Dirt Flat

Sierra National Forest — riverside

Location: EL PORTAL, CA, CA

Price: From $41 per night

Rating: 3.4 out of 5 (45 reviews)

Season: May through October

Dirt Flat campground is situated on the north side of the Merced River. This small camp features walk-in tent sites on the river. The remote locates of the site makes for a quiet and peaceful camping experience.The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/dirt-flat to be notified when sites open up.

Small, remote campground on the north side of the Merced River offering walk-in tent sites for a quiet and peaceful camping experience. Popular location for spring and early summer white water rafting and kayaking activities.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, and California Nightsnake present in area. Also Sierra Nevada Mountain Beaver, Ringtail, Gray Fox, Great Gray Owl, and Acorn Woodpecker.

Insider tips for Dirt Flat: Book early — this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand Vault toilets are well-maintained despite being non-flush Picnic tables and fire rings available at sites

Skip Dirt Flat if: You need electrical hookups — no hookups available. You are sensitive to road noise — campground is located next to a road with vehicle traffic. You prefer larger campgrounds — only 2 sites available.

Best time to visit Dirt Flat: May-October — Official operating season for the campground. Spring-Early Summer — Peak season for Merced River white water rafting and kayaking activities.

Nearby campgrounds: Dry Gulch (EL PORTAL, CA), Crane Flat Campground (Yosemite National Park, CA), Tamarack Flat Campground (Yosemite National Park, CA), Hodgdon Meadow Campground (Yosemite National Park, CA (Big Oak Flat Entrance)).

Cell Phone Coverage at Dirt Flat

Cell signal at Dirt Flat (EL PORTAL, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Sierra National Forest — riversideLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Dirt Flat

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EL PORTAL, CA, CA★ 3.4 (45 reviews)From $41/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Dirt Flat campground is situated on the north side of the Merced River. This small camp features walk-in tent sites on the river. The remote locates of the site makes for a quiet and peaceful camping experience.The Sierra National Forest, located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada, is known for its spectacular mountain scenery and abundant natural resources.

Best for:FamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need electrical hookups — no hookups available✕ You are sensitive to road noise — campground is located next to a road with vehicle traffic✕ You prefer larger campgrounds — only 2 sites available

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with only 2 sites and high demand

Vault toilets are well-maintained despite being non-flush

Picnic tables and fire rings available at sites

Best: May-October

Official operating season for the campground

Best: Spring-Early Summer

Peak season for Merced River white water rafting and kayaking activities

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, Northern Pacific Rattlesnake, and California Nightsnake present in area. Also Sierra Nevada Mountain Beaver, Ringtail, Gray Fox, Great Gray Owl, and Acorn Woodpecker.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
559-642-3212· Sierra National Forest
Getting there →

From Highway 140, turn on to Foresta Road. Landmarks include Red Bud Picnic Area and a National Park Service warehouse. After bridge, turn left onto the spur road. Immediately turn left onto Incline Road. Continue 1.5 miles to the facility.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Sierra National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Sierra National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Dirt Flat cost per night?+
Dirt Flat costs $41 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Dirt Flat open?+
Dirt Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Dirt Flat have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Dirt Flat?+
Dirt Flat is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Dirt Flat?+
Dirt Flat is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Dirt Flat?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Dirt Flat is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Dirt Flat open, and what are check-in times?+
Dirt Flat is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapVista Recreation
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$41 /night★ 3.4 (45)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Dirt Flat cost per night?+
What season is Dirt Flat open?+
Does Dirt Flat have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

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Tamarack Flat Campground

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Hodgdon Meadow Campground Yosemite National Park Big Oak Flat entrance forest camping California

Hodgdon Meadow Campground

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From $36/night

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