National Park Service · California

Porcupine Flat Campground

National Park Service · California, United States · in Yosemite National Park

Open on the map Drive there Reserve Official page Directions
Sites
56
Hookups
56 with water, 55 no hookups
Season
June 23 to October 10
Max RV length
24 ft
Drinking water
Yes
Restrooms
Yes
Showers
No
Dump station
No
Laundry
No
Pets
Yes
Elevation
8,117 ft
Dark sky
Bortle class 1
Cell coverage
Verizon weak · T-Mobile none · AT&T none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
Lake
Yosemite National Park
Nearest town
Yosemite Village
Phone
209-379-2123
Activities
Backpacking, Birding, Camping, Climbing, Fishing, Hiking, Photography, Star Gazing, Swimming, Wilderness

56 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.

About

Overview

Staying at Porcupine Flat Campground requires reservations. No first come, first serve sites are available.

The campground typically opens in late-June and closes mid-October. The opening date varies depending on the opening of the Tioga Road and related seasonal facility and road work.

Porcupine Flat Campground is located off the Tioga Road about 30 minutes west of Tuolumne Meadows and over an hour from Yosemite Valley. RVs and Trailers are not recommended for the narrow roads in this more primitive campground. At an elevation of 8,100 feet (2,500 m) elevation, the campground is near Porcupine Creek, which is the only water source (must be filtered, treated, or boiled). The Porcupine Creek Trailhead is nearby. There are no visitor services close to the campground.

For additional park information, call (209)372-0200 or visit www.nps.gov/yose

Recreation

Yosemite's trails, cliffs, roads and rivers provide endless recreational activities for any kind of visitor. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, auto touring, and photography are all very popular activities within the park. The White Wolf area has hiking and backpacking opportunities that begin near the campground, such as Lukens Lake, Harden Lake and the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne. The Crane Flat area, 23 miles west, offers many other hiking opportunities such as Tuolumne and Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias, both of which require a 2.5 to 3-mile roundtrip hike to view. Tuolumne Meadows and all it's High Sierra wonder lie 25 miles to the east, where many beautiful day and overnight excursions await.

The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes, and granite domes. The road’s elevation ranges from 6,200 feet to just under 10,000 feet. Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra Nevada and is a good starting point for countless hikes. There is little to no cell service along the road.

Facilities

Porcupine Flat is extremely primitive and has no connectivity or drinking water. Basic amenities include vault toilets, trash/recycling collection, food storage lockers, fire rings and picnic tables.

Wood and charcoal fires are permitted when the campground is open.

For a map of the campground, visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/porcupinecamp.htm

Natural Features

Yosemite National Park covers nearly 1,200 square miles (3,100 square km) in the Sierra Nevada, with elevations ranging from about 2,000 feet (600 m) to 13,000 ft (4,000 m). Yosemite receives 95% of its precipitation between October and May (and over 75% between November and March). Most of Yosemite is blanketed in snow from about November through May. (The Valley can be rainy or snowy in any given winter storm.)

Porcupine Flat is situated along a seasonal creek which is it's only source of water. Creek water must be treated and/or boiled before consuming.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (209) 372-4025.

Nearby Attractions

Just 25 miles away is Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite National Park is known. Hiking trails and bike paths are abundant in the valley. Rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Yosemite Valley also offers numerous guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities, and an art center with workshops.

The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes and granite domes. Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra Nevada, with its broad sub-alpine meadows and granite peaks. Several trailheads line the road offering hikes to beautiful, secluded areas that can only be accessed and enjoyed by foot.

Beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, just 23 miles from Crane Flat, is home to spectacular scenery and numerous wilderness trailheads.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellations more than 48 hours in advance of arrival date will generate a refund, less a $10 transaction fee. Within 48 hours, $10 and the first night's fee are charged. One night reservations do not incur an additional $10 fee, but do not receive a refund. No-shows will be assessed a $20 service fee along with the loss of the first night's fee.

Fees

Porcupine Flat Campground Fee - All Sites $24.00

Porcupine Flat Campground Fee - Standard Sites (RV or Tent) and Tent Only Sites

Weather, month by month

MonthTypical highTypical lowColdest nightHottest dayYears with a night below 32°F
January37°20°-1°52°11 of 11
February35°19°3°52°11 of 11
March37°22°2°61°11 of 11
April42°24°-2°55°11 of 11
May53°31°16°65°11 of 11
June66°40°24°81°3 of 11
July76°51°38°85°0 of 11
August74°49°42°84°0 of 11
September67°44°32°76°2 of 11
October59°34°11°74°7 of 10
November46°28°8°64°9 of 10
December37°20°3°56°10 of 10

Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.

Nearby campgrounds

All public campgrounds in California · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-08-14. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.