BGW
Apr 24, 2006, 11:01 AM
By Laura Cook
LCOOK@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM
YOSEMITE -- Tourists will have 89 new campsites available in Yosemite Valley by the end of summer, with construction beginning in June, said Public Affairs Officer Scott Gediman.
The sites, 30 of which will have RV hookups, will replace some of the 375 sites that were destroyed in the 1997 flood.
"We are committed to replacing those sites," said Gediman. "And outside the valley, we are adding to other campgrounds."
During the Out of Valley Campground Study, officials found that more than 800 sites can be added without damaging wildlife, said Gediman.
"Not in the next year or two, but we want to replace those numbers, so we are working on adding onto Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona Campgrounds," he said.
Park officials will compete with other parks for federal government funding to add additional sites in and outside the valley, said Gediman.
But the 89 that will be added to Upper Pines Campground this June will be funded with supplemental appropriation funds that the park service received after the flood.
The sites are not being constructed where the previous sites were destroyed.
"Those campsites that were destroyed, they were built literally right next to the river, so the decision was made to not rebuild them there," said Gediman.
Gediman said more campsites will benefit visitors, as the demand for camping accommodations always exceeds the supply during the summer and early fall.
He said valley campgrounds are already booked through August and if people want to camp during or after September, the time to call is now.
It's also typical that first-come, first-served sites are full by noon from May through September.
For anyone on a budget, the cheapest camping is available for $5 a person at Camp 4, which is a first-come, first-served campground behind Yosemite Lodge. The campsites, which have a fire pit, bear-proof food box, and picnic table, accommodate six people.
Bears are hungriest at this time of year because they are waking up from hibernation, and Gediman encourages campers to store anything with a scent, including lip gloss and lotion, in the bear-proof box.
Other grounds in the valley are $18 for a site, and it's between $8 and $18 for sites outside the valley.
For those who like a little more elegance in the woods, there are several canvas tent and wooden cabin accommodations available.
Housekeeping Camp, where shelter is made with cinder block walls and canvas roofs, is now open, as well as Curry Village, which has canvas tents with wooden floors and doors, said Kenny Karst, public relations manager for Delaware North Co. Parks and Resorts.
"One of the main attractions to the Housekeeping Camp is its proximity to the Merced River," said Karst.
Curry Village is near Housekeeping Camp, but is a bit more expensive since it's closer to food venues and showering facilities.
"Curry Village is a much different experience than Housekeeping Camp," said Karst. "There is a dining pavilion, a guest lounge and a lot of other common areas, including the swimming pool."
There are standard motel-like rooms available in the Stoneman Building in Curry Village, as well as wooden cabins with or without bathrooms.
There is a group fire pit in Curry Village, where nighttime programs are frequently run. Every site in Housekeeping Camp has a fire pit.
Reservations for tents and cabins in the high country, including White Wolf Lodge and Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, are also filling up quickly, and they are open for the summer months only, said Karst.
"It's a much more detached experience," said Karst. "That's why Tuolumne Meadows is popular for people who like to get away from the crowds."
If people are interested in a hotel stay, Yosemite Lodge and The Ahwahnee are in the valley and the Wawona Hotel is southeast of the valley.
While hotels are generally at capacity during summer months, Karst said many people desire to camp and utilize the tents and cabins.
"It's a little more rustic setting," said Karst. "People seem to be a little more in tune with nature, especially because in Housekeeping Camp or Curry Village, you can still hear all that's going on outside around you, including the birds chirping and the wind rustling through the leaves in the trees.
"You are a little bit more at one with nature."
Reporter Laura Cook can be reached at 385-2417 or lcook@mercedsun-star.com.
Posted on 04/24/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12093182p-12845111c.html
LCOOK@MERCEDSUN-STAR.COM
YOSEMITE -- Tourists will have 89 new campsites available in Yosemite Valley by the end of summer, with construction beginning in June, said Public Affairs Officer Scott Gediman.
The sites, 30 of which will have RV hookups, will replace some of the 375 sites that were destroyed in the 1997 flood.
"We are committed to replacing those sites," said Gediman. "And outside the valley, we are adding to other campgrounds."
During the Out of Valley Campground Study, officials found that more than 800 sites can be added without damaging wildlife, said Gediman.
"Not in the next year or two, but we want to replace those numbers, so we are working on adding onto Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona Campgrounds," he said.
Park officials will compete with other parks for federal government funding to add additional sites in and outside the valley, said Gediman.
But the 89 that will be added to Upper Pines Campground this June will be funded with supplemental appropriation funds that the park service received after the flood.
The sites are not being constructed where the previous sites were destroyed.
"Those campsites that were destroyed, they were built literally right next to the river, so the decision was made to not rebuild them there," said Gediman.
Gediman said more campsites will benefit visitors, as the demand for camping accommodations always exceeds the supply during the summer and early fall.
He said valley campgrounds are already booked through August and if people want to camp during or after September, the time to call is now.
It's also typical that first-come, first-served sites are full by noon from May through September.
For anyone on a budget, the cheapest camping is available for $5 a person at Camp 4, which is a first-come, first-served campground behind Yosemite Lodge. The campsites, which have a fire pit, bear-proof food box, and picnic table, accommodate six people.
Bears are hungriest at this time of year because they are waking up from hibernation, and Gediman encourages campers to store anything with a scent, including lip gloss and lotion, in the bear-proof box.
Other grounds in the valley are $18 for a site, and it's between $8 and $18 for sites outside the valley.
For those who like a little more elegance in the woods, there are several canvas tent and wooden cabin accommodations available.
Housekeeping Camp, where shelter is made with cinder block walls and canvas roofs, is now open, as well as Curry Village, which has canvas tents with wooden floors and doors, said Kenny Karst, public relations manager for Delaware North Co. Parks and Resorts.
"One of the main attractions to the Housekeeping Camp is its proximity to the Merced River," said Karst.
Curry Village is near Housekeeping Camp, but is a bit more expensive since it's closer to food venues and showering facilities.
"Curry Village is a much different experience than Housekeeping Camp," said Karst. "There is a dining pavilion, a guest lounge and a lot of other common areas, including the swimming pool."
There are standard motel-like rooms available in the Stoneman Building in Curry Village, as well as wooden cabins with or without bathrooms.
There is a group fire pit in Curry Village, where nighttime programs are frequently run. Every site in Housekeeping Camp has a fire pit.
Reservations for tents and cabins in the high country, including White Wolf Lodge and Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, are also filling up quickly, and they are open for the summer months only, said Karst.
"It's a much more detached experience," said Karst. "That's why Tuolumne Meadows is popular for people who like to get away from the crowds."
If people are interested in a hotel stay, Yosemite Lodge and The Ahwahnee are in the valley and the Wawona Hotel is southeast of the valley.
While hotels are generally at capacity during summer months, Karst said many people desire to camp and utilize the tents and cabins.
"It's a little more rustic setting," said Karst. "People seem to be a little more in tune with nature, especially because in Housekeeping Camp or Curry Village, you can still hear all that's going on outside around you, including the birds chirping and the wind rustling through the leaves in the trees.
"You are a little bit more at one with nature."
Reporter Laura Cook can be reached at 385-2417 or lcook@mercedsun-star.com.
Posted on 04/24/06 00:30:00
http://www.mercedsun-star.com/local/story/12093182p-12845111c.html