Best Dispersed Camping near Merced, CA
The Sierra Nevada foothills east of Merced, California feature numerous dispersed camping options, particularly near Yosemite National Park's entrances. Goat Meadow Dispersed Camp Site and Hardin Flat Road provide free, primitive camping within minutes of park boundaries. These areas primarily accommodate self-sufficient campers with minimal amenities and no hookups. Most sites are accessible via dirt roads and clearings in forested areas, offering both tent and RV camping opportunities. Tumey Hills Box Canyon, located southwest of Merced, provides BLM land camping with more desert-like terrain. The proximity to Yosemite National Park drives much of the camping activity in the region, with many sites functioning as affordable basecamps for park exploration.
Road conditions vary significantly across camping areas, with some requiring high-clearance vehicles while others remain accessible to standard passenger cars. As one camper noted about Goat Meadow, "The area is flat and any car, truck or RV/trailer can make it back here easily." Winter and early spring bring snow and ice to higher elevation sites, particularly those near Yosemite's entrances. Cell service is inconsistent throughout the region, with many campers reporting no connectivity at Goat Meadow while others found reliable service through specific carriers. Most dispersed sites lack drinking water, restrooms, and other amenities. Campers should arrive prepared with sufficient water, waste disposal plans, and bear-aware food storage, especially at sites near Yosemite where wildlife encounters are common.
Holiday weekends and summer months bring significant crowds to dispersed sites near Yosemite. One visitor to Goat Meadow observed, "This place gets CROWDED. At 5:30 it's like everyone got off work and headed home." Winter camping offers more solitude but requires cold-weather preparation. Many campers report wildlife sightings, including deer and occasionally coyotes. Tree sap can be problematic at some forested sites, with visitors noting it "was all over our car the next morning." Sites along Hardin Flat Road provide varying levels of privacy, with some campers noting the road offers "10-15 pull out spots for car campers, and at least 10 more easily accessible spots for tents." Noise levels vary by location and season, with generator use occasionally causing friction among campers at more popular sites.
