
Yes. They weren't available for reservations because Tenaya creek was flooding. A lot of north pines reservations were cancelled with little notice, because the sites were underwater.
Source: I was a group of backpackers who rangers dumped in north pines after the backpacker campground flooded friday night.
Was just at Upper Pines this weekend - all campgrounds sold out, day use reservations sold out, all parking fill by mid-morning. I’d estimate 5% of the campsites appeared empty on Saturday night.
Talk to recreation.gov about refunding peoples reservation fees then.
Huh. Wasn’t it just $2 to reserve though
That’s just the entry permit. Campgrounds are more
They do refund it. I’m booked into Wawona for two days next week and I can cancel it up to two days before and I just lose out on $10.
Cuz that’s a hotrl
No it’s not, Wawona campground. Part of the park
nah I hope people keep doing that so the park is less crowded
People actually camping does not contribute to the park crowding issue.
How do you guys get reservations? I have a recreation.gov account, go on early on day of release and they sell out in 1 second??? What am I missing? I have been trying for 4 years
my friends and i facetimed the minute sites became available and then just did a lot of scrambling. it helps when you have multiple people!
The easiest way to actually get a campsite is to look for cancellations. But you need to be flexible. This obviously doesn’t work if you are planning a trip months in advance.
I got a spot at Wawona last week, less than 2 weeks out from our stay. I also set email alerts for 2 other sites just in case and both of them had cancellations a few days ago. Admittedly we got LUCKY that it just happened to be the only site remaining and the exact dates we needed but if you know when you want to go and which site, you can set up to 3 notifications. You’ll get an email if the dates become available and you just need to scramble to get it before everyone else who has signed up for the same alert does
I agree with your comment. Many campgrounds end up half empty because of no shows. This is also true for wilderness areas, especially difficult or cross country routes that begin at the same trailhead as a popular destinations, such as those wanting to enjoy the mountaineers route on Whitney, visit Tulainyo Lake, or climb Mt. Russell.
The rangers actually really like when people don't show up. The park is overstuffed as is, so a few less people is always a good thing.
This secretly sounds like OP wants to reserve for summer but couldn’t. And is now guilt tripping other reservations to relinquish their spot so that they can book it
If rec.gov comes up with a system so people have to confirm they will show up to the camp site maybe a day before then some people who cannot make it to the site can release the site. Sort of like a confirmation or reservation. I don’t see any other way for this. And by the way I have never been able to secure a cap site and have never seen an empty camp site ever. Summer is party time in Yosemite.
YMMV, I stayed at Camp 4 in June and July, estimated 75% capacity.
I was booked at lower pines 2 years ago in the off season and then it poured down rain. I stayed in a hotel the first night of my reservation and someone from Yosemite called me to make sure I was coming the second night. I loved that they keep a watch on all of the sights.
Anyone can help me, I will go Yosemite on this Saturday May 25. So I’ve been trying to buy reservations Entry fee ticket for car get into the park since May 18 at 8:00 Am when the website released to first open make reservations. I really want to go that day but what should I do. Anyone can help me please. Thank you.
I specifically pointed this problem out to NPS over the course of two Summers at the Curry desk. Upper Pines all spots were reserved yet no one in them. They said no shows have 24 hours then spots go back on the site for others to reserve. Showed them after four days the spots never got posted again, no one ever reserved and the same spot still empty. They kept making excuses.
A little secret is to use the website campflare 🤣🔥
Does Campflare still work? I figured with the newish alert functionality in rec.gov, anyone signed up through that would get faster notifications than through Campflare.
Confirmed campflare still works. Just got a res this weekend about 30 minutes ago. They go way faster than they used to, however.
With that being said, keep it secret keep it safe.
I had success with dyrt.com - still have never received a rec.gov alert.
Man this subs full of gatekeepers
I’ve been to Yosemite several times and have always planned my trip 1 year in advance. That way you don’t run into this problem.
That's impressive considering campsites are only available to reserve 5 months in advance.
I’ve been 3 times, first time planned 3 weeks in advance. 2nd time (covid), 6 weeks advance. 3rd was 15 days ahead. It can be done, if you are flexible and checking frequently…. Like every hour or less.
I book lodging in the valley floor.
This post is specifically talking about campgrounds.
My b
I was at Lower Pines last week and I don't think I saw any sites go empty any of the four nights I was there.