Mission and fees for facility use
Our mission as a member of the UC Natural Reserve System, in partnership with Yosmite National Park, Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, and the US Geological Survey, is "to contribute to the understanding and wise stewardship of the Earth and its natural systems by supporting university-level teaching, research, and public service at protected natural areas throughout California." Our facilities experience high demand. We cannot accommodate all requests, and prioritize use in line with our mission.
UC / NPS / USGS course and research rate
- For place-based research, UC catalog-listed courses, and place-based trainings (i.e., these could not be held anywhere else).
- For University of California, National Park Service, US Geological Survey, or USDA Forest Service programs
University course and research rate
- For non-UC universities
- For place-based research, UC catalog-listed courses, and place-based trainings (i.e., these could not be held anywhere else).
Non-university and retreat rate
- For K-12 groups, nonprofits, independent professionals without official partnership with the University of California, National Park Service, US Geological Survey, or USDA Forest Service
- For UC/YOSE/USGS non-placed-based meetings, conferences, trainings, or retreats related to the mission.
Prohibited use
- Recreational visits by any group
- Visits not supporting research, education, or public service related to our mission
Cancellation policies
- Cancellations or reduction in group sizes must be communicated to the station director at least 10 days prior to your visit to avoid extra charges. Without 10 days notice, users will be charged up to 2 days use for reserved but unused facilities.
- In the case of extreme weather or other hazards (such as fire or road closures), the station may be closed at any time at the discretion of the station director, UC Merced, and/or the Park Service. In this case, users will not be charged for cancelled reservations.
Rates and Fees
Note: Monthly fees for stays longer than one month are pro-rated by fractional months. For example, a 45-day stay would be charged 1.5 months.
