Create a series of five to six visitor events throughout the...
An enduring part of the Yosemite camping experience is sitting around a campfire at night sharing stories, making new friends or learning something through one of the many educational programs offered by rangers and others in the park. Yosemite’s campground amphitheaters are places for campers and visitors to gather and hear a ranger talk or simply enjoy an afternoon picnic. But heavy wear and tear over time had left many amphitheaters badly in need of upgrades.
In popular Yosemite Valley, amphitheaters are important educational and recreational hubs. At Lower Pines and Lower River Amphitheaters, worn benches and broken lighting made these spaces unsafe and uncomfortable for visitors. Major renovations included repairing splintering benches and fixing broken walkway lights. These amphitheaters now comfortably host visitors and campers for ranger educational talks, as well as group picnic gatherings.
The amphitheaters at Bridalveil Creek, Wawona and Crane Flat Campgrounds were also badly deteriorated, unsafe and uncomfortable for visitors. Yosemite Conservancy funded rehabilitation of these amphitheaters — visitors now enjoy new comfortable seats built from sustainable building products and upgraded stone fire rings.
With your support, these areas once again serve as a welcoming gathering place for campers to learn something new from a ranger or start their own fireside camping tradition with family and friends.