EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW about park campgrounds and storing your food from bears are on this page and its links:

OPENING DATES & VEHICLE-SIZE LIMITS
Three campgrounds are open year-round: Lodgepole, Azalea, and Potwisha. Four campgrounds do not permit trailers and RVs: Buckeye Flat, Canyon View, Atwell Mill, and Cold Springs. In other campgrounds, site size varies and many sites are not suitable for very long RVs. There is a camping limit of 14 days during the period from June 14 to September 15 with a total of 30 days per calendar year. For specific information on each campground please use the links below:

CAMPGROUNDS:
Alphabetical listing (with locator map at bottom of page)
Geographical listing (with locator map at bottom of page)

Group campsites for different size groups are found in several parts of the parks. The larger ones require reservations. More >>>

PAYMENTS AT 1st-COME, 1st-SERVED CAMPGROUNDS
Payment at these campgrounds can be by cash or personal check. Campground staff cannot make change and stores may not be open for change making. See the park newspaper for schedules of the facilities closest to your campground.

RESERVATIONS
All but two campgrounds are first-come, first-served; Lodgepole and Dorst Creek take reservations for summer visits.
Reservations may be made up to 6 months in advance of the date you wish to start camping there. For example, you can make a reservation for July 4 beginning on January 4.

• Reservations by phone available toll free:  10 am-midnight EST from March 1 to October 31 and 10am-10pm EST from November 1 through February: 1-877-444-6777
  (TDD 1-877-833-6777).
• Reservations online - use these links:
  For Lodgepole Campground
  For Dorst Creek Campground
• Customer Service: 1-888-448-1474 or nrrscs@reserveamerica.com.

BUSIEST TIMES
All park campgrounds often fill up on Saturday nights in July and August. However, chances of finding a campsite from Sunday afternoons through Friday afternoons are very good with the exception of Lodgepole which may have only a few sites available during midweek. See "Group Campsites" above for information on sites for groups of 7 to 50 and follow links for details.

THIS IS BEAR COUNTRY. Food storage is required!
All campgrounds in these parks may be visited by black bears. With their excellent intelligence and sense of smell, they easily learn to seek human food. Then these usually shy animals may damage cars, coolers, and tents to get at it. If a bear gets very destructive, it must be killed.
You can prevent this! Always follow all requirements to store your food properly year-round.
Campgrounds offer metal bear-resistant storage boxes (box sizes are listed for each campground; avoid bringing coolers that won't fit). Check park bulletin boards for instructions when you arrive, or click the "Black Bear" link on the right for more information.
While black bears can be dangerous, it's our food, not us, that they are after. There are no grizzly bears in these parks.    more...

VEHICLE LENGTH INFORMATION:

• MAXIMUM VEHICLE LENGTH — Legal length limits on the Generals Highway are 40 feet (12 m) for single vehicles or 50 feet (15 m) for vehicles plus a towed unit. If you are towing a smaller vehicle, consider camping in the foothills and using the smaller car to explore.
• VEHICLE LENGTH ADVISORY — The 16 miles of road from Ash Mountain to Giant Forest includes 130 curves and 12 switchbacks. There is a vehicle-length advisory for the 12 steepest miles within that stretch. From Potwisha Campground to the Giant Forest Museum, the advised maximum vehicle length is 22 feet (6.7 m). The alternative: take Highway 180 from Fresno to Grant Grove, then turn south on the Generals Highway.
• Several park roads have length limits. See Current Advisories for these and other road conditions.

FIRE, SMOKING, AND WATER RESTRICTIONS:
Fire danger and drought are regular summer issues here. Check current fire restrictions here. Once in the park, check again in visitor centers and on bulletin boards before you ignite any flame in the summer; restrictions may be imposed at any time.
As for drought, water may be limited during very dry summers and water use may be limited at RV sanitary dump stations or other locations. Call before you come if you hope to rely on park water supplies during a drought year: 1-559-565-3341.

WEATHER FORECASTS:
Want to know what the high and low temperatures might be while you're camping? Check here for a general description, highs and lows based on elevation, and links to specific weather forecasts.