Campground · Yosemite National Park
Forest camping with a trail toward Yosemite's North Rim.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
“You're approaching Tamarack Flat, a forest tent campground near Tamarack Creek. Choose it for a wooded camping base, with Yosemite Valley about forty-five minutes away by road.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this place
Tamarack Flat Campground“You're approaching Tamarack Flat, a forest tent campground near Tamarack Creek. Choose it for a wooded camping base, with Yosemite Valley about forty-five minutes away by road.”
Plays as you drive up to Tamarack Flat Campground in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Guide
Tamarack Flat is a 52-site tent campground in the forest near Tamarack Creek, about 6,300 feet above sea level east of Crane Flat. It suits campers looking for a quieter base on Yosemite's Tioga Road side who don't mind driving to Yosemite Valley, about 45 minutes away by road. All 52 sites require reservations, released 14 days ahead. The campground usually operates in summer and early fall, depending on Tioga Road access.
From Tioga Road, east of Crane Flat, the last three miles follow a narrow, winding single-lane road with hairpin turns. RVs and trailers aren't recommended. There is no cell reception, so save your directions and reservation details before heading in. Sites vary in size and privacy, and some can be hard to identify after dark; arriving in daylight can make setup easier.
Each site has a picnic table, fire ring and food locker. Seasonal vault toilets are provided, but there is no potable water or shower. Tamarack Creek is seasonal and may dry up; any creek water must be filtered, treated or boiled, so bring drinking water. Wood and charcoal fires depend on current fire restrictions.
A hiking and backpacking trail leaves the campground for Cascade Creek, El Capitan and other points along Yosemite Valley's North Rim. The Tuolumne and Merced sequoia groves are also in the Crane Flat area, but visiting either takes a separate 2.5- to 3-mile round-trip hike. Treat them as their own outings rather than quick walks from camp.
Wildlife
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateCascade Creek Trail from Tamarack Flat4.4 mi · 2.3 hr · 0.1 mi awayAn old forest road ends at a footbridge and small cascades.
ChallengingTamarack Flat to Yosemite Valley Trail17 mi · 10.5 hr · 0.1 mi awayCross the north rim, then descend Yosemite Falls to the Valley.
ChallengingEl Capitan from Tamarack Creek16 mi · 10 hr · 0.2 mi awayA long forest climb to El Capitan's broad summit views.
ModerateSouth Fork Tuolumne River Trail5.8 mi · 4.5 hr · 2.3 mi awayA quiet forest descent to the South Fork Tuolumne.
ChallengingFull North Rim Traverse29.1 mi · 17 hr · 2.5 mi awayCross four granite summits on a true North Rim traverse.
EasyTurtleback Dome Trail1.2 mi · 1 hr · 3.2 mi awayA short climb ends on granite above Yosemite Valley.
EasyLittle Nellie Falls Trail5.6 mi · 3 hr · 3.4 mi awayA quiet old road leads from Big Meadow toward a small waterfall.
EasyCrane Flat Lookout Trail3 mi · 1.5 hr · 3.6 mi awayA steady climb to a 1931 fire lookout with wide views.
Picnic area · 2.3 mi awayThe Cascades Picnic AreaA shady lunch stop with a waterfall just across the road.
Gas station · 3.3 mi awayCrane Flat Gas StationFuel, groceries and a useful break at Yosemite's northern road junction.
Campground · 3.5 mi awayCrane Flat CampgroundForest camping near Yosemite Valley and two giant sequoia groves.
Sight · 4.1 mi awayTuolumne GroveTwo dozen sequoias are worth the 500-foot climb back.
Sight · 4.1 mi awayTunnel ViewThe valley opens in one huge panorama beyond the tunnel.
Entrance station · 4.5 mi awayArch Rock EntranceDrive beneath the boulder arch at the Highway 140 entrance.
Sight · 4.6 mi awayCrane Flat Fire LookoutA 1931 fire tower and broad views, with a working helibase nearby.
Sight · 4.7 mi awayValley ViewGranite cliffs and Bridalveil Fall framed across the Merced River.Parkwolf’s Yosemite ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
