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Camping

Dispersed Camping

Hardin Flat Road

Hardin Flat Road, near Yosemite National Park, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while being just a stone's throw from the park entrance. This area offers a mix of spacious, semi-secluded sites where you can set up your tent and enjoy the beautiful surroundings without feeling cramped.

Visitors rave about the stunning landscapes and the peaceful atmosphere, making it an ideal place to unwind. Many campers have noted the convenience of being close to Yosemite, with one reviewer highlighting that it’s “perfect” for accessing the park early in the day. The area is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure.

While there are no amenities like drinking water or toilets, the natural beauty and tranquility more than make up for it. Campers appreciate the good shade and the variety of spots available, with some even mentioning the lovely creek nearby. Just remember to arrive early, as finding a spot can be tricky later in the day. Whether you're looking to hike, bike, or just relax by the campfire, Hardin Flat Road is a solid choice for your next outdoor escape.

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Location

Hardin Flat Road is located in California

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

37.80978762 N
119.8964027 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • Dispersed
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

DISPERSED CAMPING

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Hardin Flat Road needs a permit.

Drive Time


Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

12 Reviews

Reviewed Nov. 9, 2024

Dispersed Camping MINUTES from Yosemite NP

Spent (2) nights here and loved it. Enough T-Mobile service for messaging and lite web browsing. Spacious pull-out with a small rock fire pit. I believe fires are allowed as long as you have a permit.

~8min drive to Big Oak Entrance and ~40min drive to Yosemite Valley Welcome Center. Why stay at Hodgdon when you can stay here!

Month of VisitNovember
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Chris P., November 9, 2024
Reviewed Aug. 11, 2024

Pine and Cedar forest

All wheel drive, okay. Large grounds, many motorbike and trails, permit required (bikes). Camped upper level. Please pack in, pack out, don't make others clean up after you.

Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jul. 18, 2024

Really Nice Stay close to Yosemite

This was a really nice stay close to Yosemite with really spread out spots. Couldn’t even see your neighbor and the vicinity to the park made it perfect. It’s 4 stars because you could hear the traffic from the main road from my spot

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Bobby J., July 18, 2024
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Bobby J., July 18, 2024
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Bobby J., July 18, 2024
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2024

Great spot

Awesome spot close to Yosemite, road isn’t too bad and it’s absolutely beautiful. I wasn’t bothered . I recommend arriving a little early, we didn’t have a little trouble finding the right road.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Play button icon
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by samuel C., July 16, 2024
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by samuel C., July 16, 2024
  • (7) View All
Reviewed May. 29, 2024

Unlabeled road and awesome

Kind of hard to find the road i just had to guess based on the pin point but i guessed right and immediately saw spots. i turned left and there were a few spots didn't explore to the right.

So beautiful great place to stop in order to get into the park early if you don't have a reservation

Month of VisitMay
Reviewed May. 29, 2024

Beautiful & Convenient BUT

May 28, 2024

Convenient to park entrance & beautiful landscape BUT finding a spot late at night was very difficult.

However, I noticed that the temperature over night here was about 10 degrees warmer that other areas nearby (we were at about 51 degrees at night but areas closer to Rush Creek Lodge and on Evergreen Road were in the 40’s.

SiteNear PG&E access road
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Brad  C., May 29, 2024
Reviewed May. 4, 2024

Few locations along the road

we arrived at night, the pitches were already occupied. we tried to join a van already parked, but the man was not very friendly and asked us to leave. so we took the road further down and slept near the intersection.

Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Caroline D., May 4, 2024
Reviewed Apr. 7, 2024

Visited in April

Went on 4/5/24 - 4/7/24. I stayed to car camp and had an overall nice time. There was a good amount of ice but with 4x4 not problem. The ice was melting so if you go anytime after the snow should be a lot less.

There’s enough space for you to distance yourself from others.

No bear boxes or bathrooms but very safe and easy to access.

Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Martin A., April 7, 2024
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Martin A., April 7, 2024
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Martin A., April 7, 2024
  • (9) View All
Reviewed Oct. 23, 2023

Lovely spot by the NP gate

Lovely spot if you like to boondock. Hardly anyone drove by....lodge right down the road. Mountain bike/hiking trail a quarter mile up road. Extremely peaceful, pretty level and 10 minutes from park entrance. No reception!! 20 minutes from nearest town to get food

Sitedirt spot
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Kristi D., October 23, 2023
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Kristi D., October 23, 2023
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Kristi D., October 23, 2023
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Sep. 29, 2023

Perfect for car campers

Was ideal for the one night and a ten minute drive from the park entrance. Quite and tranquil setting

Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Sep. 27, 2023

Spacious and semi secluded spots

I liked this spot! It was about 10 mins from the gate into Yosemite. We had a lot of space, good amount of tree cover when I rained. There’s a bunch of different spots to choose from, the one by the creek would have been nice.

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Carrie , September 27, 2023
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Carrie , September 27, 2023
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by Carrie , September 27, 2023
Reviewed Jul. 27, 2023

Great Yosemite option

Lots of available spots along Hardin Flat Road, most with good shade. Passed 10-15 pull out spots for car campers, and at least 10 more easily accessible spots for tents. We were there peak season but mid-week and spots were easy to find. Just a 10 minute drive from the entrance to Yosemite! The spots along the creek were very buggy. We found one away from the water and not at all buggy. It turned out to be near enough to Rush Creek Lodge that you could hear kid noise from the pool during the day but it got quiet after 9pm.

Sitefirst pull out on the right after Rush Creek Lodge when driving west along Hardin Flat
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by miranda , July 27, 2023
  • Review photo of Hardin Flat Road by miranda , July 27, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Hardin Flat Road?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Hardin Flat Road, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Hardin Flat Road have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Hardin Flat Road does not have wifi.