Crane Flat Campground Closed

Crane Flat Campground is closed through Friday August 14th as workers treat the area for fleas which may have led to a child contracting the plague. Although there is no evidence as of yet the child contracted the disease at the campground the National Park Service and state agencies are conducing theĀ flea treatment as a precautionary measure.

The campground will be closed from Noon Monday, August 10 through Noon Friday, August 14 to allow crews to work in the area. This flea treatment is a commonly used to protect wildlife, pets, and human health from this non-native disease. Yosemite National Park remains open and all other campgrounds and facilities in the park remain open as well.

Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona Campgrounds Open

Hodgdon Meadow

On Wednesday, April 17th, the Hodgdon Meadow group campsites open for the season, and the entire Hodgdon Meadow campground will be available only by advance reservation (through October 14.)

Wawona Campground

On April 17th, the back loops of Wawona Campground, and the Wawona horse camp will open for the season, and the entire campground will be available only by advance reservation (through October 6th).

Warm Rains Pushing Merced to Brink

Warm rains caused increased snowmelt this weekend pushing the Merced River in Yosemite Valley almost to flood stage.

Merced Sun Star: The whirling water forced the evacuation of 71 campsites near the river, according to the National Park Service.
There were no injuries reported from the high water or the evacuation.

The surging river also increased the level of Lake McClure by more than 23,000-acre-feet in three days, which may lessen the drought’s impact on local farmers, according to the Merced Irrigation District.
An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, roughly the volume a Valley family would use in a year.

Yosemite Valley received 1.47 inches of rain Friday and an additional 1.11 Saturday, said Yosemite National Park spokeswoman Kari Cobb.

The combination of more than two inches of rain and a heavy snowmelt swelled the Merced River to near its flood level of 10 feet.

The river rose to nine feet Friday night and Saturday morning, said Cobb.
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Yosemite Valley on Friday and Saturday. The agency predicted the river would rise to 12 feet.

Rains are expected to continue today and then break up into scattered showers on Wednesday leading into a warm and sunny weekend.