Yosemite Camping Plans Shift as Summer Winds Down
Campers planning a late-summer or fall trip to Yosemite will want to take another look at their reservations as an unexpected campground closure and an extended season at another location change some of the options available inside the park.
Bridalveil Creek Campground has closed for the remainder of the 2026 season after a lightning strike damaged critical infrastructure, while Yosemite National Park has extended the reservation season at Wawona Campground into late November.
The changes come as Yosemite begins the gradual transition from its busy summer camping season into fall.
Lightning Strike Closes Bridalveil Creek Early
Bridalveil Creek Campground closed Aug. 14 after a lightning strike affected the campground’s potable water and restroom infrastructure, according to the National Park Service.
The campground had originally been scheduled to remain open through Sept. 7.
Located along Glacier Point Road at about 7,200 feet in elevation, Bridalveil Creek has 110 campsites and provides access to a number of nearby hiking destinations and viewpoints. It sits about seven miles west of Glacier Point and roughly nine miles east of the Wawona Road junction.
The unexpected closure removes one of Yosemite’s higher-elevation camping options during the final weeks of summer.
NPS has not announced a reopening date this year; its current campground information lists Bridalveil Creek as closed for the remainder of the 2026 season.
Wawona Extends Its Reservation Season
Farther south, campers have gained additional opportunities at Wawona Campground.
Yosemite has extended the reservation period for Loop A through Nov. 29, with Nov. 28 as the final night available by reservation.
Loops B and C are still scheduled to close Oct. 26 as originally planned.
Wawona Campground is open year-round and contains 95 sites. The campground sits at about 4,000 feet in elevation, making it considerably lower than Bridalveil Creek and many of Yosemite’s high-country campgrounds.
The extended reservation period gives visitors another option for planned camping well into the fall, when several of Yosemite’s seasonal campgrounds have already closed.
Other Campgrounds Remain Open
For campers still hoping to spend a night inside Yosemite as summer winds down, several options remain available.
In Yosemite Valley, Upper Pines is open year-round, while Lower Pines is tentatively scheduled through Oct. 19 and North Pines through Oct. 26. Camp 4 is also open year-round.
Outside the Valley, current 2026 schedules include:
- Yosemite Creek: through Sept. 7
- White Wolf: through Sept. 14
- Tuolumne Meadows: through Sept. 27
- Crane Flat: through Oct. 12
- Tamarack Flat: through Oct. 12
- Porcupine Flat: through Oct. 12
- Hodgdon Meadow: open year-round
- Wawona: open year-round, with the newly extended Loop A reservation season
Opening and closing dates are tentative and can change depending on conditions.
There are also some important differences between campgrounds. White Wolf, for example, currently has no water available in 2026, while Yosemite Creek, Tamarack Flat and Porcupine Flat rely on creek water that must be boiled before use.
Reservations Still Matter
Although the busiest part of summer is beginning to wind down, campers shouldn’t assume they can simply arrive and find an open site.
Yosemite uses reservations for all of its campgrounds during the spring-through-fall period, and NPS warns that many reservations can disappear within minutes of becoming available.
The Park Service also reminds visitors that sleeping in a vehicle is permitted only in a registered campsite. If Yosemite’s open campgrounds are full, visitors must leave the park to camp or sleep in their vehicles elsewhere.
For anyone planning a late-summer or fall Yosemite trip, the shifting campground schedule makes checking current conditions before leaving home especially important.
The early loss of Bridalveil Creek reduces the choices available along Glacier Point Road, but the extended reservation season at Wawona gives visitors another opportunity to camp inside Yosemite well after many of the park’s seasonal campgrounds begin closing for the year.
Current campground opening dates, reservation requirements and conditions are available through the Yosemite National Park campground page.
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Feature Photo: Campers at Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Yosemite’s late-summer camping options are changing following the early closure of Bridalveil Creek Campground and an extended reservation season at Wawona.
Photo Credit: NPS Photo