Are you in need of a campground near Wawona, CA? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that California camping has to offer. Find the best campgrounds near Wawona, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"After accidentally driving to this location following the directions of another reviewer for the “Yosemite Boondocks” campground across 41 (which we never found) we were very happy with this location."
"Great location, close to Yosemite Park which allows you to sleep for free. the spot was clean, impressive camper vans were present and they were parked on the tarmac. lots of pitches, vans can be placed"
"Nestled amongst trees right on the edge of Yosemite. Was quite busy when I was there but managed to find a quiet spot tucked away & private."
"Here is the correct location. You can take a dirt road from this parking lot in order to camp in the woods.
Dropped pin https://goo.gl/maps/2gskCbuY8XRMD82x5"
"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."
"Great spot a little farther up Hardin Flat Rd. I am parked across from a private drive so I can turn around with my RV if needed."
$5 - $10 / night
"Booked a last minute permit for the Pohono trail on a recent trip and had Dewey Point as one of my camp sites! Beautiful views of el cap and the valley made for an iconic back country spot !"
"Great little spot within 10 minutes of one Yosemite’s entrance. Spaces for a few different campsites"
"Took us about 9 min to get to the park entrance. Now that we know about this spot we will definitely use this area again. We'll just make sure we get there earlier."
"Very nice and quiet spot, very close to Yosemite entrance, ideal if you weren't able to get a reservation."
"Got here on Sunday - plenty of spots to park the camper van both Sunday and Monday. Multiple turn offs on the Scenic Loop road to camp at. No bathrooms, water, electricity, or fire rings."
"As you drive along this road, every 10 seconds you will pass a dirt road. Each dirt road has multiple campsites!"
"You can get maps for this area at some of the information boards at the beginning of the dirt roads, they also have an app that will show you all the roads in the area."
"We boondocked in Inyo National Forest just last weekend, September 27-29, and it felt like we had the place to ourselves."
Guide4x4 or high clearance coming in. Long dirt road with dips and rocks. Water only flowing in winter months. Lots of tent camping spots along with 8 back in spots. Really amazing views 360 degrees. No service with Verizon.
LegendThe dirt road into this spot off of Hwy 120 is washboarded but doable. This spot is at an intersection of forest service road 1S158A and Sage Hen Rd. There was still snow on the dirt road at this time of year (in mid April) so be aware, and there are also low hanging branches that might make it tough for taller rigs.
This spot is a large flat area with zero amenities so bring water and pack in and pack out.
Good for a night or two if you want to hike or bike along the plethora of forest service roads. There were signs on the way in for both free range cattle and horses, but we didn't see any.
Cell service with Verizon, weak but usable.
GuideCame up here in July. It gets warm during the day, but there is a good breeze during the day. And an even better breeze at night. lots of bugs. bring bug spray. 4wd not required, but might help. High clearance will help.
LegendAll around Mono Lake is USFS and BLM land that is open for dispersed camping, as long as you stay above the 1941 water line (you will see signs marking this line, which is fairly close to the lake). Note there are multiple pull out areas and forest service roads to stay in along Hwy 120 east just be mindful that the entire area is sand, as some vehicles may get stuck.
The road into these spots is quite sandy and narrow in some places, but we did fine in our 26' Class C. There is a very large previously burned area with charred remains of plants and trees but it made for some interesting eerie photos. Very quiet place with amazing views and stunning night sky. There are no amenities so bring water and pack in and pack out all trash. Nearby are various hikes and other roads to the range of craters in the area and the tufas along Mono Lake.
We stayed there on a Monday night and did not see anybody else around, other than a truck that drove past our camp spot in the night. Very quiet night.
Good cell reception from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.
Note that Google Maps said that Hwy 120 is closed Oct through May and would not direct us to this area via that road, but the road was open in April 2021, probably due to the mild winter. Check Hwy 120 conditions for yourself because without it you miss out on so much beautiful area to explore.
LegendRANGER REVIEW: Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce at Gladys Lake Backcountry Campsites, Ansel Adams Wilderness, CA
CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Gladys Lake Backcountry Campsite, Ansel Adams Wilderness
Backcountry camping often offers great hiking, epic scenery, serene solitude and otherwise missed sights. Depending on location, backcountry campsite locations can offer their own challenges, whether through the permitting process, preparation of gear and meals, logistics, or difficult terrain…but the trade offs can pay out big dividends.
Leaving behind the din of packed campgrounds…getting unplugged from electronic encumbrances…relaxing beside an untouched alpine lake where the only sound you hear is the whir of dragonfly wings as they dart about.
Only a set number of backcountry permits are issued daily, so crowds and impact remain minimal to nonexistent.
Permits are necessary for all backcountry overnight stays in the Inyo National Forest. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passes-permits
Whenever backcountry hiking/camping in California, do yourself a service and go online https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5139009 and take the California Campfire Permit test to acquire your certificate and possess it when in the backcountry.
Several ways to get to Gladys Lake exist…
1. John Muir Trail (JMT) thru-hike permits NOBO or SOBO
2. John Muir Trail section hike permits
3. Wilderness Permits Day hike permits
You could enter from Reds Meadows and follow the JMT north to Gladys Lake…or better from Agnew Meadows and follow the Shadow Creek Trail (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=21272&actid=51 ) up and around Shadow Lake and then south on the JMT past Rosalie Lake to Gladys Lake. Each access trail has a daily quota…such as Shadow Creek, which has a daily quota of 30…18 secured through reservation and 12 walk-ups. So if you are choosing to walk-up, have some flexibility of starting days.
We had a JMT SOBO permit acquired six months in advance through the NPS permit lottery. But next visit, I will likely enter through Agnew Meadows via day permit.
Most hikers will stop and camp at Rosalie Lake, which is a wonderful option and a much larger lake. Some would suggest a more picturesque lake than Gladys Lake…but that is all in the eye of the beholder.
August of 2018 saw little precipitation and the winter snowfall was below expectations, so lake water levels were lower and surrounding shoreline not marshy or soggy. Which made for dry and mosquito free conditions.
The effects of local forest fires did cover surrounding mountain views during certain times of the day, and brought with it a bit of lung burning and eye stinging. Early morning and late evening hours brought clearer skies.
Be forewarned that seemingly every backcountry campsite brings with it a steep uphill slog, but worth it. Gladys Lake is at 9600 ft elevation.
I believe there was one other camper at Gladys Lake the night we stayed…but we neither heard nor saw them. It was a perfectly peaceful evening!
Amenities? Well, no showers…no toilets…no water spigots…no electricity…no picnic tables…one lonely stone fire ring but open fires are not permitted. No cell service or WiFi…no general store or local grocery store. However, Gladys Lake water was refreshing both to wade and drink (filtered). You are surrounded by fragrant conifers that buffer sound. A perfectly peaceful location to relax and dream.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Mountain House Spaghetti With Meat Sauce
https://www.mountainhouse.com/
As a frequent user of Mountain House freezes dried dinners, and being a creature of habit, I often settle into a couple favorite meals and don’t deviate to new offerings. Mundane and boring?…perhaps.
But…after winning $100 worth of Mountain House meals through an early season TheDyrt.com contest… and with my daughter as my hiking buddy, I selected several different meals to avoid mutiny.
One of these meal pouches was Mountain House’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce.
I admit, I was a little suspect as to how freeze-dried spaghetti with meat sauce would taste, but we were both very pleased with the sauce flavors, seasoning and the amount of meat in the sauce. The only thing I would add is a couple slices of toasted garlic bread.
If the next rotation of Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce was easily located in our bear canisters, we would’ve likely had a second helping…but sadly, it was not.
In pairing down weight before our backcountry hike, I removed the contents from Mountain House’s original packaging and utilized a commercial vacuum sealer to make smaller, lighter meal packs as 11 days of food needed to fit in a bear canister. It worked, but the distinct drawback was not being able to prepare the meal in the resealable pouch. A pot was necessary to allow the freeze-dried contents to soak in the boiling water. So clean up was more extensive than it would’ve been by using the Mountain House resealable pouch. It was a trade off and we made it work.
If you are new to Mountain House freeze dried meals, directions are printed plain and simple on the pouch.
•Measure out the prescribed amount of water
•boil water
•open meal pouch and remove moisture packet
•pour boiling water in pouch and stir contents thoroughly
•seal pouch for prescribed time
•open pouch and stir contents
•serve and enjoy
It doesn’t get any easier.
GuideWhat a brilliant place! Nestled amongst trees right on the edge of Yosemite. Was quite busy when I was there but managed to find a quiet spot tucked away & private. Bumpy roads around the actual camping area but manageable in a camper van. Actually saw a few big rigs here too. Only negative was the biting bugs which were everywhere & hungry but didn’t spoil the evening, just wish I’d taken bug spray or a citronella candle!
LegendThere are a ton of spots to camp along Owens River Rd. All the spots closest to 395 were taken when we went in late September, but we found this spot that I've marked here that was easily accessible in our 26ft Motorhome. Owens River Rd itself is paved, but the offshoots are hit or miss so take it slowly and proceed at your vehicle's ability.
This particular spot was nice and big and is probably suitable for any size rig. The pavement on the road heading in was partly washed out but we were easily able to drive around the pits. See video - it's long but I recorded us leaving the spot and showed the pits in the road.
Good cell reception, very quiet, very little traffic.
No amenities, no toilets, no trash service. Area was clean! Hopefully it stays that way.
TravelerRed Cloud Rd offers few viable camping sites. The road becomes increasingly rough and eroded, with deep ruts and drainages. 4WD or AWD is necessary. Site offers scenic views, unobstructed night sky, and interesting exploration.
Leave no trace!
RangerYou can get maps for this area at some of the information boards at the beginning of the dirt roads, they also have an app that will show you all the roads in the area. What’s nice is the map color codes the roads so that you know what your vehicle is capable of driving on. Some of the roads can get a bit rough, so make sure you know your vehicles limits. Once you get out there, enjoy! It’s so beautiful and quiet. Please make sure you pack in and pack out your trash, there are no services for that. Also, be aware of fire restrictions!
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Wawona, California, where nature lovers can find serene spots away from the crowds. With stunning landscapes and a variety of camping options, this area is perfect for those looking to immerse themselves in the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Goat Meadow dispersed camping located near Wawona?
Goat Meadow dispersed camping is located just outside the south entrance of Yosemite National Park, near the community of Wawona. This area is similar to Yosemite "Boondock National" Dispersed Camping which is situated on the edge of Yosemite amongst trees. The area is accessible via Forest Service roads, with some sections being bumpy but generally manageable for most vehicles. It's conveniently positioned as a gateway to Yosemite Valley while offering a more secluded camping experience compared to developed campgrounds inside the park.
What permits are required for dispersed camping at Goat Meadow near Wawona?
No special permits are required specifically for dispersed camping at Goat Meadow near Wawona, as it's on National Forest land. Similar to Sage Hen Dispersed and other Sierra National Forest sites, you'll need to follow general dispersed camping regulations. During fire season, a California Campfire Permit is required for any open flame, including stoves and lanterns. These can be obtained online from the Forest Service website. Always check current fire restrictions before your trip, as complete fire bans are common during summer months.
What amenities are available at Goat Meadow dispersed camping near Wawona?
Goat Meadow dispersed camping offers minimal amenities, typical of dispersed camping areas. Like Laurel Springs Campground and Van Haven Dispersed Site Yosemite, you'll find no facilities such as toilets, potable water, garbage service, or designated fire rings. Cell service is typically limited or nonexistent. The appeal lies in the natural setting and privacy between sites. This is true primitive camping, so you'll need to bring everything in and pack everything out, following Leave No Trace principles. Come prepared with all necessary supplies including sufficient water for your stay.
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