Re: Tuolumne Meadows Campground Closed until 2024!

I don't remember seeing this before, but Reservation.gov states:

"Tuolumne Meadows Campground is undergoing a major rehabilitation project and will remain closed in 2022 and 2023 (and possibly 2024, depending on weather/length of construction season)."

Anything about the backpacker's campground?

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- Billy Joel

No official separate word, but since the backpackers campground is kind of in the middle of the other loops, I'd guess it will be closed as well.

Any word on whether TM Lodge will be open next year?

TM lodge is separately managed by Aramark, so the campground closure should not affect whether Aramark decides to open TM Lodge, Whitewolf, or the HSC's.

camped there first, last weeks of the season this year, lots of rumors (hearsay) floating around ("a ranger told me...". spoke at length w a park employee who first told me that the entire campground would be closed for the next 2 years, sounds like he was right. he said that the plan has been on the books for several years. I wonder if covid summer + this year's 1/2 open status had anything to do with the trigger getting pulled.

there was more big infrastructure work going on than I'd seen in the previous 7 seasons combined. huge piles of excavated soil in Lodge parking lot, stables near soda springs, lots of pipe (water? sewer?) piled in spots. lots of paving work.

many rumors centered on A loop. don't know whether this refers to all A sites, or just the loop at the end of the road. have been hearing for years that some campsites would be removed to comply with Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (too close to Lyell Fork), non-paving of A, when the rest of the loops were paved a number of years ago, seemed suggestive. the latest bit involved A loop being turned into the backpackers' campground, a new G loop being built (presumably in area of current backpackers' campground). plenty of grist for the hot stove league mill.

I will miss that place badly, has been my go-to since I retired from gainful employment and backpacking. well, infrastructure ain't forever. our loss will be the gain of future generations. wish there was more transparency, but I can understand delaying flak-catching.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2021 07:07AM by mkbgdns.

Here is a link to the project plan for the Tuolumne Meadows campground rehabilitation. Not sure if everything in the plan will be accomplished, but here is a list of the planned campground improvements:

• Add two restrooms and upgrade existing restrooms. Add two 500 square foot Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Standard (ABAAS) compliant restrooms, one at Group Camp and one in campground Loop C. Repair or replace leaking water and wastewater lines and install low-flow fixtures in new and existing restrooms.
• Convert the east side of the Campground A-loop from a vehicle/pedestrian route to a pedestrian trail (about 2,960 linear feet). Relocate 14 Loop A campsites within 100 feet of the edge of the Tuolumne River to a new Loop H. Relocate 5 additional Loop A campsites to the new Loop H for access road improvements. Park crews will restore the riverbank and floodplain to natural conditions.
• Repair campground roads. Though the campground roads were paved in 2016, new road work will be required with the addition of new campsites, restrooms, drainage improvements, and changes in grade with new parking pads.
• Formalize camping spaces to reduce resource damage. Campsites will be enhanced with hardened parking pads, new picnic tables, fire rings, and food storage containers. The project will improve paths of travel from the parking pads to the tent sites.
• Overhaul water and wastewater lines. Completely replace 16,000 linear feet of the failing water distribution system. Replace 2,450 feet of the antiquated sewer collection system along with 15 manholes.
• Convert the pit toilet for winter skiers located behind the campground office to a vault toilet.
• Formalize the trail connection between the campground and the John Muir Trail and provide a new trail connecting the campground with the store and grill.
• Upgrade the deteriorated amphitheater. Repair and replace warped, splintered, and missing wooden amphitheater seats; replace the cut logs used for Junior Ranger amphitheater seats as needed; repair eroded and unstable access routes to the amphitheater and repair fire ring.

thanks for the link to the PEPC site, was unaware of its existence. big job. we'll see what shakes out in 3 years. or 4.

Thanks for the info. A shame they couldn't have started this in 2020.

I did not see any mention of backpackers camp. Is it being replaced by Loop H? Is it being moved?
I was able to stay there this summer and really enjoyed it. I hope that wasn't the last time!

I believe the new location of the backpackers campground will be near the end of the current A loop, which seems like a bit of an upgrade. I don't think it will be open during construction, but perhaps they will designate an alternate location for a temporary backpacker's campground.

From the Backpacker Campgrounds page on the YNP website:

Quote
Tuolumne Meadows Campground (including backpackers campground) will be closed in 2022, 2023 or 2024.

I think they mean 2022, 2023, and possibly 2024. That would align with what they are saying on the TM campground page. Either way, it doesn't sound like they'll be offering a temporary BP campground in TM during the campground rehab.

It's tough to think long-term on these type of projects. But it's a nice reminder to not procrastinate and do the things you want to do while you can.

I can't help but think that this will add traffic and impact to the Porcupine Creek campground, which is already too cramped and crowded...

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