D Circle
Campground · Yosemite corridor
D Circle is a mid-elevation campground in the Yosemite corridor of the Sierra Nevada, sitting at 5,669 feet near Highway 120. Typically calmer and warmer than alpine passes to the east.
Wind here averages 7 mph over the last month but can spike to 19 mph in the afternoon. Morning calm persists into mid-day. Expect the site to be less crowded than Yosemite Valley proper, with average crowding at 12 on the rolling 30-day scale.
The rolling 30-day average wind of 7 mph and average crowding of 12 reflect the shoulder season. Temperature has held near 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The week ahead will show whether afternoon gusts push back toward the rolling max of 19 mph, and whether the NoGo Score stays in the favorable 9 to 36 range typical of the last month.
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About D Circle
D Circle sits at 5,669 feet in the Yosemite corridor, accessed via Highway 120 from the west or from Tioga Pass Road in the east. The campground lies on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada, in the rain shadow zone where afternoon wind funnels down from higher peaks. Drive time from Lee Vining is roughly 45 minutes; from Tuolumne Meadows, 30 to 40 minutes. The nearest services are at Lee Vining (fuel, food) to the southeast and Tioga Pass Resort nearby. Highway 120 is typically open by late May and closes again by early November, making this a seasonal destination.
Conditions here track the transition zone between the high Sierra and lower desert. Temperatures range from lows near 28 degrees Fahrenheit in winter to highs near 57 degrees in summer, with the rolling 90-day average hovering at 40 degrees. Wind is moderate; the 30-day average is 7 mph, but afternoon gusts can reach 19 mph, particularly on clear days when thermal circulation kicks in. Crowding averages 12 on the rolling 30-day scale, well below Yosemite Valley. Snow lingers into June at this elevation and can return as early as September. Late spring and early fall (May through mid-June, late August through September) see the most stable weather and lowest wind variance.
D Circle suits car campers, day-trippers, and hikers who want a quieter base than Valley campgrounds and are willing to trade some amenities for solitude. Morning visits are ideal; the site is calmest before 10 a.m. and wind typically picks up by afternoon. Parking fills moderately on weekends during peak season but rarely reaches gridlock. Visitors planning outdoor activities should check Highway 120 closure dates; the road can be impassable for weeks after heavy snow. The location is popular with photographers targeting sunrise light on the eastern Sierra crest and with anglers targeting nearby creeks.
Nearby Tuolumne Meadows, 30 to 40 minutes west, offers more robust camping infrastructure and lower wind exposure but significantly higher crowding. Lee Vining, immediately to the southeast, provides a fallback if D Circle is full, though it sits lower and warmer. The Tioga Pass area sees more dramatic weather swings due to greater exposure. Visitors comfortable with the moderate wind and shoulder-season conditions at D Circle gain access to a less-trafficked trailhead cluster and quieter camping than the main Valley corridor.