Tuolumne Meadows Closing 8/17-8/21

Hey folks. My father just arrived up in Tuolumne Meadows and the rangers informed him they found plague there so they will be shutting down the camp from Monday to Friday. We had planned to meet them up there on Tuesday with our kids and small trailer. Does any one have any ideas or suggestions on other areas to camp in the area?

Our biggest problem is we are also going to Nevada and had planned to leave the trailer at our site for the weekend while we made the quick trip but now we may have to tow it all the way up and back...Also my Dad is screwed for 5 days with no camping!

Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Worst case we have to go up the following week after our Nevada trip (assuming they re-open) but I would just love to get the F*** outta L.A. on Tuesday.

I'd suggest camping in the Lee Vining area. There are a bunch of pleasant Forest Service campgrounds down there. It'd be easy enough for you to head up Hwy 395, instead of going over the pass.

Well we got 2 of the last three reservations at cold creek campground in the mammoth lakes area. Pretty much everything in the area was full...not a surprise.

I was just about go post this and ask the same questions. Usually I just wing it to Tuolumne campgrounds early enough to look for first come first serve sites. I know there are other sites that are first come first serve...Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, or Porcupine Flat. Do you guys know if these sites are also booked through the same building where you book for Tuolumne meadows campground or is this like J-Tree and other various sites, show up to a site and see if anyone is there and pay in envelopes? I have a two friends going on sunday to reserve sites for us and they have never been up there. Going to be hard for us to try to coordinate without knowing what to do.