There were 9000 hits on http://yosemitecampsites.com/ yesterday. Today is around a thousand so far.

A few years ago didn't one of the guys near the top of the hierarchy in Yosemite say we had enough campgrounds?

We do have enough campgrounds. Just too many tourists now.

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AlmostThere
We do have enough campgrounds. Just too many tourists now.

Then take out the hotel and replace it with more campsites.

There are 1/2 the campsites in the valley there used to be. Long term, there seems to be a bias against camping since NPS keeps closing sites.
I understand the problems that flood zones and rockfall zones present when a campground is in the zone, but I just want to go camping!
Build more campgrounds please!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/16/2010 10:40PM by qumqats.

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qumqats
There are 1/2 the campsites in the valley there used to be. Long term, there seems to be a bias against camping since NPS keeps closing sites.

Seen the River campgrounds lately? They're construction storage areas now. Quite disgusting.

So what are we going to give up to have more campgrounds? The meadows? The trees? Fill in Mirror Lake area? What part of the budget is that coming out of? Where you going to put them all? Sorry, no, wrecking the valley isn't the answer either. I don't think you would find it nearly as scenic to drive through the valley past acres of bear boxes and screaming kids and winnebagos.

A few more campgrounds on Tioga Road would make more sense.

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AlmostThere
A few more campgrounds on Tioga Road would make more sense.

In the past decades they've closed at least 2 campgrounds on Tioga.

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AlmostThere
So what are we going to give up to have more campgrounds? The meadows? The trees? Fill in Mirror Lake area? What part of the budget is that coming out of? Where you going to put them all? Sorry, no, wrecking the valley isn't the answer either. I don't think you would find it nearly as scenic to drive through the valley past acres of bear boxes and screaming kids and winnebagos.

A few more campgrounds on Tioga Road would make more sense.

No one said those campgrounds HAVE to be in the Valley. The Winnebagos can go too, or at least get LE to cite them for not pulling over.

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AlmostThere
So what are we going to give up to have more campgrounds? The meadows? The trees? Fill in Mirror Lake area?

How about the administrative area at the Village. Have you seen that pig stry?

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A few more campgrounds on Tioga Road would make more sense.

Even those have decreased over the years.

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qumqats
There are 1/2 the campsites in the valley there used to be. Long term, there seems to be a bias against camping since NPS keeps closing sites.
I understand the problems that flood zones and rockfall zones present when a campground is in the zone, but I just want to go camping!
Build more campgrounds please!

When I was young our family came up here at least once a summer. All my memories of Yosemite involve camping. To me, Yosemite is for camping, not hotels or beer and pizza parlors.

Congress gave them the money after the flood to restore the damage to Upper & Lower River campgrounds, and the back half of Lower Pines.
Decisions were made in the NPS hierarchy that it would be a good time to yank those campgrounds out without any public input, which
they never would have had the opportunity to do so easily otherwise. They came up with this "in the flood plain" excuse to justify it, but a flood of that magnitude only happens once or twice a century.
It's time for them to do the right thing, and put back the two Rivers campgrounds, they could create more esthetically pleasing
campgrounds in those areas with fewer sites, and more room between sites for a more enjoyable camping experience.
Whatever washes away in a flood (picnic tables and a few bear boxes) can be replaced. Asphalt (the campground roads) can be repaired. It isn't rocket science to repair this type of damage.
This party line they keep parroting about "we want to create more campgrounds outside the Valley" is not the solution the public wants.

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PineCone
... is not the solution the public wants.

The "public" also probably wants more fast food outlets.

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szalkowski

The "public" also probably wants more fast food outlets.

Most campers I've seen primarily cook and eat in their campsites, you're thinking of lodgers.
I'm referring to the 1,400 people who've signed this petition:

Petition to restore Yosemite Campgrounds

i got mine 2 weeks ago without much problem, good thing i did . lol

I almost never know the exact dates I want to be in Yosemite that far in advance. I get the urge to go and plan a trip for that or the next week. While it's a pain, I get to Curry Village campground check-in early and wait for a number; then go back (11 a.m?) to see if I scored a cancellation/no-show. Yeah, it does kind-of mess up your first day but I usually get something. If not I go to one of the campgrounds out of the Valley.

I also focus more on visiting during the First-Come, First-served period of from December - March 14. In Summer and early Fall I focus more on Tuolumne Meadows, where the First-come sites are easier to get.

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sierranomad
In Summer and early Fall I focus more on Tuolumne Meadows, where the First-come sites are easier to get.

I don't even bother with Tuolumne Meadows for camping. Porcupine Flat is really pretty and I've never had trouble getting into it during the week.

I really like the trails/destinations right at TM, and it means a lot to me not to have to get in my car to drive to a TH every day once I've set up camp.