McCabe Flat Campground
1Heads up1 fire 21 mi away
We don’t think it should be. Every campground should hold some sites for whoever drives up.Tell your representative →
- Right now
- Taking bookingsSites offered on 30 of the next 30 nights read 16:54 UTC
- A night
- $20From, per site
- Sites
- 10All of them booked ahead
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 8 notices
In the agency’s own words
Merced River Recreation Management Area Overview The Merced River Recreation Area is a special place just downstream from Yosemite. It is well known for excellent whitewater boating, wildflower viewing, camping, swimming, and recreational gold panning/prospecting. Visitors will have plenty to do in the Merced River Recreation Area during every season. Springtime comes early to the Merced River Canyon and by March the wildflower season is well on its way—lasting into May. Easy access, un-damned flows, and excellent whitewater boating attract rafters and kayakers during the spring runoff (April through July). Keep reading
Commercial rafting trips are available from the following BLM permitted outfitters: All Outdoors, ARTA, OARS, and Zephyr (Contact outfitters directly for more information) . It is a very popular swimming destination during the hot California foothill summers with some of the clearest swimming holes around. Gold panning and prospecting have never fallen out of favor since the 1850’s when this canyon had a large mining population. In autumn the crowds subside and the Merced River Recreation Area provides more solitude while still offering most of the appeal and activities as earlier in the year. By winter, true solitude can be found. The weather is usually quite warm and sunny between storms. Daytime highs in the 60’s and overnight lows in the 30’s are common. While some activities are best in specific seasons, there are many things to do all year long. Bird watching is good throughout the area most of the year. Fishing is popular for trout and bass along the entire river. Biking along the gravel roads and trails is popular with families and experienced mountain bikers alike. Hiking is great anytime of the year. The Merced River Trail continues on downstream from the end of the campground River Road and brings hikers or bikers to the North Fork of the Merced and beyond. The Burma Grade is another popular route to explore on foot, bike, or high-clearance automobile. This scenic backroad climbs steeply out of the Merced Canyon and eventually leads to Greely Hill or Buck Meadows (CA-120). McCabe Flat Campground Overview After crossing the historic Briceburg Suspension Bridge, McCabe Flat Campground is 2.2 miles downstream along the Merced River Road. This is the first of three campgrounds operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along the Wild and Scenic Merced River. This is a popular destination campground during spring and summer. McCabe Flat Campground has a large designated swimming area and beach. No dogs are allowed on the beach or swimming area! Dogs are allowed on leash at all other locations managed by BLM in the region. There are eight (8) walk-in campsites and two (2) drive-up campsites. The walk-in sites are between 50 and 200 feet from the parking lot. An accessible crushed rock trail leads to each site. One of the two drive-up sites (#10) is a group campsite suitable for up to 20 people and 6 vehicles.
Recreation
The Merced River Recreation Management Area was established because of the outstanding recreational opportunities found here. The proximity to Yosemite National Park attracts people from around the world to camp, boat, swim, and play along the Merced River. Whitewater rafting opportunities are excellent with easy road-side access. Established launch sites upstream near El Portal are Redbud, Indian Flat, Old Suspension Bridge, and Briceburg Day-Use Area. Take-out locations include Briceburg Day Use Area, Railroad Flat Boat Ramp, and Bagby. Hiking along the Merced River Trail/Old Yosemite Railroad Grade is good year around. Camping along the Merced River has been a cherished recreational activity for generations of families for a hundred years. Picnicking, nature study, hobby gold prospecting, wildflower viewing, birding, mountain biking, and swimming are all popular recreational activities within the Merced River Recreation Management Area/Wild and Scenic Merced River.
Facilities
Each of the three BLM Merced River Campgrounds includes the following features: • Vault toilet(s), and seasonal port-o-potties • Bearproof garbage cans. • Bearproof recycling cans. • Bearproof food locker in each site • Picnic table in each site • Fire ring in each site • Bulletin board with local information, rules and regulations • Parking areas. • Recreation.gov fee system. • McCabe Flat Campground has a designated swimming area—NO DOGS ALLOWED.
Natural Features
McCabe Flat Campground is situated on the shore of the Wild and Scenic Merced River. Nine (9) of the campsites are within 100 feet of the river. The Group Site is on the other side of the Old Yosemite Railroad Grade/Merced River Road; about 150 yards from the water. The river is the main natural feature here. The Merced River Trail follows the Old Yosemite Railroad Grade past where cars can drive. This trail is spectacular during springtime (February-April)! It provides good access to more secluded swimming and fishing holes downstream from the campgrounds. This trail also provides access to the North Fork Merced where swimming and wildflower viewing is excellent in spring to early summer. Wildflower viewing is great all along the Merced River. The best season to see the colorful display is February through April. California Newts are common in this area. They are active in the winter and spring especially on wet days. They are slow moving docile creatures, but do not touch or pick them up. They have a neurotoxin in their skin that is poisonous to people and pets. Do not eat them.
Nearby Attractions
Yosemite National Park is the main attraction in Mariposa County. The Arch Rock Entrance Station is 22.8 miles from McCabe Flat Campground (20 miles from Briceburg Visitor Center on CA-140). California State Mining and Mineral Museum is located at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds--14.2 miles from the Briceburg Visitor Center. Mariposa Museum and History Center is in downtown Mariposa 12 miles from Briceburg Visitor Center. 5119 Jessie St Mariposa, CA 95338 Charges & Cancellations Reservation Rules Maximum Consecutive Stay You may stay up to 14 nights during a visit at this campground. Maximum Stay You may stay up to 14 nights total at this campground within any calendar quarter (Jan-March, April-June, etc) Max Concurrent Stay You may hold up to 2 reservations on any given night at this campground. Each campsite is its own reservation. All Year Maximum Reservations per Transaction You may pay for up to 2 reservations at one time within the same credit card transaction. All Year Maximum Total Reservations You may hold up to 2 current or upcoming reservations at this campground. All Year Maximum Reservation Changes You may modify this reservation up to 2 times. Modifications only count towards this rule if there is a change in balance. It does not impact other reservation data in the order details. Reservation creation does not count towards this rule. All Year If I book this reservation today, what are my options to change or cancel? Please remember that reservations at these facilities prevent other visitors from using these sites. Planned changes to your stay should be made as far in advance as possible. You can make changes to your reservation ahead of your arrival date in My Reservations. Changes If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). There are no additional fees for: • Adding or removing nights to your stay. • Changing to a different campsite. Balances will adjust based on your new stay's nightly rate. Cancellations You can cancel the reservation any time before the date of your scheduled arrival. You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees: • $10 cancellation fee • Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking) • Any previous change fees Late cancellation penalties may also apply: What is “Late”? For individual campsites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 1 calendar day before your scheduled check-in. For cabins and group sites, a late cancellation applies starting from midnight 14 calendar days or fewer before your scheduled check-in. Late Fee In addition to the fees listed above, a late cancellation will also subtract your first night's recreation use fee from any refund owed. As of the expected check-in day, cancellations or changes to your stay are not possible through My Reservations. It is at the facility's discretion to support additional Late Cancellations, No Show, or Early Departure updates – on-site personnel may not be able to assist. These changes carry penalties and may forfeit recreation use fees. For additional details, please visit here. Changes and Cancellations Cancellations more than 48 hours in advance of arrival date only incur a $10 transaction fee. Within 48 hours, $10 and the first night's fee are charged (Exception: 1 night reservations do not incur an additional $10 fee, but do not receive a refund). No-shows will be assessed a $20 service fee along with the loss of the first night's fee. No-Shows A no-show customer is one who does not arrive at the campground and does not cancel the reservation by check-out time on the day after the scheduled arrival date. No-show customers are assessed a $20.00 no-show fee and forfeit the first night's fees for a campsite the remainder of the reservation is cancelled if campsite is booked for more than one night.
What the agency tells you
Campground Regulations: • 8 Persons Max Per Campsite (this includes children) • 3 Structures Max Per Campsite (this includes tents, pop-ups, showers etc. and they must fit within the tent pad.) • 2 Vehicles Max Per Campsite (you may pay for one more additional vehicle per site) • NO Day Use at campsites (only registered campers may be at your campsite up to 8 persons MAX)
Take a screenshot of your reservation to provide to the Ranger if asked. Fill out the registration slip provided on-site and attach it to your Camp Site Post when you arrive.
Water • A drinking water tap is located on north side of Briceburg Suspension Bridge at the Information Kiosk. No potable water available at Campgrounds. OK to use river water for washing.
Everything else this campground posts · 5
Access • The Briceburg Suspension Bridge is difficult to cross with large vehicles. We do not recommend crossing the suspension bridge with trailers longer than 18 feet, or RV’s longer than 22 feet. Use a second person outside the vehicle to help spot. The bridge weight limit is 15 tons (33,000lbs / 14,968kgs). • The Merced River Road leading to the campgrounds is a narrow gravel and dirt road. Large potholes are common. The speed limit is 15 mph throughout with 5 mph in the campgrounds. Please drive slowly and pull over in turnouts to allow other vehicles to pass.
Fire • Campfires are allowed only in designated metal fire rings in designated campsites. • No campfires on the beach! • No firewood is sold at the campground. Firewood may be purchased in Mariposa at local stores. • Fire Restrictions occur every summer. Each year is slightly different depending on current environmental conditions. Usually by July, campfires and charcoal fires are not allowed. Check for current status https://www.blm.gov/office/mother-lode-field-office • Propane gas stoves/grills are permitted year-round.
Safety • Swimming is only recommended when the water is below 700 cubic feet per second. https://www.dreamflows.com/graphs/day.225.php • No lifeguards are on duty. The Merced River is undammed, and its flow changes dramatically through the year. • Inner tubing is inherently dangerous and not recommended when the water is above 700 cubic feet per second. • Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) are required for all float trips launching from one place and taking out at another. This includes inner tubing. At flows above 700 cfs, a wetsuit and helmet are also recommended regardless of boat type.
Communication • Cell service is limited along the Merced Wild and Scenic River. Verizon service is poor at best near the Briceburg Visitor Center, McCabe Flat Campground, and at Good Gulch (just upstream from Willow Placer Campground). • Wi-Fi is available year-round at the Briceburg Visitor Center for visitors to help communicate with your party and make travel arrangements including creating Recreation.gov reservations online. • Many modern phones offer satellite messaging. Practice this feature before you need it. • There is no cell service once you travel downstream from the Briceburg Visitor Center.
These Supplemental Rules are misdemeanor laws that are in force within the Merced River Recreation Management Area defined as one quarter mile upstream from the Visitor Center to one quarter mile downstream from Railroad Flat Campground and one quarter mile each side of the Merced River. They have been established for visitor safety and to protect the natural recourses. a. No person shall discharge a firearm within a quarter mile of each side of the Merced River. b. No person shall occupy a campsite with more than two motor vehicles or more than eight people. c. No person shall camp outside the designated campgrounds. d. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on the Old Railroad Bed between Lake McClure and Railroad Flat Campground; or between Briceburg and the National Forest Boundary. e. No person shall operate a motor vehicle on the Briceburg Road unless it is registered for street use in California. f. No person shall operate a motor vehicle off the Briceburg Road or the developed Campground Road. g. No person shall enter a developed campground between 10 pm and 6 am unless that person is a registered camper. h. No person shall operate or possess a motor vehicle or motorized equipment in the classified “Wild” section of the Merced River; which is described as the section between the high-water mark of Lake McClure and the Railroad Flat Campground. i. No person shall possess any glass beverage container within one quarter mile of each side of the Merced River. j. No person shall occupy a campsite for longer that 30 minutes without paying the required fee and displaying the tag on the campsite post.
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 10 · 8 tent-only, 1 group
- Hookups
- None
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Not allowed
- Shade
- Little
Facilities
- Toilets
- Vault Toilets
- “…includes the following features: • Vault toilet(s), and seasonal port-o-potties • Bearproof garbage…”
- Boat ramp
- Yes
- Stay limit
- 14 nights
- recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Around the campground
- On the water
- River, Beach, Meadow
- Backpacking
- Biking
- Birding
- Boating
- Gold Panning
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Mountain biking
- Picnicking
- Rafting
- River Trips
- Scenic drives
- Swimming
- Visitor center
Full this Saturdayread 16:54 UTC
How full the weekend is nationally.
6 campgrounds have sites open within 30 miles, read 16:49 UTC. See them
OpenBooked
Every one of the 10 sites on offer is taken this Friday and Saturday. 10 are free on Wed, Oct 21. read 16:54 UTC Why the weekend fills and the week doesn’t
Watch for a cancellation
Watch this campground
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 15
What you actually pay
Derived by CAMPANAC: the agency’s published rate for this season, $20 a night, plus one $8 recreation.gov reservation fee for the booking. A weekend here means Friday and Saturday night, booked once. Optional charges (an extra vehicle, a second tent, a dump-station fee) are listed separately and aren’t in this total.
“Changes If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees: • $10 cancellation fee • Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking) • Any previous change fees Late cancellati…” · this campground’s own no-show terms
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 6
Open within 30 miles this weekend · 6
Sites the agency is offering this Friday and Saturday that nobody has taken, nearest first; the nearest 5 of 6. read 16:49 UTC
- Willow Placer CampgroundMother Lode Field Office · 1.0 mi · 2 of 16 site-nights open
- Railroad Flat CampgroundMother Lode Field Office · 1.7 mi · 1 of 18 site-nights open
- Wawona CampgroundYosemite National Park · 19 mi · 1 of 192 site-nights open
- Codorniz Recreation Area CampgroundEastman Lake · 26 mi · 67 of 130 site-nights open
- Wildcat Recreation Area CampgroundEastman Lake · 27 mi · 36 of 38 site-nights open
recreation.gov availability, read 16:54 UTC · rules read Sep 9, 2026 · rates Sep 10, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
10 sites
All 10 sites
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 10 of the 10 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Willow Placer CampgroundMother Lode Field Office · 1.0 mi
Railroad Flat CampgroundMother Lode Field Office · 1.7 miJerseydale CampgroundSierra National Forest · 9.7 mi
Dirt FlatStanislaus National Forest · 10 mi
Dry GulchStanislaus National Forest · 11 mi
Crane Flat CampgroundYosemite National Park · 15 miFrom Mariposa, take CA-140 east to Briceburg, where the highway first meets the Merced River. Turn into Briceburg and cross the Old Briceburg Suspension Bridge. Follow the Briceburg Road downstream 2.3 miles to McCabe Flat Campground.
From Yosemite/El Portal, take CA-140 west (downstream) to Briceburg, where the highway starts to climb away from the Merced River. Turn into Briceburg and cross the Old Briceburg Suspension Bridge. Follow the Briceburg Road downstream 2.3 miles to McCabe Flat Campground.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Midpines, CA
Typical weather
Typical October night 43°F, day 76°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical December night 32°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
what threatens it · who answers for it · a letter you can send
Roadless country, and what’s coming for it
You’re camping on ground somebody wants. We track the threats and the comment deadlines.
Who answers for this land
McCabe Flat Campground is in California’s 5th congressional district. Its representative, Tom McClintock (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →
Who can change it · 3
Two offices, two different asks. The draft to the agency asks it to set aside a published share of the sites here for whoever drives up. The draft to Congress asks why that share is zero and presses for a published minimum at the campgrounds it funds.
- The member who votes the moneyTom McClintockU.S. Representative · California’s 5th district
- Your senator, on the same appropriationAdam B. SchiffU.S. Senator · California
- Your senator, on the same appropriationAlex PadillaU.S. Senator · California
Read the draft, or change the wording
For the camper who turned up, or tried to book, and couldn’t get in. Every draft is written from this campground’s own record (its agency, its unit, its site count and its own weekend) and the buttons above copy whichever wording is selected here.
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California
Dear Tom McClintock, I’m a constituent in California’s 5th district. I tried to camp at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California, and couldn’t. All 10 sites at McCabe Flat Campground are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, all 10 sites recreation.gov was offering there were already booked. 1,623 of the 7,639 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. McCabe Flat Campground keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run McCabe Flat Campground. I’m asking you to put it to the Bureau of Land Management in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about McCabe Flat Campground (Mother Lode Field Office, California) via campanac.com
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California
Dear Adam B. Schiff, I’m a constituent in California. I tried to camp at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California, and couldn’t. All 10 sites at McCabe Flat Campground are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, all 10 sites recreation.gov was offering there were already booked. 1,623 of the 7,639 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. McCabe Flat Campground keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run McCabe Flat Campground. I’m asking you to put it to the Bureau of Land Management in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about McCabe Flat Campground (Mother Lode Field Office, California) via campanac.com
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California
Dear Alex Padilla, I’m a constituent in California. I tried to camp at McCabe Flat Campground, Mother Lode Field Office, California, and couldn’t. All 10 sites at McCabe Flat Campground are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, all 10 sites recreation.gov was offering there were already booked. 1,623 of the 7,639 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. McCabe Flat Campground keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run McCabe Flat Campground. I’m asking you to put it to the Bureau of Land Management in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about McCabe Flat Campground (Mother Lode Field Office, California) via campanac.com