Last updated: September 8, 2022
Article
Crane Flat Campground in Yosemite National Park to be Rehabilitated through GAOA Funding
NPS / Matt Outhier
This campground benefits over 100,000 campers ech year. Crane Flat Campground was originally constructed in 1962 and designed to accommodate tents or small tow-behind trailers.
As large Recreational Vehicles (RVs) are now a norm among American campers, many of the current campsites must be reconfigured. This project will update Crane Flat Campground by reconfiguring all 166 campsites, improving campsite vehicle turn-in radius, creating new amenities, and replacing campsite signs.
Project at a Glance: This $9.8 million project will restore an outdated and deteriorated high-use campground to enhance the camping experience for over 100,000 annual visitors to Yosemite National Park.
What are the Benefits: In a world where more Americans are looking for opportunities to take a break from technology and enjoy the great outdoors, campgrounds are just as relevant today as they were to twentieth-century campers. To create a campground better suited for modern day use, this project will reconstruct roads, regrade campsites, add amenities, and improve landscaping. Eight campsites will be upgraded to meet federal accessibility standards and new accessible paths will connects campsites to existing comfort stations.
Project Purpose and Goals
Visitor use of campgrounds since the 1960s has changed. Where campsites originally hosted a single family in the 1960s, modern campsites need to accomodate multiple friends and families at one time. This project improves and modernizes the camping experience for over 100,000 visitors each year by:
- Reconstructing campgrounds to support heavy, modern RV’s and turning their geometry
- Adding underground pipes to improve drainage
- Installing stop logs and borders to prevent off-road travel
- Constructing tent pads at all sites
- Defining cooking and eating areas to include new picnic tables, fire rings, and bear-proof food storage lockers
- Replacing aged camp signs
- Improving drainage with site grading
- Repairing eroded areas
- Restoring landscape vegetation
- Reconfiguring eight campsites to fully meet accessibility standards
- Building accessible paths to connect campsites to existing comfort stations
- Removing campsites in ecologically and culturally sensitive areas
- Expanding several campsites to accommodate up to 12 people while keeping the overall capacity of the campground the same
- Reducing costly emergency repairs to the aging road system
NPS / Matt Outhier
Current Status
Construction is underway and progressing on schedule.