Tamarack Flat Campground

Reviews

Reviews are sorted by relevance, with the most helpful and insightful feedback listed first for easy reference.

  Patrick David
6 months ago
Beautiful calm campground with a remote feeling but a smooth newly-paved single lane road leading to it through the woods. Small stream and many boulders for kids to climb on and explore. Minimal facilities, no potable water, bring your own. Depends on your preference, but compared to the busy Upper Pines Campground I thought this was a real gem. Stayed at site 003.

  Dick Tandy
7 months ago
This is a wonderful Campground. although all Campsites are not the same. You have some real stinkers and some very nice ones. I camped at # 51 Some comment on how much space the 51 -54 .Well I guess it depends on your view of space. 51 is not suit for a big tent . a small tent would be fine.Why I gave this a five star the campsite would be at 3 star. The two camp hosts Rust and Bill are wonderful; they run a tight ship. They keep the campground clean and quiet(It's not a party Campground!) And they stay on top of making sure you're keeping your bear box closed and put your campfire out completely. They go around checking that twice a day. They're very friendly and knowledgeable. I will be back next summer but not at 51!!!

  Ruth Maselli
6 months ago
It completely slipped my mind to reserve camping at Yosemite during my road trip and this was the only campground with openings. There s a 3 mile mostly downhill, very narrow, but paved road on the way to the campground. Website says RVs are not recommend. I was able to safely maneuver this road with my vintage Class B camper van (pic for reference). It was $27 for the night, and I reserved my spot online just before pulling in. I stayed at spot #7, which was next to spots 5&6 where the camp host stays and In front of bathrooms. I recommend looking at the campsite photos when booking on the site. It was a 20ish minute ride to the park from here.

  WOLF
7 months ago
My wife and I had an unforgettable time car camping at this Yosemite campground. The natural beauty of the park is beyond words, and the convenience of car camping made it even more enjoyable. The guide who accompanied us was amazing, sharing valuable insights about the park's history and pointing out hidden gems. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. We'll cherish these memories forever, and we highly recommend this campground to anyone looking for a Yosemite adventure!

  Brad Beggs
a year ago
Beautiful secluded campground central to both the Valley and Tioga Road attractions. It's all tent camping, and the sites are level and well separated from neighbors. Recently paved one-lane road leads to the campground, which is about 10 minutes downhill from the main road.Creek is normally dry by late summer, there are only pit toilets, and there is no water or any other services. Firewood is plentiful from downed trees.

  Nicole M
a year ago
It's reservation ONLY in 2022.Per official reservation email: "Tamarack Flat Campground can only by accessed by a 3 mile long, narrow, single-lane road with many hairpin turns. RVs and Trailers are NOT recommended." The road was well-paved & super clean though, easy to access for sedan at least (see pic).Pit toilets, no shower. Spacious and quiet. The creek running through the camp site still had water in early July.No cell service, but relatively easy to find directions. Just follow the sings pointing to Tuolumne Grove, Tioga Road, and/or Tioga Pass. However, the side road leading to the camp site is so tiny, you really need to watch carefully. Once you turn into the side road, you will soon see the gate and more signs for the camp site.Yosemite valley (where all the popular trails & camping sites are) is ~50-60min away. But the view along the drive was stunning! You can see Half Dome at Yosemite Valley Vista Point along the way.Crane Flat gas station is ~25min away, conveniently located on the way to Yosemite Valley and several Park exists. They sell food, ice, and super basic camping gears. Clean restrooms in case you're sick of the pit toilets.For fist-time visitors like me who want to spend more time in Yosemite Valley, this camp site really ain't in the best location. But it's the only place that wasn't fully booked months in advance when I was planning my trip last minute, so really no complaints lol

  James Hill Real Estate
a year ago
Absolutely loved this area of Yosemite. Only 52 camp sites total, off the beaten path just enough. Very quiet and camp ground overseer is cool. Just off Tioga Rd towards Tuolumne meadows and a 45 minute drive from the valley floor. No potable water but a creek runs through the entire campground with easy access so filtering water is no problem. Vault toilets and no showers. Trailers and RV s are not recommended so the odds of hearing your neighbors generator is next to zero. I didn t see any trailers or RV s. I didn t hear any generators the 4 days I was there from 10/3 - 10/6. Campsites are generously spaced and the ground is even throughout. If you re cool without potable water or showers this place is awesome!! You can always drive down to the valley for showers.

  Alexandre Benoit
a year ago
Extremely difficult to find your way at night! The campground is poorly divided and organized. They have the bare minimum accommodations (no sink and no shower). And... you can smell the toilets from your tent... such an interesting sleeping experience! At least, it was cheap for the night...We did a roadtrip around North California (Redwood, Lassen, Tahoe, Yosemite) and it was the worst campground we slept in for now. It felt like it is done on purpose to promote going to the expensive hotels in Yosemite...

  Andy Smith
a year ago
If you plan to walk to the top of El Capitan, this is the place to do it from. Whether you are camping here or just parking here to hike. There is some parking at the beginning of the campsite if you are not staying, like me. The other option if you are staying in Yosemite valley is to get someone to drop you off here, then walk to El Capitan and back to the valley down the site of Yosemite falls.The path from here to the top of El Capitan is long but not too hard and you can easily do it in a day if you are reasonably fit. The path from here is also easy to follow and clear.The campsite itself is really nice with will positioned sites and facilities.

  Peter Rosenb�k Olesen
4 years ago
Stayed for three nights in late July. Rather crowded during the weekends. We arrived at 8.30 AM Friday morning and were able to get a nice spot. Gary the Campground host was a nice very nice guy. Quite primitive - only pit toilets and no running water. There is a creek in which you can take a quick dip (though it is cold), and also use the water for boiling. Nice new tarmac on the 3 mile road from the main road to the campground.

  Alyssa Murfey
a year ago
Great campsite that is away from the business of the Valley campsites, but not so far that it's too long of a drive. There wasn't a camp host due to staffing issues so would recommend getting before dark to find your site. The map was confusing and not always accurate - thankful for helpful campers who helped me find my spot.

  Jacob Magnin (Jmagz)
7 years ago
Tamarack flat is a great campground in the high-country of Yosemite national park. It is located towards near Crane Flat about a mile and a half of the SR 120. The campground itself is nicely situated in the bottom of a valley it takes about 10-15 minutes to drive in which keeps a lot of visitors from using it. The campgrounds are nice with bear-vaults, picnic table, fire-pit, parking pad, and your camp-spot. They can, unfortunately, get dirty towards the end of the season. The campground also does not have any running water. All water must be collected from the stream and treated. There is a lot of great hiking right out of the campground which also serves as a trailhead for trails that go up to El Capitan, for example.

  Oscar Gallegos
4 years ago
Gary the camp host is very professional, camp grounds are a good size, with a bear box, fire pit, and picnic table. This campsite does not have running water or showers. The trail head for El Capitan starts here.

  Jan
7 years ago
Absolutely amazing place to spend the night(s). We stayed here for 4 nights. The toilets are clean, though they are non-flushable. Some campspots are located on a hill, which is inconvenient when camping in a tent. The supervisor seemed friendly though we did not see her that often. You are allowed to make campfire's, which is a big plus because the nights can be very cold.

  Ruth Wilke
4 years ago
Gary is a helpful camp host that enjoys his job and it shows! He let us walk around and pick out a campsite. We arrived at 7:30 on a Wednesday morning in mid August and had quite a few to choose from. No water except creek water.

  x x
7 years ago
This heavily wooded campground with reasonably space campsites fills up quickly. The roads are dusty and it is about a 25 minute drive from Yosemite valley. These are first come first served and if you aren't here on Friday, its nearly inconceivable you will score a site. Plan ahead and arrive early.

  Shourjya Dasgupta
6 years ago
Great place to spend the night. It is a first come first serve basis. As soon as you enter the campground, pick up an envelope from the box and look for a empty spot for yourself. Once you occupy your space, fill up the contents in the envelope and put your money in it and drop it in the drop box. It off a total self service campsite.It had 52 sites to occupy. Each site costs $12 which is pretty reasonable. At max 6 people per site. RVs are not recommended here because the roads are pretty narrow to enter. No potable water in this location.

  Shashwat Das
7 years ago
Visited after the July 4th Long weekend. Looks like I was lucky to get a campsite.Campground : 5/5Maintenance : (-10)/5 reason I gave 3 stars.. Toilets can't stink more than I experienced out there.. I am regular camper and but haven't experienced anything like this.Camphost - I didn't see him during my 4 night stay. Might be the reason behind toilets stinking soo bad. I am sure he is good guy but sir you need to take care of the toilets.. $21/night was not cheap.Anyways - leaving aside the smell, the campground was too good. Not very far from Yosemite Valley.

  Milanna Obrovac
a year ago
Great campground. Toilets relatively clean and the camp host was super nice and informative! A little far from Yosemite village but good nonetheless

  Chris Bunya
7 years ago
Simple campsites with table and fire ring. Stream nearby for water. We arrived on a Thurs morning and happened to catch someone as they were leaving. The place was full the 4 days we were there. It cleared out a little on Sunday morning. Otherwise, it's tough to get a campsite. 40 min from the Valley and 1 hr from Tuolomne Meadows.

  Jorge Matos
a year ago
Ok campground. Nicely tucked away in a forested area but no running water. Spacious campsites. The camp host was very friendly and helpful

  mgverastegui
6 years ago
It's hard to get a first come first served campsite, but this campgroup is pretty nice it's tucked away from all the tourists and it had a relaxing environment. There a charming little stream running through which is nice. My only complaint is that you can only pay for the campsites in cash. Other FVFS campgrounds offer the possibility of paying with a card

  A W
7 years ago
It's a pretty basic campsite that doesn't take reservations, so it's tough to guarantee a spot. Campsites are wide, but are hard to tell where the boundaries between sites are. The sites near the entrance get pretty loud and people enter at all hours of the night, so it's not a very quite camp site.

  BRIAN WILSON
5 years ago
Pit toilets. No water spigots, you must bring your own. Big campsites. Not recommended for motorhomes or long trailers. Gets crowded in July and August. No reservations. Best sites are on the left driving in.

  Mishari Husien
6 years ago
Great Campsite, you can have your privacy and enjoy camping, the downsize is there is no running water and it will be cold at night. Otherwise this was one of my best Trips to Yosemite.

  Margot Gabel
6 years ago
Peaceful and clean campground. We easily found a site by arriving in the early morning. The road to reach the location is sinuous but really fun!

  Lo Sweet
6 years ago
such a great place to camp. the 3 mile road to the site is freshly paved and isn't scary to drive down. This will now be an annual tradition.

  Scott Weise
5 years ago
Visited last in early 80s, it seems by others descriptions to have been improved upon given it was once closed down for sanitation issues. Sites are generous and quiet.

  BVD
8 months ago
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  Whitney Tiarra
4 years ago
The camp host was awesome and was very informative! Gotta get there before 11am or it'll be full. Best spot in the park.