REVERSED CREEK CAMPGROUND
Campground · Yosemite corridor
Reversed Creek Campground sits at 7,635 feet in the Yosemite corridor, a high-Sierra staging area with modest crowds and reliable afternoon wind. Open summers and early fall.
Wind builds steadily from mid-morning onward, funneling off the drainage by afternoon. Mornings stay calm and cool; 35-degree average masks swings from 12 to 51 degrees across seasons. Pack for rapid temperature drops after sunset.
Over the last 30 days, Reversed Creek averaged a NoGo Score of 15.0 with wind holding at 8 mph and crowding at 12 on the relative scale; afternoon gusts have spiked to 29 mph. The week ahead follows the typical pattern: calm mornings deteriorate by midday. Plan early starts and expect wind to rule afternoons.
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About REVERSED CREEK CAMPGROUND
Reversed Creek Campground lies in the high Sierra between Highway 120 and the Yosemite backcountry. At 7,635 feet, it occupies the transition zone between valley floor and alpine; morning temperatures hover in the mid-30s Fahrenheit. Access is via Highway 120 from Lee Vining or the western approach through Yosemite National Park. The location draws casual backpackers and car campers unwilling to fight the crowds at valley-floor or lakeside sites. No established trails dominate the immediate area; use it as a staging point for longer approaches or a quiet alternative when Yosemite proper is full.
Conditions swing sharply by hour and season. The 30-day average wind of 8 mph masks afternoon gusts to 29 mph; calm mornings disappear by 10 a.m. Spring and early summer bring the strongest wind. Winter closes access via snow; late September through early November offers the steadiest weather and lowest crowding. Temperature extremes span 12 degrees in winter nights to 51 degrees in midsummer; the 35-degree 30-day average reflects the shoulder season. Afternoons reliably deteriorate. Head here on calm mornings; skip the daylight hours if you're sensitive to wind.
Reversed Creek suits self-sufficient campers who tolerate modest facilities in exchange for solitude. The 7,635-foot elevation demands acclimation; cardiovascular impact rises sharply above 7,500 feet. Parking fills predictably the first weekend after Highway 120 opens in late spring and again during the Labor Day corridor. Smoke from high-country fires can reduce visibility and air quality in late August and September despite lower temperatures. Bring water; the drainage is snow-fed and unreliable mid-summer. Stove fuel is essential; dead wood is sparse at this elevation.
Nearby Tenaya Lake and the Tuolumne Meadows corridor lie east on Highway 120; both draw heavier crowds and stronger afternoon winds at similar elevations. West on Highway 120, Yosemite Valley sits lower and warmer but fills weeks in advance. Reversed Creek occupies the gap: high enough for solitude, accessible enough for weekend trips, and exposed enough to teach respect for afternoon wind patterns in the Sierra.