Camping Guide in Yosemite National Park: [Where To Sleep And Park]
If you really want to get the full and immersive experience at Yosemite National Park, camping there overnight or for a couple of nights with some friends or your family is a great way to experience both the wilderness and the wildlife. When it comes to the number of total campsites at Yosemite, it is estimated that there are about 1,445 with thirteen different campgrounds to choose from. You can reserve up to 1,000 campsites in advance, which is recommended to do especially during the peak season at Yosemite, which is June, July, and August. Luckily, these campsites are freely available to the public and are filled up on a first-come, first-serve basis. You should try to reserve your campsite a couple of months in advance because one these campsites become available, they usually are booked within an hour or so of becoming available online. If you plan on staying at a campsite or campground during the weekend, you need to keep in mind that there is going to be a high level of competition for those spots. In case the campgrounds at Yosemite become full, there are a number of campgrounds near the national park that you can choose to camp at instead.
What are the Best Places to Camp in Yosemite?
This question can be up for debate because there are over a dozen or more unique campgrounds to choose from. However, there tends to be a consensus that the most popular and well-known campgrounds are the Lower Pines Campground, the Upper Pines Campground, Camp 4, and the Tuolumne Campground. It’s important to be aware of the positives and the negatives of each campground because they’re not perfect but some campgrounds are better than others in terms of comfort and other factors.
Camping in Yosemite Valley
If you want to get the best experience with camping, you may want to consider choosing a campground in the Yosemite Valley where there are four options. Because of the beautiful granite cliffs and stunning waterfalls, it’s the most popular part of Yosemite National Park so the campgrounds are likely to fill up quickly if you don’t reserve ahead of time. The campgrounds at Yosemite Valley aren’t too high up with the elevation being only 4,000 feet. You’re likely to have a comfortable time there due to the fact that there are bathrooms with running water and toilets that flush. Hot showers are also available to purchase for a small fee if you want to warm up a bit. Yosemite Valley also has a free shuttle that you can take between the four different campgrounds that are available to camp in.
Lower Pines Campground
Open: From April until October Cost: $26 per night
Lower Pines Campground has about sixty different campsites available near the southern banks of the Merced River. It is quite popular due to its location where you can see nice views of the Half Dome and be located right next to the river. Some people consider this campground the best that the Yosemite National Park has to offer. Because it’s so popular, you should try to reserve your campsite months in advance especially if you’re planning to visit during the summer season. If you’re bringing an RV to the campsite, make sure that its’ length doesn’t exceed forty feet.
North Pines Campground
Open: From March until October Cost: $26 per night
On the other side of the Merced River, located near the riverbanks is the North Pines Campgrounds, which is also considered to be one of the best campgrounds in Yosemite. Because of the popularity of this campground, you should book and reserve your campsite months in advance in order to secure a spot. Luckily, there are over eighty campsites at North Pines to choose from. It’s also not too far from Lower Pines if you decide to go there to visit people or check out the views from there.
Upper Pines Campground
Open: The entire year Cost: $26 per night
Known as being the 2nd largest campground in all of Yosemite National Park, Upper Pines is located on the eastern end of the Yosemite Valley and is close to the two other pines campgrounds. Upper Pines has over two hundred and forty campsites to choose from and is open year round for visitors and tourists alike. However, you will need to make a reservation from mid-March to November due to the increased amount of campsite requests. However, from December to the beginning of March, campsites are available on the usual first-come, first-serve basis.
Camp 4
Open: The entire year Cost: $6 per night
Camp 4 has the distinction of being the only campground that you can book on a first-come, first serve basis from the high season months of April to November. There are only thirty-five campsites available so demand is quite high. It’s important to book your campsite at Camp 4 about six months in advance depending on when you plan to visit the campground. This campground is not that big so you will not be able to park your car, RV, or trailer. There are parking areas nearby so you’ll have to put your vehicle there first before walking in to the campground. There are also no pets like dogs allowed so you’re going to have to leave Fido at home. If you enjoy rock climbing, Camp 4 is the most popular campground for that activity in Yosemite Valley. Because of its’ proximity to El Capitan or other hiking trails, Camp 4 remains one of the best campgrounds in Yosemite National Park.
Camping in Glacier Point Road
There are campgrounds available for the sixteen miles that go from Wawona Road to Glacier Point. Glacier Point is located thousands of feet above Yosemite Valley and has really nice views of Half Dome, Nevada Falls, etc. There are a number of hiking trails nearby so it’s pretty easy to go on day hikes through this part of the national park.
Bridalveil Creek Campground
Open: From June/July until September Cost: $18 per night
The most popular campground located along Glacier Point Road, you can get to the Bridalveil Creek campground in about an hour driving up from the Yosemite Valley. During the high season of April to November, it’s first-come and first-serve. There are over one hundred and ten campsites to choose from so it’s a bigger campground overall. RVs and Trailers are allowed to park within the campground too without any problems.
Camping in Big Oak Flat Road
Big Oak Flat Road is a long road that is about seventeen miles in length that winds up to Yosemite Valley. While it’s not very scenic, you can easily access the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias without needing to drive your car or RV. You can also be close to Yosemite Valley, where the two campgrounds along the Big Oak Flat Road are located.
Crane Flat Campground
Open: From July to October Cost: $26 per night
The location of Crane Flat is perfect if you want to be close to the famed Yosemite Valley. It’s only about fifteen miles away from Yosemite Valley and you can drive there in about thirty minutes. You can easily make a reservation in advance up to a couple of months and there are over one hundred and sixty campsites available at any given time during the year. You can also drive your RV or car to park within the campground.
Hodgdon Meadow Campground
Open: The entire year Cost: $26 per night
Hodgdon Meadow also has a very good location in that it’s located close by to the Big Oak Flat Entrance Station and is about twenty-five miles away from Yosemite Valley, which is about a forty-five minute drive. While there are only about one hundred and five campsites, you’re still have the ability to make a reservation in advance from the high season of April to October. Otherwise, during the months of November to March, it’s on a first-come, first-serve basis that comes with no reservation. You can bring your RV or a car in to the campground as well.
Camping in Tioga Road
If you want to be in the heart of Yosemite National Park, you’ll want to go camping along Tioga Road. You can experience being close to the High Sierra Mountains where there is great scenery of the alpine and maple trees. You can also check out Tuolumne Meadows, which is accessible by car from Tioga Road. All campgrounds along Tioga Road are available on a first-come, first-serve basis making it more accessible than other campgrounds in Yosemite. However, because of uncertain weather conditions it is possible that some of these campgrounds will not be open during the winter months.
Tamarack Flat Campground
Open: From July to October Cost: $12 per night
Tamarack Flat Campground is located in the southern part of Tioga Road and is a couple of miles east from Big Oak Flat Road. There are only over fifty campsites available and you’ll need to set up a tent if you plan to stay there overnight. It is not a very big campsite so you’re going to need to leave your RV or your car in another parking area because those vehicles can’t enter this campground.
White Wolf Campground
Open: From July to September Cost: $18 per night
White Wolf campground is in a good location. This campground is located halfway between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows and you can drive to both locations within an hour or so. There are over seventy campsites, which are all first-come, first-serve so you won’t need to make a reservation in advance. The elevation of this campsite is high up at 8,000 feet so bring a jacket because temperatures can be quite cold at night. You can bring your RV or another type of vehicle into the campground.
Yosemite Creek Campground
Open: from July to September Cost: $12 per night
Just a stone’s throw from White Wolf is the Yosemite Creek campground. There are seventy-five campsites available for use on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are a variety of ways that you can do to get the most out of this campsite. You can set up a tent to spend a few nights there. However, there are no RVs or Trailers allowed in this campsite. Because of the elevation is high at almost 8,000 feet, temperatures can be cold at night. This campground is along the creek itself so it’s in a beautiful location. You can also hike to the top of Yosemite Falls if you want to check out the views from there.
Porcupine Flat Campground
Open: From July to October
Cost: $12 per night
If you want to be right next to Tuolumne Meadows, the Porcupine Flat campground is an ideal choice. It is entirely a first-come, first-serve campground and is very busy during the summer season, especially since it’s cheaper than other campgrounds. There are over fifty campsites and you can use your RV or car when you’re at the site. Bring a jacket though because it gets cold at night due to being at 8,000 feet in elevation.
Camping in Tuolumne Meadows
If you want to be at the base of the High Sierra Mountains, being at a campground in the Tuolumne Meadows is the way to go. The scenery is spectacular and you can cool off in the meadows if you decide to camp there.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground
Open: From July to September Cost: $26 per night
Tuolumne Meadows Campground has the double distinction of being the biggest campsite in Yosemite National Park at over three hundred available spots as well as being the highest in terms of elevation at over 8,600 feet. For half of the campsites, you need to reserve in advance, and for the rest of them are first-come and first-serve.
Wawona Campground
Open: The entire year Cost: $26 per night
Over ninety campsites that are at the southern fork of the Merced River, the Wawona Campground is a pleasant site located not too far from the Yosemite Valley, and where you can reserve a spot especially when it comes to high season from April to October. You can park your RV, trailer, or car there as well during your stay at Wawona.
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