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Dry Gulch Campground

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GinaP18 wrote a review Jul 2018
Los Angeles, California4 contributions
This is a beautiful campground along the Merced river, very close to the entrance of Yosemite National Park. It's very small with great tenting spaces and easy access to the water - both the spigot and the river. The vault toilets were quite clean and access to bear-proof food locker and trash bins was easy. It was very, very hot - be aware when booking in the summer. We did not see any snakes, but there were many yellow jackets. We ended up buying a trap, which helped, but they appeared out of nowhere when it was time to eat. The campground is a bit hard to find. The sign is beyond the parking area and easy to miss. It's easier to look for the first set of vault toilets along Incline Road. The campground host was very friendly and helpful, working hard to make sure all the campers were comfortable and putting up site reservations signs first thing in the morning to avoid any check-in confusion.
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Date of stay: July 2018
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Leah L wrote a review Jul 2017
1 contribution
If you get the two campsites on the ends (one or four), then you have a great site. You cannot reserve specific sites, though, because the hostess keeps number 4 "reserved" so she and her friends can use the best access to the river. Apparently, though, if you just set up camp in #4 and ignore the reserved sign, you get to keep it. Numbers 2 and 3 are in the middle with nothing between them, right next to the bathrooms and water pump, so they experience lots of foot traffic. Bring your own drinking water. The pump provided has brown, rusty water that I'm pretty sure gave me a wonderful case of giardia, especially since it's in close proximity to the outhouses. You can buy firewood there for $8/bundle, but watch out for black widows. The river is awesome, especially if you sneak over to #4 where you can access it easily. There is a highway right on the other side of the river, though, so don't expect to feel totally cut off from humanity. When compared to the tent camping in Yosemite, though, this place is much better.
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Date of stay: July 2017Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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bdawgg wrote a review Jun 2014
Lansing, Michigan30 contributions11 helpful votes
Dry Gultch campground proved to be a great place to stay. You have to travel down a very narrow road and two single lane bridges to get there. Conveniently located just outside Yosemite National Park El Portal entrance and on the banks of the picturesque Merced river. We picked the last site of the four. Very private and a great place to relax and unwind. Especially enjoyed cooling floats down the Merced river after a long day hiking in the park. Water provided not drinkable so have a back up plan in place. We filtered it out of the river with no problem. One final note would be on snakes. I saw several mentions about the abundance of rattle snakes in the area and in the park. We never encountered a one but did have to coax a harmless gopher snake off our site before setting up our tent. I would definitely stay there again on my next visit to Yosemite.
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Date of stay: June 2014Trip type: Travelled with friends
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rob r wrote a review May 2014
Los Angeles7 contributions10 helpful votes
So, I'm not suppose to be writing this review per the consensus of my fellow campers. But Dry Gulch is pretty awesome, and a secret that cannot be kept. Located only 5.2 miles outside the Yosemite park entrance sits 4 campsites along the Merced River. (I think thats its name) After staying the first night in House Keeping Camp inside the valley and listening to a troop full of kids sing the Frozen soundtrack in its entirety, this campground was of warm welcome. We stayed in the site all the way down to the right which is the most remote and spacious. The first one all the way down to left is pretty nice too with cool rock outcroppings. The river is only about 10 feet away and functions perfectly as a fridge to keep your beer cold. The fire pits have built in grills, the bear boxes are pretty roomy, bathrooms are clean. The only negative aspect I could conjure is that on the other side of the river is the highway and you can see the headlights come around the mountain pass every once in awhile. The beautiful sound of the river over powers any vehicle noise and the traffic flow disappears once the park closes so its honestly no big deal when you consider your other possible camping options. We stayed for 3 nights and think it was a total of $60 bucks.
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Date of stay: May 2014
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
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Rosemary wrote a review May 2014
Burien, Washington4 contributions7 helpful votes
While in line waiting for a campsite in Yosemite Valley, a man approached us & said he had a FREE campsite at Dry Gulch right by the river. We hadn't made any reservations prior & since the whole Yosemite Valley was full, we took it. We arrived at the campsite to find site one available as we were promised. So we immediately started unpacking. As we were almost finished unpacking & setting up our tent, the site host drove in & wanted to take our name, etc down. She asked if we had a reservation & what our name was. I explained we were given this site from someone who wouldn't be using it that nite (or anymore). She immediately told me that wasn't allowed (how it's forbidden in Yosemite at any campground) & we couldn't stay there. Since the previous campers had already left earlier in the day, she sold/booked the site online. We had only been there about 30 minutes, she said she was only away for about an hour. We were told we could use an unofficial site made from sand bags under some tree with a picnic table near the restroom. Mind you, site one was perfect. A nice table, fire pit, huge tent spot, seconds from the river, secluded. Well, we knew everything else in the area was booked & we started to move to the unofficial site. She said the occupants would be arriving soon. It was already dusk by then. The unofficial site was horrible. The picnic table was half covered by a tree. There was NO fire pit & NO food storage box (to keep bears away). Yes we were close to the restroom, or shall I say, hole in the ground. But it was nearly impossible to make a simple dinner or room to move around the site. Between my boyfriend & I we got 70 mosquito bites & that is NOT an exaggeration. I alone, had 20. He kept saying he never gets bit yet his arms were filled. I am apparently allergic to mosquitos as ALL of my bites swelled. There are no showered & only a spicket for water. And yes, to mention the bathroom, a hole in the ground. Gross. A quick glance at this campground looks amazing. The rushing river, seclusion, far & away from Yosemite all seem perfect. Please do not be misguided. Last but not least, the promised campers who were to occupy our original site, NEVER showed. The host was a LIAR. At least two other families arrived looking for a site that evening & were turned away.
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Date of stay: May 2014
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Ski_meister1 wrote a review Jul 2013
Boston, Massachusetts6 contributions5 helpful votes
We were unable to stay at Dry Gulch because when we arrived our campsite was occupied. The hostess moved us instead to another small campground down the road called Dirt Flat. Despite being across the river from the highway, there was still significant road noise all night. Most creepily, when we arrived, the hostess showed us a shovel and told us we could use it to kill the rattlesnakes if we saw any. Apparently, the place was crawling with them. We didn't see any, but our neighbors killed a 5 foot diamondback in our campsite the day we arrived. The campsite was also generally not well maintained. The bear lockers were in bad shape and there was litter / trash around our campsite. For $21 / night, we expected better.
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Date of stay: July 2013
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Trip type: Travelled with family
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sophie42400 wrote a review Jun 2013
Lyon, France120 contributions41 helpful votes
Petit camping situé hors du parc de Yosemite à El Portal. il faut compter une vingtaine de minutes pour rejoindre l'entrée du parc mais la route le long de la merced river est agréable. Camping avec le strict minimum : WC et point d'eau. Il s'agit malgré tout d'une bonne alternative si les campings du parc affichent complet. Les emplacements sont bien ombragés et équipés d'une table et d'un barbecue (+ coffre pour les ours).
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Date of stay: May 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Kitkatkristian wrote a review Jul 2012
San Diego, California17 contributions19 helpful votes
My boyfriend and I stayed here last summer in the midst of a huge road trip we took throughout California and Oregon. We were in the spot farthest to the right (if facing the river), which is the one I would recommend the most as it is the most private and is farthest away from the bathrooms. It was AMAZING to listen to the river at night, and wake up to the sounds of birds nearby! We walked a little down the road and took a dip in the water, and even fished for a bit. It was a nice break from all of the craziness in Yosemite Valley, and it felt very private. Also, the bathroom was exquisite - I have never seen such clean camping restrooms! I was amazed!! The camp host was very friendly as well. The only thing I would have changed is to add a showering area - because it gets HOT during the summer, and you might start to stink! But if you just bring a cheap $20 solar shower from REI, you will be golden!
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Date of stay: August 2011
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaEl Portal
NUMBER OF ROOMS
4
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DRY GULCH CAMPGROUND - Reviews (El Portal, CA) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about Dry Gulch Campground
Which popular attractions are close to Dry Gulch Campground?
Nearby attractions include El Portal Market (6.8 km), Yosemite Valley Railroad (1.6 km), and Mariposa Yosemite Symphony Orchestra (8.0 km).
What are some restaurants close to Dry Gulch Campground?
Conveniently located restaurants include Little Bear Pizza, Canyon Lodge Bar and Grill, and Cedar House Restaurant.
Are there any historical sites close to Dry Gulch Campground?
Many travellers enjoy visiting Yosemite Valley Railroad (1.6 km).