Camping in Yosemite is one of the best ways to experience the park. There are 13 campgrounds in Yosemite National Park with 1,445 total campsites. Roughly 1,000 campsites can be reserved in advance. The rest are first-come, first-served.
During peak season (June, July, August) Yosemite camping can be challenging because campgrounds in the park fill up fast. Finding a campsite can also be challenging on weekends in May and September. If you want to camp in Yosemite, try to reserve a campsite as far in advance as possible. Yosemite campsites can be reserved up to five months in advance, but many of the campsites are reserved within 30 minutes of becoming available.
If you can’t reserve a campsite before your trip, you can try to claim one of Yosemite’s first-come, first-served campsites. Keep in mind that competition for first-come, first-served campsites is extremely high during peak season. If you’re planning a weekend Yosemite camping trip during peak season, try to arrive on Thursday or early Friday morning to claim your campsite. By Friday afternoon most Yosemite campgrounds are full.
If Yosemite camping is not an option because all park campgrounds are full, there are plenty of campgrounds near Yosemite National Park. It is almost always easier to find a campsite outside Yosemite.
The Best Campgrounds in Yosemite
1. Lower Pines Campground
2. North Pines Campground
3. Upper Pines Campground
4. Camp 4
5. Tuolumne Campground
Yosemite National Park Camping
Yosemite Valley Camping
Yosemite Valley is the most spectacular part of Yosemite National Park. Seven miles long and less than one mile wide, it’s home to sheer granite cliffs and some of the tallest waterfalls in North America.
Because Yosemite Valley is the most popular part of the national park, its four campgrounds fill up very quickly. Campsite reservations are available up to five months in advance, and reservations for the popular summer months often sell out within minutes of becoming available.
If you can’t get a campsite reservation, you can try to claim one of the 35 campsites at Camp 4. From mid-September through mid-May, campsites at Camp 4 are first-come, first-served. Summer reservations for Camp 4 are available via a daily lottery on recreation.gov.
Yosemite Valley campgrounds are located at an elevation of roughly 4,000 feet (1,220 meters). All campgrounds have bathrooms with drinking water and flush toilets. (Tip: hot showers can be purchased at Curry Village or Housekeeping Camp in the afternoon.) Yosemite Valley’s free shuttle makes stops at all four campgrounds throughout the day.
Lower Pines Campground
Open: April through October (approximately)
Cost: $26 per night
Located just west of Upper Pines Campground, Lower Pines Campground has 60 campsites situated near the southern banks of the Merced River. Thanks to its riverside location and striking views of Half Dome, many consider Lower Pines the best campground in Yosemite Valley. Campsite reservations should be reserved as far in advance as possible. Lower Pines Campground has three double campsites (Dbl1, Dbl2, Dbl 3) that accommodate 7 – 12 people each (cost: $36 per campsite). Maximum RV length: 40 feet. Maximum trailer length: 35 feet. No RV hook-ups.
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North Pines Campground
Open: March through October (approximately)
Cost: $26 per night
Located directly across the Merced River from Lower Pines Campground, North Pines Campground is also considered one of the best campgrounds in Yosemite Valley. Campsite reservations should be booked as far in advance as possible. The 81 campsites at North Pines are packed closely together. (Hopefully, you’ll get along with your neighbors!) Maximum RV length: 40 feet. Maximum trailer length: 35 feet. No RV hook-ups.
Upper Pines Campground
Open: Year-round
Cost: $26 per night
Located at the far eastern end of Yosemite Valley, Upper Pines Campground is Yosemite National Park’s second-largest campground. Reservations for its 238 campsites are required mid-March through November. From December – March campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 24 feet. No RV hook-ups.
Camp 4
Open: Year-round
Cost: $6 per person
Camp 4 is popular with rock climbers, who love the campground’s proximity to El Capitan and other famous climbing routes. All campsites are walk-in, which means they do not accommodate cars, RVs or trailers. Campers must leave their cars in the adjacent parking area. Also note that Camp 4 is also the only Yosemite campground that does not allow pets.
From mid-September through mid-May, Camp 4 is Yosemite Valley’s only first-come, first-served campground. From mid-May to mid-September, reservations are available via a daily lottery, held one day in advance, on recreation.gov.
Glacier Point Road Camping
Glacier Point road stretches 16 miles from Wawona Road to Glacier Point. Perched 3,000 feet above the floor of Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point offers stunning views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls and half a dozen other famous landmarks. Glacier Point Road is also the jumping off point for several outstanding day hikes, many of which head to dramatic viewpoints along Yosemite Valley’s south rim.
Bridalveil Creek Campground
Open: June/July to late September (weather permitting)
Cost: $18 per night
Located halfway along Glacier Point Road at an elevation of 7,200 feet (2,195 meters), Bridalveil Creek Campground is a 26-mile drive (45 minutes) from Yosemite Valley. During peak season it’s the closest first-come, first-served campground to Yosemite Valley. There are 112 campsites, including two group sites (13 – 30 people) that can be reserved up to five months in advance. Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 24 feet.
Big Oak Flat Road Camping
Stretching southeast from Yosemite National Park’s Big Oak Flat Entrance, Big Oak Flat Road twists 17 miles through the forest until it reaches Yosemite Valley. Although there are few scenic highlights along the way, Big Oak Flat Road does provide access to the Merced Grove of Giant Sequoias (above). The two campgrounds along Big Oak Flat Road are the closest campgrounds to Yosemite Valley that accept reservations.
Crane Flat Campground
Open: July – mid-October (weather permitting)
Cost: $26 per night
Crane Flat Campground is the closest campground to Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. It’s located 15 miles northwest of Yosemite Valley (30-minute drive) at an elevation of 6,200 feet (1,890 meters). Reservations for Crane Flat Campground’s 166 campsites are available up to five months in advance. Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 27 feet.
Hodgdon Meadow Campground
Open: Year-round
Cost: $26 per night
Located a short distance from the Big Oak Flat Entrance Station, Hodgdon Meadow Campground is 25 miles northwest of Yosemite Valley (45-minute drive). There are 105 campsites, and campsite reservations are required from mid-April to mid-October. The rest of the year campsites at Hodgdon Meadow are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hodgdon Meadow Campground is situated at an elevation of 4,900 feet (1,494 meters). Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 27 feet.
Tioga Road Camping
Tioga Road twists deep into the heart of Yosemite, climbing thousands of feet into a region known as the High Sierra, home to some of the finest alpine scenery in the park. Tuolumne Meadows, the most popular destination in Yosemite’s High Sierra, is accessible by car via Tioga Road. The four Tioga Road campgrounds en route to Tuolumne Meadows are all first-come, first-served. In the winter Tioga Road shuts down due to heavy snow. The road’s opening and closing dates depend entirely on the weather. In 1998 Tioga Road remained closed until July 1 (a record), but it generally opens around mid-May. Tioga Road remains open until the first snowfall, which generally happens around mid-November.
Tamarack Flat Campground
Open: July – mid-October (weather permitting)
Cost: $12 per night
The turnoff to Tamarack Flat Campground is on the south side of Tioga Road about 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) east of Big Oak Flat Road. The campground is located at the end of a 3-mile (5-kilometer) unpaved road. There are 52 first-come, first-served campsites good for tent camping. RVs and trailers are not recommended. Elevation: 6,300 feet (1,920 meters). Tamarack Flat Campground is roughly a 45-minute drive from Yosemite Valley.
White Wolf Campground
Open: July – mid-September (weather permitting)
Cost: $18 per night
White Wolf Campground is located about halfway between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Yosemite Valley and about a 30-minute drive from Tuolumne Meadows. White Wolf Campground’s 74 first-come, first-served campsites are situated at an elevation of 8,000 feet (2,440 meters), which means temperatures often get cold at night. Maximum RV length: 27 feet. Maximum trailer length: 24 feet.
Yosemite Creek Campground
Open: July – early September (weather permitting)
Cost: $12 per night
The turnoff to Yosemite Creek Campground is located a short distance east of the turnoff to White Wolf Campground. There are 75 first-come, first served campsites good for tent camping. RVs and trailers are not recommended. Yosemite Creek Campground’s 7,700-foot elevation means temperatures often get cold at night. The campground is situated along Yosemite Creek, which flows down to Yosemite Falls. There is a roughly 7-mile (11-kilometer) trail that heads from the campground to the top of Yosemite Falls.
Porcupine Flat Campground
Open: July – mid-October (weather permitting)
Cost: $12 per night
Porcupine Flat Campground is the closest Yosemite campground to Tuolumne Meadows, and it is often the last first-come, first-served campground to fill up on busy summer nights. It’s located 15 miles (24 kilometers) west of Tuolumne Meadows (about a 20-minute drive). There are 52 campsites. Maximum RV length: 24 feet. Maximum trailer length: 20 feet. Because Porcupine Flat Campground sits at an elevation of 8,100 feet, it often gets cold at night.
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Tuolumne Meadows Camping
Lying at an elevation of 8,600 feet, Tuolumne Meadows is the gateway to Yosemite’s High Sierra — a stunning wilderness of flowery meadows, snow-capped peaks, and mile upon mile of sparkling granite. Hiking trails radiate out from Tuolumne in all directions, offering hikers and rock climbers access to Yosemite’s alpine wonderland. In July and August, when Yosemite Valley is plagued with heat spells and crowds, savvy visitors head to Tuolumne Meadows to cool off high above it all.
Tuolumne Meadows Campground
Open: July to late-September (weather permitting)
Cost: $26 per night
Located near the southeastern edge of Tuolumne Meadows, Tuolumne Campground is the largest campground in Yosemite National Park: 304 campsites. It’s also the highest campground in the park with an elevation of 8,600 feet (2,620 meters). Reservations are available for half of the campsites, the other half are first-come, first-served. Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 35 feet.
Wawona Camping
Located at the southernmost tip of Yosemite National Park, Wawona is not nearly as impressive as the rest of the park. There are no sheer cliffs or thousand-foot waterfalls — just a lazy meadow rolling through the forest. But if you’re looking for peace and quiet, Wawona is a great choice. The highlight of the area is the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, the most impressive giant sequoia grove in the park. There’s also the Pioneer History Center, a collection of historic buildings, and the Victorian-era Wawona Hotel, which has a 9-hole golf course.
Wawona Campground
Open: Year-round
Cost: $26 per night
Wawona Campground offers 93 campsites along the banks of the South Fork of the Merced River. Campsite reservations are available from mid-April to mid-October. Wawona Campground is located 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Yosemite Valley, about a one-hour drive. Maximum RV length: 35 feet. Maximum trailer length: 35 feet.