Willow Placer Campground | California

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 the following BLM permitted outfitters: All Outdoors, ARTA, OARS, and Zephyr (Contact outfitters directly for more information).  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 automobile. This scenic backroad climbs steeply out of the Merced Canyon and eventually leads to Greely Hill or Buck Meadows (highway 120).   

Willow Placer Campground Overview 

After crossing the historic Briceburg Suspension Bridge, Willow Placer Campground is 3.6 miles downstream along the Merced River Road. This is the second of three campgrounds operated by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) along the Merced Wild & Scenic River. This is a popular destination campground during spring and summer.   

There are eight (8) walk-in campsites and one (1) drive-up group campsite. 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 due to 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/Merced Wild & Scenic River.

Facilities

Each of the three BLM Merced River Campgrounds includes the following features:

• Vault toilet(s), and seasonal port-o-potties

• Bearproof garbage cans.

• Bearproof recycling cans.

• Bearproof food locker in each site

• Picnic table in each site

• Fire ring in each site

• Bulletin board with local informati