Re: tuolumne meadows

Has anyone done first come first serve at TM this summer? We are arriving on a Tuesday, mid august. How early should I line up at the campground office? Is Tuesday a bad day to arrive. What are my chances? How can I improve them?

Here is what has worked for us for the last 23 years. Get to the office at TM by 6:30am to 7am to get a site. Tour the sites before they open to see what is most likely available. They also post a list at the entry kiosk. You can always ask for a different site. Once you get a reservation at the office you may have to wait a bit, but at least you will get a site.

Tuesday is a good day to arrive. You should not have a problem.

August...bring a tarp or tarps. August weather changes a lot. Most of our Augest trips included thunderstorms or rain. But at least it drys out fast.Makes it bit more exciting.

Have a good time.

Ps My son got reservations this year. So we don't have to leave L.A. at 1am.

Thanks for your great response. I just have one more question about TM. We plan to camp for 4 nights. After I wait in line and secure a one night stay, must I wait in line again each morning to secure my stay?

No. For the first-come, first-served campsites at Tuolumne Meadows, just tell the person how long you're planning to camp there when you secure the campsite. No need to check-in every morning.
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You should be able to get the entire length of your stay, 4 nights.
If you only book one night..then you have to go back the next day. But check with the rangers office that day.

What about if we can only get there around 1-2pm. Do you think we'd have a good chance of getting a spot on Saturday, Aug, 4 for one night ?

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The Other Tom

What about if we can only get there around 1-2pm. Do you think we'd have a good chance of getting a spot on Saturday, Aug, 4 for one night ?

Good chance? Probably not at the Tuolumne Meadows Campground. But who knows, you might get lucky. Doesn't hurt to stop by and see.

But visitation appears to be down this year compared to years past, so between 1 - 2 pm you probably would have a decent to good chance of finding a first-come, first-served campsite at a less popular Yosemite campground like Yosemite Creek or Porcupine Flat, though there's no guarantee of course.

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Thanks

On a related note, I've got Half Dome permits for Friday 8/31 (yeah, the Friday of the Labor Day weekend - didn't think when I put that date in my list of hopes back during the lottery). My group of 4 wants to backpack from Tuolumne Meadows starting Wednesday. Any tips on what we should do to have our best shot at first-come wilderness permits? Yeah, we blew it on not getting those permits 6 months plus ago so we've gotta try out best at first-come permits now.

Thanks for any tips!

Thanks for all the great advice. In March I was able to get one night in a tent cabin in TM so I won't have to leave LA at 1 am either, but will get up at dawn and get in line! HURRAY

This was 'implied' above, but once you have a site, whether by previous reservation or by snagging one in the 1st come 1st serve line (FCFS), you then have 2nd priority to stay longer if you wish (1st priority being those that have reservations for that date). I have been in the FCFS line after going around looking for sites where the people are to be leaving that day (so I would know which sites were best), only to have people in those sites walk up and extend another day...ugh

Steve