Fish Camp, California

Fish Camp (formerly Happy Camp and Berry's Fish Camp) is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California, United States. It is located 18 mi east of Mariposa, at an elevation of 5062 ft. The population was 49 at the 2020 census. The ZIP Code is 93623, and the community is inside area code 559.

Known for its logging history and as a gateway to Yosemite, it's evolved into a hub of hospitality since the 19th century. Key attractions include the historic Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad and the modern Tenaya Lodge, showcasing its transition from a logging town to a tourist destination.

The Fish Camp post office opened in 1924, closed in 1933, and re-opened in 1939. The name comes from a fish hatchery at the place.



Geography
Fish Camp is on California State Route 41, just south of the entrance to Yosemite National Park, and 12 mi north of Oakhurst. It is the site of the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, a heritage tourist line, and Tenaya Lodge, a resort owned by Delaware North. About 1 mile north of the community is the Summerdale campground, the original location of Fish Camp.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP covers an area of 0.4 mi2, of which 0.002 sqmi, or 0.50%, are water. The community is in the valley of Big Creek, which flows north into Yosemite National Park, where it joins the South Fork of the Merced River near Wawona.

Climate
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 F. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Fish Camp has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps. Fish Camp, located around a mile above sea level, is renowned for its seasonal snowfall, frequently indicating the region's snow line. Nearby, the Goat Meadow Snowplay Area in the Sierra National Forest, just north of Fish Camp, attracts visitors for sledding and cross-country skiing.

Ecology
Fish Camp is home to several protected species designated by their Federal Special Status (FSS). These include avian species such as the California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis), the Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa), and the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). The area also supports nocturnal mammals like the Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus), Townsend’s Big-Eared Bat (Corynorhinus townsendii), and the Western Red Bat (Lasiurus blossevillii). Additionally, terrestrial mammals such as the Sierra Nevada Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes necator), American Marten (Martes americana), and the Pacific Fisher (Martes pennanti pacifica) are present.

History
In the latter half of the 19th century, Fish Camp, located near Yosemite Valley, developed significantly due to various economic activities. The town's growth was driven by the logging industry and later, tourists bound for Yosemite.

Stagecoach Era
Fish Camp's history begins with the opening of the Wawona stagecoach road to Yosemite Valley in 1875. It became a vital traveler's stop, and a target for stage robbers.

Logging
The first permanent settlements in Fish Camp were in support of the logging industry.

The Madera Sugar Pine Logging Company heavily exploited the surrounding forests to meet the growing construction demands for lumber in late 19th century California. The logging activities not only transformed the local landscape but also created pastures that were later used by sheepherders. During this period, Fish Camp was also known as “Happy Camp,” a nickname derived from a red-light district located to the south of the current town center, catering to loggers and mill workers from the Sugar Pine mill.

Bootleggers ran booze out of Fish Camp during the prohibition years to meet demand from the loggers and mill workers.

Lodging and Hospitality


Fish Camp has served as a mountain stopover for travelers heading to Yosemite for more than a century.

In 1883, Albert Phillip, a prominent local entrepreneur, established a two-story hotel featuring 12 bedrooms, along with a kitchen, dining room, and parlor. In addition to his hotel, Phillip ran a freight service connecting Raymond and Yosemite Valley and transported ore from the nearby Star Mine at Mt. Raymond to North Fork using teams of ten animals. By 1925, Charles Beery had taken over the property in Fish Camp, developing it into a resort. However, Beery's Paradise Lodge was plagued by several fires, the last of which occurred in 1942. Following this, the property was sold to the H.J. Baker Real Estate Company in 1943.

The new owners constructed The Silver Tip Lodge, which remained in operation for 35 years until it was destroyed by arson in 1981. The lodge was famous for its community events, including an annual turkey shoot and barbecues featuring locally sourced bear.

In 1990, the Marriott Corporation opened the Tenaya Lodge, a 242-room luxury resort, enhancing the region's hospitality offerings. Currently, it is operated by Delaware North, a company specializing in park services.

Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that Fish Camp had a population of 59. The population density was 65.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Fish Camp was 57 (96.6%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 1 (1.7%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 0 (0.0%) from other races, and 1 (1.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3 persons (5.1%).

The Census reported that 59 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 0 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 0 (0%) were institutionalized.

There were 31 households, of which 4 (12.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 12 (38.7%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1 (3.2%) had a female householder with no husband present, 1 (3.2%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 1 (3.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 13 households (41.9%) were made up of individuals, and 6 (19.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.90. There were 14 families (45.2% of all households); the average family size was 2.57.

9 people (15.3%) were under the age of 18, 4 people (6.8%) aged 18 to 24, 6 people (10.2%) aged 25 to 44, 26 people (44.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 14 people (23.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 117.4 males.

There were 153 housing units at an average density of 168.8 /sqmi, of which 20 (64.5%) were owner-occupied, and 11 (35.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 0%. 35 people (59.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 24 people (40.7%) lived in rental housing units.

Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad
The Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad is a historic narrow gauge railroad near Fish Camp. Operating since 1967, it features steam locomotives and operates as a tourist attraction along the former route of the Madera Sugar Pine Lumber Company.