McCabe Flat Campground
Overview
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). Commercial rafting trips are available from BLM permitted outfitters. 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 vehicle. This scenic backroad climbs steeply out of the Merced Canyon and eventually leads to Greely Hill or Buck Meadows (highway 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 three (3) 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.
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/recycling cans.
• Bear boxes / Picnic T
Photos
Know Before You Go
Camping
- Campsites are first come, first serve! Reservations are not available. There are 11 total campsites.
- A campsite is rented only after you've paid its fee on full, properly completed the pay stub and attached it to the campsite post, and occupied the site with your tent up.
- The camping fee is $10 per site per night. With an America the Beautiful pass, the fee is $5 per site per night.
- Each campsite has a maximum of eight people and two vehicles allowed.
- Quiet hours are after 10 p.m. No generators, loud music, etc. are allowed after this time.
- All campsites have a picnic table, fire grills and food storage lockers.
- No dispersed camping is allowed within the Merced River corridor.
- No potable water is available in the campground. You can obtain potable water across the Briceburg Bridge.
Facilities
The campground includes the following features:
- Vault toilets.
- Dumpsters.
- Recycling cans.
- Parking areas.
- Self-pay fee system.
- Designated swimming areas.
Campfires
- Seasonal fire restrictions apply.
- Campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings.
- No campfires on the beach!
Warnings
- Swimming is only recommended when the water is below 700 cubic feet per second.
- No lifeguards are on duty. Please wear a life jacket. The Merced River is undammed, and its flow changes dramatically through its course.
- Discharging firearms or fireworks is not allowed.
- Dogs are not allowed on McCabe Beach.
- You may not bring glass onto the beach areas.
- Amplified music is not allowed.
- We do not recommend crossing the suspension bridge with trailers or RVs longer than 18 feet.
Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)
The campground was originally constructed in the 1970s but improved in the early 1990s to meet ADA standards. As a result, the 10 individual sites and one group site in the campground all have accessible features, including two accessible vault toilets. Sites 9, 10, and 11 are all drive-up sites. At another campground within the Merced River Recreation Management Area, the Railroad Flat Campground, sites 24-29 all have drive-up parking.
Visitors park in a lot with a gravel surface; the distance away from specific campsites will vary. The campground contains accessible pathways made of crushed rock. However, there are no accessible pathways to the river. Dogs are permitted, but they are not allowed on McCabe Beach.
Each site within the campground has the following accessible features:
- ADA-compliant picnic tables with wheelchair access.
- Grills/fire rings.
Descriptions and photos uploaded October 2023. Please note that actual on-the-ground conditions may vary due to natural events (e.g., weather, wildfires, erosion), normal wear and tear, or site improvements.
Activities
Addresses
Geographic Coordinates
Directions
From Mariposa, take highway 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 highway 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.