Built between 1913 and 1920 for the construction of the O’Shaughnessy Dam, Camp Mather started out as a sawmill camp supplying lumber for the dam construction. After the dam was completed in 1923, families from San Francisco began using it as a summer camp. It is named after Stephen Mather, the first National Park Service Director and a SF Native. Camp Mather is still run by the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department, one of two parks physically outside of the city. The camp is limited to residents of San Francisco, and is popular enough to require an annual lottery to reserve spots.
In 2013, the massive Rim Fire approached on Camp Mather from all sides. After massive firefighting efforts, including using backfires to create a perimeter around the camp, Mather survived, and was used as a center of operations against the continued conflagration.
Camp Mather, Stanislaus National Forest, Buck Meadows, California
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