Saturday, May 17, 2025

Yosemite National Park’s famed High Sierra Camps, once a symbol of luxury in the wilderness, will remain closed through 2025 due to a combination of severe staffing shortages and ongoing budget constraints. Despite high demand and historical significance, the backcountry lodges in California’s Sierra Nevada are unable to reopen, highlighting the operational and financial challenges facing the US National Park Service and impacting one of the country’s most coveted wilderness experiences.

For over a century, Yosemite National Park’s iconic High Sierra Camps have offered a rare blend of wilderness adventure and refined comfort, earning them a reputation as one of the most sought-after experiences in the American national park system. Nestled deep within the pristine landscapes of the Sierra Nevada, these camps allow guests to sleep in glamping-style tent cabins, enjoy gourmet meals crafted by skilled chefs using ingredients hauled in by mule, and experience running water in the heart of the backcountry. Yet, for another consecutive year, this unique experience will remain out of reach.

Despite previous hopes that the full network of five historic High Sierra Camps would reopen in summer 2025 — for the first time since 2018 — that plan has now been scrapped. According to a recent update posted on the park concessioner’s website, ongoing staffing shortages and financial constraints have forced the continued closure of the entire system of camps.

Over the past six years, these beloved accommodations have seen only limited operations. In 2024, three of the five camps managed to open briefly during the summer season. However, the last time all five were operational was in 2018. Since then, Yosemite’s backcountry lodging program has faced a series of setbacks — from pandemic-related closures to severe snowpack and persistent resource limitations — all of which have hampered efforts to restore full service.

The High Sierra Camps offer a distinctive experience that blends accessibility with wilderness immersion. Spaced approximately eight miles apart along a fifty-mile loop, the camps wind through majestic terrain marked by granite cliffs, alpine passes, and expansive canyons. With each camp designed to accommodate between thirty and sixty guests, the total capacity remains modest. When open, the camps operate only for a short window in the summer months, further fueling their exclusivity and desirability.

A primary attraction of the High Sierra Camps is the opportunity they offer to explore Yosemite’s rugged interior without the burden of carrying full backpacking gear. This makes the experience appealing to a broader range of visitors — including older hikers and families — who might otherwise find traditional backpacking too demanding. As a result, the annual lottery system used to allocate reservations consistently receives far more applications than available spots, reflecting the camps’ enduring popularity.

Still, not everyone agrees the camps should return. Conservationists and critics have long expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the mules used to supply the camps, as well as the broader ecological footprint of operating semi-permanent structures in remote wilderness areas. In contrast, proponents of the program argue that the camps represent an essential part of Yosemite’s legacy and promote greater accessibility to the national park’s more remote regions, offering meaningful outdoor experiences to those who might not otherwise venture into the backcountry.

The indefinite closure of these camps is symptomatic of a broader issue facing Yosemite and the National Park Service as a whole: shrinking budgets and a shortage of seasonal workers. National parks across the United States are grappling with similar challenges, forcing cutbacks to popular programs, visitor services, and facility operations. These decisions have sparked widespread public concern, with many calling for increased funding to support the maintenance and staffing of America’s treasured natural spaces.

Compounding the uncertainty is the lack of clarity around how the current closure aligns with federal directives. The U.S. Interior Department previously emphasized that national parks should remain “accessible and open” and that any significant reductions in services must be reviewed by top officials. However, it remains unclear whether Yosemite’s decision to shutter the High Sierra Camps went through such a review. Inquiries directed to the park service’s public information office have gone unanswered.

For those who secured reservations in the hope of experiencing the High Sierra Camps in 2025, the news is particularly disheartening. According to the concessioner’s official communication, guests will receive a full refund within fourteen business days. In a small gesture of goodwill, those affected will be granted priority consideration in the 2026 lottery. However, they must still go through the standard application process when it reopens in the fall.

Yosemite’s iconic High Sierra Camps in California will remain closed through 2025 due to staffing shortages and budget cuts, halting one of the US’s most sought-after wilderness experiences. The closures reflect broader challenges facing national parks across the country. 

The High Sierra Camps, with their rich history and unique appeal, remain a symbol of the delicate balance between preservation and public access. Their continued closure highlights the logistical, environmental, and financial challenges involved in maintaining such services in America’s wildest places. Whether they will return in full in future seasons remains uncertain, but for now, those dreaming of starry nights above Yosemite’s granite domes will have to wait a little longer.