Tuolumne Meadows

Often considered one of the best campgrounds in all of California, Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park could be the pawfect spot for your next camping trip with your pooch! There are more than 300 campsites at Tuolumne Meadows, including tent and RV sites, group sites (which do not allow dogs), and horse sites. Regular campsites can accommodate up to six people, and group sites are reserved for 13 to 30 people and as many tents as can fit. If you require an ADA-accessible campground, there are six available.

All of the campsites are equipped with a bear-safe food locker (five lockers at group sites), a picnic table, and a campfire ring, and you'll be close to a restroom with flushing toilets and drinking water. Sites do not have electric, water, or sewer hookups, but there's a dump site just a short drive away.

Approximately 300 to 500 bears live in Yosemite National Park. To protect both the bears and the park's visitors, bear-safe practices are strictly enforced. Use of bear-safe food lockers are not optional, and campers are not permitted to store food in their vehicles. Mountain lions also live in the area, so campers should always be on the lookout for the animals.

If you'd like to hike during your stay, there's a free seasonal shuttle bus that takes campers from the campground to Tioga Pass/Gaylor Lakes Trailhead, Olmsted Point, and other trailheads along the way. You can hike the Elizabeth Lake Trail beginning at the campground, and this 4.8-mile loop takes you to the base of Unicorn Peak. If you'd like to make the two-hour drive to Yosemite Valley, you'll find more trails, as well as rafting, guided tours, and museums. You can walk from your campsite to a visitor's center, and a general store and gas station are also just a hop, skip, and a jump away.

Once you and your pooch visit the Tuolumne Meadows Campground, you're sure to see what all the fuss is about!