Saved Account Join
A gravel road curving into a high mountain valley at first light, the peaks catching the sun.

National Park Service campground

Tuolumne Meadows Campground

National Park Service campground in Yosemite National Park, Tuolumne County, California. 8,620 feet. 26.5 miles from Mammoth Lakes.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
National Park Service Yosemite National Park
Elevation
8,620 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
284 131 tent only non-electric, 114 standard non-electric, 25 hike to
Longest rig
35 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Tuolumne County

Overview

Tuolumne Meadows Campground recently had a complete overhaul and rehabilitation of the campsites. Please be mindful of young plants and shrubs by keeping all wheels on parking pads and camping equipment within established campsites. Thank you!

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range at an elevation of 8,600 feet. The site is situated along the scenic Tioga Road just five miles from the Tioga Pass Entrance Station. Within Yosemite, visitors can gaze upon waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, vast wilderness areas, and so much more.

Reservation Tips! Campsites in Yosemite are extremely popular and typically sell out in minutes. Login to your account or create a new account before the 7:00 a.m. (PST) release time. You may only add reservations to your cart and proceed with your reservation if you are logged into your account. The recreation.gov call center does NOT have access to additional sites or additional information beyond what is published on recreation.gov.

Recreation

Popular activities in the area include hiking, rock climbing, backpacking and fishing. The 4.8-mile roundtrip trail to Elizabeth Lake begins in the campground and climbs to a glacier-carved lake at the base of Unicorn Peak.

Other trails in Tuolumne Meadows include Soda Springs and Parsons Lodge, Lyell Canyon via the John Muir Trail, Cathedral Lakes, Mono Pass, and Glen Aulin. Nearby Tenaya Lake is a magnificent spot for picnicking, swimming and canoeing.

Facilities

This large, popular campground contains family, horse and group camp sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and a food storage lockers. Flush toilets, drinking water, and an amphitheater are provided. Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center is within walking distance, as is a general store.

Natural Features

Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra Nevada, with its broad sub-alpine meadows and granite domes and peaks. The gentle Tuolumne River, Lyell Fork, and Dana Fork flow through the vast, colorful meadows bursting with seasonal wildflowers. The meadows are surrounded by stands of Western White pine, Mountain hemlock, and Lodgepole pine.

Nearby Attractions

Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite National Park is known, is 55 miles and two hours from Tuolumne Meadows. Hiking trails and bike paths are abundant in the valley. Rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Yosemite Valley also offers numerous guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities, and an art center with workshops.

Glacier Point is an hour from Yosemite Valley, with sweeping views of both Yosemite and Little Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and Clouds Rest, among other notable landmarks.

A visit to Wawona and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center is like stepping back in time.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • backpacking
  • camping
  • evening programs
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • interpretive programs
  • photography
  • rock climbing
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • wilderness
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Tuolumne Meadows Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 3, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

Join Overlanding Life
Saved Account

Start with a region

Browse the directory