Southwest Campground - Summer/Fall
40.4366, -121.5326 · Park boundary: National Park Service
Opens May 16, 2026 The Southwest Walk-in Campground is located on the east side of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center parking area. A short walk along a paved walkway provides easy access to each site. This campground also includes 15 parking lot sites. Regulations and the walk-in camping area change when snow is on the ground, approximately November to May.
Closed all week
The Southwest Walk-in Campground is open seasonally. The campground closes for the season and typically reopens in June. Campground sites are reserved on site in person through Recreation.gov through a Scan and Pay system. Campsites cannot be reserved in advance. The campground operates first-come, first-served. Once snow covers the ground (typically in November), tent sites close. Self-contained camping is permitted in the parking area - please see additional information on Southwest Campground webpage.
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
Single walk-in campsite limited to a maximum of 2 tents, 6 people, and 2 vehicles.
Camping in a self-contained vehicle in the adjacent parking area only. Please park between islands.
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
Southwest campsites are first-come, first-served only. Payment is made through Scan & Pay via recreation.gov's mobile app.
- Amphitheater
- Yes - seasonal
- Drinking water
- Yes - year round
- Food storage lockers
- Yes - seasonal
- Internet
- Yes - year round
- Toilets
- Flush Toilets - year round
- Trash & recycling
- Yes - year round
- Camp store
- No
- Cell reception
- No
- Dump station
- No
- Firewood for sale
- No
- Host on site
- No
- Ice for sale
- No
- Laundry
- No
- Showers
- None
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
- RVs
- Allowed · up to 36 ft
- Trailers
- Allowed · up to 36 ft
- Access roads
- Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
- Classification
- Developed Campground
- Cell service
- Cell service is extremely limited and typically nonexistent in this area.
Walk-in tent sites are not wheelchair accessible; they are accessed via uneven gravel path from parking area. Self-contained vehicle sites are located on a flat, paved parking lot. Campground restroom/water facilities and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center from parking lot is wheelchair accessible.
No walk-in tent sites meet ADA standards. Tent sites located nearest the restroom are also closest to the parking area and are easiest to access. Self-contained vehicle sites are located on a flat, paved parking lot. There are no dedicated sidewalks to vehicle sites. Access to campground restroom/water facilities and Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center from parking lot meet ADA standards.
Self-contained barbecues are allowed in the paved parking area. Do not cut, saw, or break any standing trees, dead or alive for firewood. You may gather dead wood that is down on the ground within 30 feet of the road and less than 4 inches in diameter. Chainsaw use is not permitted. Fires are allowed only in designated fire grates. Do not build rock rings or burn trash in the grate. Never leave fires or hot coals unattended and extinguish them completely before leaving.
Flush toilets and an industrial sink area located in the campground restroom facility, which is available in the warmer summer/fall months. Flush toilets, sinks, and a water bottle filling station are available inside the 24-hour vestibule of the adjacent visitor center. Staff in the adjacent entrance station and visitor center are available to assist campers when open.
Per the National Park Service, as of 2026-08-04
Campground is adjacent to the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center Parking Area, which is located one mile from the Southwest Entrance.
The park receives very little precipitation between July and September. Snow can linger on peaks into July and August, although the campground is usually snow-free by late-June. Southwest Walk-in Campground is located at 6,700 feet elevation. Summer/Fall high temperatures range from 65 to 81°F and lows range from 26 to 36°F. Winter/Spring high temperatures range from 50 to 61°F and lows range from 13 to 23°F.
Tents are only allowed in designated walk-in campsites. Self-contained vehicles must be parked in between parking lot medians/islands in center of lot. Please register and pay for camping at the campground information board (Scan & Pay via recreation.gov mobile app).
This small campground consists of 20 campsites accessed via short walkways from an adjacent parking area. Campsites are nestled in a red fir forest and within walking distance of the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center. A paved pathway loops into the forest with short spurs connecting to a restroom with flush toilets and a utility sink.
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Drive to Southwest Campground - Summer/Fall
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