Tuolumne Meadows Campground — Restaurant in Mammoth Lakes

If I did not get the senior rate, I would have a hard time paying the fees for a campground with no showers. Let me just start there. ||||However, the location is fantastic. There are so many great sites and hikes and fishing available up in Tuolomne that so many people miss by never leaving the crowded valley floor. Early September is a great time to go, usually. No mosquitoes, no snow yet. We had beautiful weather, if cold at night. It was in the low 40s to high 30s at night when we were there. Very warm and sunny in the day, but as soon as the sun went down, brrr. By mid-september the night temps ran in the 20s, according to friends who were still there. ||||For showers you can drive down to Lee Vining and pay $3.50 for 5 minutes of hot water shower in the RV park. 5 minutes is plenty, but if you think you need more, they will refund you what you don't use as long as it isn't past their closing hours.||||It's a long drive from the campground to the valley. So, I would not recommend it if you want to spend a lot of time in the valley. We went for one day, because my brother had never been there. ||||No bears while we were there. There are bear lockers and you are required to put all food and perfumy items in the bin. Keeping up this good habit keeps the bears away. ||||There is a small camp supplies store, but I suggest you be sure to bring everything you need with you. ||||Some sites are better than others. Once you become familiar with the park, you will know which sites to reserve. There are also first come, first serve sites. You need to be in line very early for that!||||The hike up to Elizabeth Lake in the fall is...

We spent a night here during our trip to the Sierras. We enjoyed the campground and the area in general. When arriving the ranger at the check in kiosk asked us if we wanted to be by the river, or preferred a quiet site. We asked for a quiet site, and he gave us one in the back of the campground, with few neighbors. Driving through the front of the campground we could see people crammed into that area and were glad we were in the back.||||The site was large with a bear box, table and fire ring. The nearby bathroom was average for a busy campground - - clean enough. ||||We would stay here again in a heartbeat. For approx. $30 you can stay in the park, as opposed to paying 10x as much for a room. The campground is close to the Lembert Dome hike, and nearby to fishing access in the Tuolumne River. ||||Its worth noting that in August it was below 30 degrees at night/early morning, so...

What a great find! While much of Yosemite is booked 6 months in advance, its true - you can still get first come first served campsites here. We rolled in around 11 AM and didn't have a problem; space for 1-2 cars, tent(s), a picnic table and fire ring. They have a small restaurant out front and supply shop; it was like a mini REI/ Grocery store, prices were reasonable, and they even had beer.

There are a bunch of great hiking options from the campground so you won't have to drive to trailheads. Please check the weather for Tuolumne meadows (NOT Yosemite Valley), as it can get chilly at night; pack accordingly. Its much cooler up here than in the valley!

Realize this is rustic camping, so (no) there are no showers, but there are bathrooms with sinks/ running water, and potable water fill up areas which is nice.If you do need a shower after a few days you can drive on down to the...