28 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Wawona Horse Campsites in Yosemite National Park provides primitive horse camping sites near the southern entrance of the park. These reservable sites accommodate riders with horses but lack standard amenities, with no drinking water, electrical hookups, or toilets available. Fires are permitted at designated sites, though campers must bring their own firewood and supplies. The campground allows pets alongside horses, making it suitable for visitors traveling with multiple animals. Located at 37.539277 latitude and -119.653589 longitude, these sites offer access to the park's extensive trail network. The campground's basic layout prioritizes function over comfort, offering space for horse trailers without developed facilities.
Bridalveil Creek Campground in Yosemite National Park offers another equestrian option with more developed facilities. Located at 37.6622222 latitude and -119.6197222 longitude, this campground features drinking water and toilets, making it more suitable for longer stays with horses. Trash disposal is available, though the campground does not offer horse corrals or specialized equine facilities. Campers traveling with horses must supply their own containment systems. The trail system connects to Yosemite's broader network, providing access to diverse terrain and scenic viewpoints. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, especially during peak season when equestrian sites fill quickly. The campground's location provides convenient access to multiple riding trails while maintaining proximity to park attractions.
"Excellent spot 7 min from the Yosemite South Wawona Entrance. Im staying at a dispersed camping spot in late July and there is level, paved parking with tent camping spots."
"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 right in the middle of Yosemite Valley. Great access to beautiful hikes and scenery. The camp sites are spacious."
"There is a shuttle stop right outside the campground. You are also in easy walking distance to the path to Mirror Lake and the ever popular Mist Trail."
from $48 / night
Check Availability"Decent access to drinking water and each site has tables and fire rings, no RV hookups (another reason you have more "campers" and it's less noisy at night)."
"Your best bet is to visit the valley and camp outside the Park or in locations outside the valley. The granite cliffs and waterfalls are something to treasure."
from $36 - $75 / night
Check Availability"Off-road on the way to the camp site. We stayed at #4, with a good shade and it’s by the creek. Everything is good only it’s too dusty when other cars pass by without slowing down."
"Has a creek through the middle next to pretty much all sites. The stars at night are incredible. It’s about a 40 minute drive from Yosemite."
"For people with mobility issues, this site is a good walk away from the inner valley trails, fine for anyone else who is up for walking distances, because that is why you came to Yosemite!"
"Beautiful campground, unfortunately right next to the trail, but very spacious and also has bathrooms and picnic tables right there!"
"The site is pet friendly and has horse stables. Our neighbors were friendly and quiet. The site had a picnic table, fire pit, water spout and full electricity hook ups."
"Driving from the West toward Yosemite this location is one which will allow you to find a camping option before getting into the big crowds. "
from $41 - $43 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $50 / night
Check Availability"If you wanna get away and camp next to a river and down a trail and shoot your gun or go fishing you can freedom you can horseback ride if you have horses he can fish there are fish there trout it's beautiful"
"There are pit toilets, but they are located only on the upper loop, so the sites in the lower loop are quite far away, so be prepared to dig a hole."
"Although this campground is located in the midst of so much dramatic beauty, few campgrounds capture that beauty like this one."
"This was a good staging site to go up and down the June Lake Loop for the colors. I am a tent camper and at this time of the year it is COLD. Most of the folks were in RVs. "
from $32 - $64 / night
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GuideGreat location right in the middle of Yosemite Valley. Great access to beautiful hikes and scenery. The camp sites are spacious. Because it's an equestrian campground, you will smell the horses and stables....be prepared. The river is close to the campgrounds and are refreshing on a hot day.
GuideExcellent spot 7 min from the Yosemite South Wawona Entrance. Im staying at a dispersed camping spot in late July and there is level, paved parking with tent camping spots. Thankful they had porti-pottys (due to an event, not normal) and bear-proof trash receptacles as bears did visit while camping here! No water access, however you can fill up bottles from the drinking fountains at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Center right past the park entrance. ENJOY!
GuideI agree the road out is pretty scary I don't advise trailers but I have seen them while driving in. It is one lane and you must pull out for opposing traffic. But definitely one of my most favorite places in the Sierras. The views are amazing, I recommend giving yourself extra time to stop and get out for the views a few times on the way in.
Once in the campground/resort area there are two separate loops to camp in as well as cabins to rent and a small dispersed camping area there is also a general store, bath house, and small Cafe that are all seasonal since the road is closed most of the year. So open and close dates vary depending on snow. You can get firewood, drinking water at the store but it can be a little pricey, so I recommend bringing your own. The baths/showers are usually included for anyone paying for a campsite, but this may have changed. It is very cheap for day use persons to use the showers though. The sites are all very nice and surprisingly private though some are pretty close together. All provide a firepit, table, bear box, and parking space. I love that there are bear boxes at such a remote place! There are vault tiolets and dumpsters for trash. The river runs along one side of the campsites so about half of the sites are on the river. Bring extra bugspray for these sites as you are close to the water.
Most important if you made it this far reading 😅😂 there are multiple NATURAL HOT SPRINGS!! There are several different pools located across the river from the campgrounds. They are all over the hillside and range in temperature from lukewarm to bath water to Hot. They also pump the natural mineral water to the bathhouse for the showers! The springs are the main reason to come out and camp. There are also tons of hiking trails and other lakes in the area including 2 thermal lakes and tons of breathtaking views. I highly recommend this place. 🏞🏕
Also: I have not personally stayed in the cabins or dispersed camping area only the paid sites along the river, but I have been here several times and have seen them. There is also a corral area for horses so I'm not sure if that qualifies it as an equestrian camp but there is a spot for the horses.
TravelerIf you wanna get away and camp next to a river and down a trail and shoot your gun or go fishing you can freedom you can horseback ride if you have horses he can fish there are fish there trout it's beautiful peaceful.
TravelerThis campground is in the heart of Yosemite Valley. It is great to camp on the valley floor, especially during peak season as traffic from all main gates to the valley floor is very congested. There is a shuttle stop right outside the campground. You are also in easy walking distance to the path to Mirror Lake and the ever popular Mist Trail. Shuttle stops at all valley attractions and you can easily get to the Pizza Deck in Half Dome Village, the deli in Yosemite Village, and many different hiking trails. Some spots are right along the Merced River. No showers here, but hot showers are close by at Half Dome Village. We will be back!
LegendIt is hard to get a Camping spot in Yosemite but well worth it if you do. I got up early many a morning to try and get a day here or there for our summer trips out west. You can always try the daily lottery in the village office which we did one day. So Any campground in the valley is good and in close proximity to everything going on. This campground is located on the Merced river and is primitive. The horse stables are in this loop as well.There is a water station by entrance to fill up. No electric, sewer or shower. There are bathrooms with an outlet (Yea- can charge your Phone but get in line) You can bathe in river like I do or go to curry village and pay for a shower at housekeeping. You get a fire ring and a bear box at each site. Generator hours are limited so plan accordingly.
ScoutAlthough this campground is located in the midst of so much dramatic beauty, few campgrounds capture that beauty like this one. While sitting in your campsite, you can see majestic mountains and a very quiet. It is located across from horse stables if you like that and near a little store. Fishing appears to be the popular activity here although we are not fisher persons. It is a great base camp to all of the June Lake and Mammoth region
GuideWe were lucky to get 5 days in a row during 4th of July weekend in 2021 at one of the best sites within North Pines campground. We set up camp at site #515, we had a fire pit, bear locker, picnic table and two tents! Within walking distance is the edge of the Merced river, from there you have views of Yosemite Falls. One of my favorite activities was take a short walk with a floating tube from the campsite to the entrance of the campground and hop into the river float back down and get off near our campsite! Our site also offered a good amount of shade and was a short walk from the restrooms. We were surround amongst the giant granite cliffs. One of the best camping trips with great company. 10/10 would recommend.
RangerThousand Island Lake is a trek to get to but once you get there, well you don’t really want to leave. This view is absolutely beautiful, and it changes rapidly with the rising and setting sun so make you have your camera ready for it. This is completely back country so you gotta pack it all in. There are some rules you have to follow while camping at this lake, 30 feet off of the trail and then another 100 feet away from the water. This can be hard to do as your camp may be on a slant or in the wide open, however you have plenty of space to choose from at this location. There is another rule about camping past a certain peninsula but from everyone we talked to they had no idea which peninsula the map was actually referring to, so you just walk past a couple of them and hope you’re in the right spot. The water is very cold but still feels great after a long hike all day.
There are multiple routes to getting to this lake, you can come. The John Muir trail and the PCT lead to this location, also Mammoth California has a trail that leads here as well. We even encountered mule train options on our way in if you prefer that type of transportation. But this is definitely somewhere you want to visit.
Equestrian camping near Wawona, California sits at approximately 4,000 feet elevation in the southern portion of Yosemite National Park. The mixed conifer forest includes ponderosa pine, incense cedar, and black oak trees. During summer months, daytime temperatures typically reach 85-90°F while dropping to 50-55°F at night, creating significant temperature swings that campers should prepare for with appropriate layered clothing.
Horseback riding on local trails: Goat Meadow offers accessible terrain for riders bringing their own horses. "I've camped at Goat Meadow twice- once in 2022 and more recently in March of 2025. Both times were fantastic... Coyotes and bears are active in the area- coyotes raided a bag I had hanging from a tree and stole my food!" notes Alexander at Goat Meadow Dispersed Camp Site.
Fishing in nearby creeks: The waterways around camp areas provide fishing opportunities in season. Kevin T. describes the experience at Goat Meadow: "Quite a large level area, though it was November and not peak season so there were loads of space. We pulled in and there were a couple of trailers with horses and a couple of other vehicles and we parked with loads of space between."
Sunrise viewpoints: Drive to Glacier Point for exceptional early morning views. Buck R. recommends from Bridalveil Creek Campground: "Get up early and go to Glacier Point for the sunrise overlooking Half Dome, then head back towards camp but stop at Sentinel Dome parking. It's only 2.5 miles round trip to Sentinel Dome and the view is stunning."
Privacy between sites: Many horse camping areas offer more separation between campsites than standard campgrounds. Benjamin C. notes about Bridalveil Creek: "decent space, decent privacy, a bit more wooded than other campground in the park, some shaded sites."
Proximity to Yosemite entrances: The convenience of camping near park access points saves significant driving time. Clément D. from Goat Meadow describes it as a "Great spot near Yosemite south entrance. Very quiet and private."
Easy access to water sources: Many sites feature creek access. Katelin M. notes at Goat Meadow: "Close to Yosemite entrance, which was great. Stayed about a week which also crossed over Memorial Day weekend. Arrived the Tuesday before. This place gets CROWDED. At 5:30 it's like everyone got off work and headed home, it's nuts."
Variable road conditions: Access roads to horse camping areas can be challenging. Paige from Goat Meadow reports: "The road getting there has tons of potholes and the road in the site is super super bumpy."
Wildlife precautions: Bear-resistant food storage is essential for all equestrian campers. At North Pines Campground, R.D. warns: "Bear activity is high at this campground, and there is usually a poster at the kiosk relaying recent breakins."
Seasonal considerations: Winter conditions significantly impact access to horse camps. Conrad G. describes his experience at Summit Camp: "Need a 4x4 to get to the campground and it took us about 45min up the mountain to find the place but it was perfect once we got there."
Beginner-friendly trails: Several areas offer less challenging terrain for young riders. Jonathan from Goat Meadow notes: "This site had loads of space. When we camped 1 car 2 tents on 4/11/25 there were a number of other people and plenty of spots to check out. The area felt safe and easy to access."
Campfire preparation: Fire restrictions vary seasonally throughout the area. Fred H. at Sweetwater Campground shares: "We stayed one night for $24. The managers were very kind, accessible, and knowledgeable. The pit toilet facilities were clean. There was easily accessible water for cooking, drinking, etc."
Shade availability: Summer heat makes tree cover important. Ty P. from Goat Meadow observes: "Plenty of space for all vehicle sizes. Roads are very accessible. Nice and wooded."
Site selection for larger rigs: Not all horse camps accommodate large trailers. Rebecca L. from Granite Creek Campground advises: "Granite Creek Campground is primitive. There are pit toilets, but they are located only on the upper loop, so the sites in the lower loop are quite far away, so be prepared to dig a hole."
Generator restrictions: Operating hours for generators vary by location. R.D. explains at North Pines: "North Pines and Upper Pines accommodate most of the RVs in the park, and even though there are rules around generator hours, people tend to break these rules when they get hot or cold."
Trailer parking configurations: Setup orientation matters for comfort. Elliott B. notes about Bridalveil Creek: "Good space for tents and you're semi secluded from other campers and not as many RVs/Trailers as some of the other campgrounds. Decent access to drinking water and each site has tables and fire rings, no RV hookups."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Wawona, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Wawona, CA is Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Wawona, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 equestrian camping locations near Wawona, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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