The Best Yosemite Campgrounds (With Reservation Tips)

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Picking the right campground is a key step in planning an epic trip to Yosemite.

Your lodging shapes how much you’ll have to drive around the park and therefore impacts how much of the park you can see during your stay. It also affects how comfortable your stay will be and locks in your trip dates (if you make a reservation in advance).

There are a whopping 13 campgrounds in Yosemite National Park. Since the park has so many campgrounds, it can be overwhelming to wade through the details of every single campground to find the best campground for you.

After doing the research for my own trip to Yosemite, I’ve put together this guide to the best campgrounds in the park to make trip planning even easier for you.

Ready to pick your campground? Here are the best campgrounds in Yosemite National Park.

Click on these links to navigate to a specific section in this guide:

List of the Best Overall Yosemite Campgrounds
The Best Yosemite Campgrounds
More Yosemite Campgrounds
Which of Yosemite’s Campgrounds is Best for Me?: The Best Yosemite Campgrounds for Specific Scenarios
How Hard is it to Get a Campsite in Yosemite?

For more help planning your trip to Yosemite National Park, check out these related articles:

List of the Best Overall Yosemite Campgrounds

Here is a list of campgrounds that are the best for most people visiting Yosemite National Park:

Upper Pines Campground
Lower Pines Campground
North Pines Campground
Crane Flat Campground
Tuolumne Meadows Campground

Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines Campgrounds are all in the Yosemite Valley where the top things to see in Yosemite are found.

Crane Flat Campground isn’t in the valley but it is still in a good location for campers who want to explore both the valley and other areas of Yosemite National Park.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is the furthest of all of the campgrounds from the Yosemite Valley but is in a great spot for anyone who wants to explore more of Yosemite’s high country and beautiful lakes.

These are the high-level reasons that make these the best campgrounds in Yosemite, but there are lots of factors that determine whether a campground is ideal for each visitor. The main criteria I consider include location within the park, amenities, camping equipment that can be used, reservation system used, operating season, size, and more.

Below I’ve included more detailed descriptions of Yosemite’s campgrounds to elaborate on why I think they’re the best campgrounds in the park.

The Best Yosemite Campgrounds

Here are more in-depth descriptions of Yosemite’s best campgrounds to further explain what makes them the best options for most visitors.

Upper Pines Campground

For most visitors, Upper Pines Campground is the best campground in Yosemite.

Most importantly, it’s in the Yosemite Valley where most of the park’s highlights like Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls are found. It’s easy to walk, bike, or drive to the valley’s sights, trails, and services from the campground.

It’s also one of Yosemite’s largest campgrounds with 238 campsites including 10 ADA sites. Tents, RVs up to 35 feet, and trailers up to 24 feet long can be used at these campsites so it’s a suitable campground no matter what type of camping equipment you prefer.

Another perk of Upper Pines Campground is that it’s open year-round. Therefore, this excellent campground will be an option no matter what time of year you visit the park (as long as a campsite is open for you to book).

Upper Pines Campground has plenty of amenities to give visitors a comfortable stay. There is drinking water, flush toilets, and a dump station on site. Groceries and other supplies are easy to access, too, in the villages nearby.

Lastly, the park’s free shuttle service stops at Upper Pine Campground so you can easily travel around Yosemite Valley while avoiding the headache of finding parking.

No matter what time of year you visit or what style of camping you enjoy, Upper Pines Campground is a go-to campground for anyone coming to see Yosemite’s famous landmarks.

Campsite reservations can be made up to 5 months in advance and are required year-round. Click here to reserve a campsite at Upper Pines Campground.

Lower Pines Campground

Lower Pines Campground is another great campground to choose for your trip to Yosemite.

This campground is just across the street from Upper Pines Campground so it shares all of the same benefits of being located near Yosemite’s highlights, amenities like groceries, and the free shuttle system.

Lower Pines Campground also can accommodate all kinds of campers. Its 73 campsites – including 5 ADA sites – can handle tents, RVs up to 40 feet, and trailers up to 35 feet long.

Drinking water and flush toilets are on site to meet campers’ basic needs.

If you enjoy ranger programs, note that Lower Pines Campground has an amphitheater to host these types of events.

The main difference between Lower Pines and Upper Pines Campgrounds is that Lower Pines Campground is not open all year. It’s only open in seasons with warmer weather, typically mid-April to late October.

Essentially, Lower Pines Campground has fewer campsites and it is open for less of the year, but if you’re visiting during peak season you’ll have an equally good experience camping at Lower Pines Campground as you would at Upper Pines Campground.

Campsite reservations are required and can be made up to 5 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Lower Pines Campground.

North Pines Campground

North Pines Campground is essentially tied with Upper Pines and Lower Pines Campgrounds for the best Yosemite Campground.

Like Upper Pines and Lower Pines Campgrounds, North Pines Campground is located at the eastern end of the Yosemite Valley. It’s just across the Merced River from the other two campgrounds.

It’s comparable in size to Lower Pines Campground and can host tents, RVs up to 40 feet, and trailers up to 35 feet, with 5 designated ADA sites. And like Lower Pines Campground, North Pines Campground is only open from about April through October.

The main thing that distinguishes North Pines Campground from the campgrounds near it is its reservation system. In recent years, Yosemite National Park has implemented an Early Access Lottery for campsite reservations at North Pines Campground.

The perk of the lottery is that lottery winners can reserve campsites with less competition, but you have to plan well in advance to enter the lottery to increase your odds of getting a campsite at North Pines Campground.

Even if you don’t enter or win the lottery, any campsites that remain after the lottery can be reserved up to 5 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at North Pines Campground.

In short: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines Campgrounds are all equally fantastic campgrounds for the average visitor. Choosing between them is just a matter of what time of year you’re visiting and in which one you’re able to secure a reservation.

Crane Flat Campground

If you don’t find any campsites available in Upper Pines, Lower Pines, or North Pines Campgrounds, Crane Flat Campground is the next best choice for most visitors.

Crane Flat Campground is on the west side of Yosemite National Park. It’s 30 minutes from the Yosemite Valley and 5 minutes from the beginning of Tioga Road, the scenic road that cuts west to east across the park. This puts it in a superb location to explore both of these areas of Yosemite.

This campground is also close to the trails that provide access to Merced and Tuolumne Groves, if you want to see Giant Sequoias or be near moderately easy trails on your trip to Yosemite.

There are 151 campsites, including 2 ADA campsites, for tents, RVs up to 35 feet, and trailers as long as 27 feet. This makes Crane Flat Campground an ideal choice no matter how you camp.

All of your basic needs are accessible from Crane Flat Campground. The campground has drinking water and flush toilets, and it’s near a gas station with a small store.

The only limitation of Crane Flat Campground is its operating season: it’s only open from July to mid-October. But as long as you visit during this narrow time frame, Crane Flat Campground is a great alternative to the other campgrounds listed above.

Campsites can be reserved up to 5 months in advance. Click here to reserve a campsite at Crane Flat Campground.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground

***NOTE: Tuolumne Meadows Campground is undergoing a major rehabilitation project and will remain closed in 2023 (and possibly 2024 and 2025, depending on how weather impacts construction season).***

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is not a great campground for visitors who want to explore the Yosemite Valley, but it’s still one of the best campgrounds in all of Yosemite.

This campground is just a few minutes from the Tioga entrance on the east side of Yosemite. It’s the furthest campground from the Yosemite Valley at an hour and a half drive away.

However, the area around Tuolumne Meadows Campground is a beautiful part of Yosemite to explore as well.

This campground is near its namesake, the beautiful Tuolumne Meadows, and numerous hikes and lakes in Yosemite’s high country.

The campground itself is a wonderful place to stay during your trip to Yosemite. There are 304 campsites – including 6 ADA sites and 21 backpacker sites – for tents, RVs up to 35 feet, and trailers up to 35 feet. Drinking water and flush toilets are available and services like a store, grill, and post office are close by.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is only open from July through September each year.

But if you plan to visit the park in mid to late summer and want to explore a different section of Yosemite than the valley, Tuolumne Meadows Campground is an excellent campground to stay at.

Half of the campsites at Tuolumne Meadows Campground are first-come, first serve and the other half of campsites can be reserved online up to 5 months in advance.

More Yosemite Campgrounds

Here are descriptions of the rest of Yosemite’s campgrounds so you can understand why I didn’t rank them as the “best” campgrounds and determine if any are the best campground for you. Just because they didn’t make the list of best Yosemite campgrounds doesn’t mean they aren’t worth camping at!

Camp 4

You may have heard of Yosemite’s famous Camp 4, especially if you’re a rock climber. In fact, its role in the development of rock climbing as a sport has earned Camp 4 a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

It’s also one of the campgrounds in the Yosemite Valley and it’s open year-round.

So why don’t I consider Camp 4 to be one of the best Yosemite campgrounds?

I don’t recommend Camp 4 for most of Yosemite’s visitors because it’s a shared site campground. This means that 6 people are assigned to each campsite whether they are in the same party or not.

Also, all of the campsites are walk-in tent sites and it’s the only campground in Yosemite that doesn’t allow pets.

Therefore, Camp 4 is a bit more limiting in terms of who can camp there and it’s less appealing to anyone who doesn’t want to share a campsite with strangers.

If these criteria don’t apply to you and you’re down to meet other campers, then Camp 4 may be a great campground for you!

For most of the year, each member of your party must register for a spot at Camp 4 on a first-come, first-serve basis. To camp here during the summer, however, campers must enter a paid lottery for the chance to reserve a campsite at Camp 4.

Wawona Campground

RVs parked in the distance behind a group of purple flowers

Wawona Campground is 40 minutes south of the Yosemite Valley near the park’s southern entrance.

It’s a bit of a drive to get from Wawona Campground to the valley and the rest of Yosemite National Park. But fortunately there is a gas station and other essential services nearby at the Wawona Visitor Center so you can stock up on resources before you head out each day.

The one Yosemite attraction that this campground is near is the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias.

Wawona Campground has 97 campsites, including 4 ADA sites, for tents and RVs. It’s one of Yosemite’s few campgrounds that has a dump station or an amphitheater, so it’s a great campground for anyone seeking out those amenities.

As long as you don’t mind spending extra time driving around Yosemite National Park during your visit, then Wawona Campground is a good choice.

Wawona Campground is open all year but campsite reservations can only be made for part of the year.

If you plan to visit Yosemite during peak season (mid-April to mid-October), click here to reserve a campsite at Wawona Campground up to 5 months in advance. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis the rest of the year.

Bridalveil Creek Campground

Bridalveil Creek Campground is the only campground along Glacier Point Road, a road that leads to sweeping views of the Yosemite Valley and across the national park.

This places the campground about 45 minutes away from the valley.

However, it is in a good location to access the numerous trails and stunning views along Glacier Point Road.

It has 115 campsites for tents, RVs up to 35 feet, and trailers as long as 24 feet.

Since the campground is at higher elevation, it’s only open for a limited window of time (mid-July through early September).

Bridalveil Creek Campground has drinking water and flush toilets, but otherwise lacks the amenities and services that are available at other campgrounds in Yosemite.

The other downside of Bridalveil Creek Campground is that its campsites are secured on a first-come, first-serve basis. First-come, first-serve campsites are pretty tough to lock down in Yosemite so it’s risky to bank on nabbing one of these sites for your lodging.

(The exception to the first-come, first-serve rule is the campground’s horse sites and group campsites. Click here to reserve one of these campsites at Bridalveil Creek Campground up to 5 months in advance.)

Hodgdon Meadow Campground

Hodgdon Meadow Campground is on the western side of Yosemite National Park. The closest campground to the Big Oak Flat Entrance, it’s 15 minutes north of Tioga Road and 40 minutes north of the Yosemite Valley.

There are a lot of things to like about Hodgdon Meadow Campground.

Tents, RVs up to 35 feet, and trailers up to 27 feet can all be accommodated at the campground’s 105 campsites.

Necessities like gas and a convenience store are in nearby Crane Flat, and basic needs like drinking water are available on site.

In terms of Yosemite’s attractions, the trails to Merced and Tuolumne Groves are not too far away.

If you’re unable to reserve one of Yosemite’s best campgrounds, Hodgdon Meadow Campground is a solid backup option.

If you plan to visit Yosemite during peak season (mid-April to mid-October), click here to reserve a campsite at Hodgdon Meadow Campground up to 5 months in advance. Campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis the rest of the year.

Tamarack Flat Campground

Tamarack Flat Campground is one of Yosemite’s primitive campgrounds.

Its 52 campsites are only available for tent camping and can only be used between June and October.

Tamarack Flat Campground is one of a few campgrounds in Yosemite that does not have drinking water available. The only water source on site is the Tamarack Creek, which needs to be filtered or treated in some way before it’s safe to drink.

Although Tamarack Flat Campground is more primitive than other campgrounds, it is not the most remote campground in the park. The Crane Flat gas station can be reached in about 20 minutes.

This campground is a 15 minute drive off of Tioga Road, so it’s not in a bad place if you want to spend your trip traveling outside of the Yosemite Valley.

And several lengthy trails are right by the campground. For example, you can hike 17 miles roundtrip from Tamarack Flat to El Capitan to see spectacular views from the top of this famous rock formation.

If you’re up for the more rustic camping experience offered at Tamarack Flat Campground, the upside is that you can plan your trip on a bit shorter notice.

About half of the campsites open for reservations 2 months in advance and the remainder become available 2 weeks ahead of time. Click here to reserve a campsite at Tamarack Flat Campground.

White Wolf Campground

Besides Tuolumne Meadows Campground, White Wolf Campground is the only campground on Tioga Road that is developed and can accommodate RVs.

This campground is about an hour away from the Yosemite Valley and 40 minutes away from Tuolumne Meadows.

While White Wolf Campground may be far away from these well-known areas of Yosemite, there are numerous hiking trails near the campground at a variety of difficulty levels.

The campground’s 74 campsites are open from around mid-July to September.

About half of the campsites are open for reservations 2 months in advance and the remainder become available 2 weeks ahead of time. Click here to reserve a campsite at White Wolf Campground.

Yosemite Creek Campground

Yosemite Creek Campground is close in size and location to White Wolf Campground.

However, it’s one of Yosemite’s primitive campgrounds and it can only be reached by taking a rough dirt road. It’s only available for tent camping and campers must be prepared to treat water from Yosemite Creek so it’s drinkable (or bring their own water).

There are several long trails near the campground, but otherwise, Yosemite Creek Campground isn’t near many attractions or services.

The campground is usually open from July to September.

Campsite reservations can be made 4 days before arrival. Click here to reserve a campsite at Yosemite Creek Campground.

Porcupine Flat Campground

Porcupine Flat Campground is located about halfway along Tioga Road.

This places the campground about 10 minutes west of Olmstead Point, 30 minutes west of Tuolumne Meadows, and over an hour from the Yosemite Valley.

It’s another one of Yosemite’s primitive campgrounds, so bring plenty of drinking water and/or be prepared to treat the water in Porcupine Creek since no visitor services are near the campground.

Tents are the only kind of camping equipment that can be used at Porcupine Flat Campground’s 52 campsites.

Porcupine Flat Campground is typically open between mid-July until early October. These campsites are only available on a first-come, first-serve basis. First-come, first-serve campsites are pretty tough to lock down in Yosemite so it’s risky to count on nabbing one of these sites for your lodging.

Which of Yosemite’s Campgrounds is Best for Me?: The Best Yosemite Campgrounds for Specific Scenarios

My list of the best Yosemite campgrounds above is based on the assumption that most people visit the park during peak season and want to see the attractions in the Yosemite Valley. Since those factors don’t apply to every single one of Yosemite’s visitors, here are additional campground recommendations for a variety of criteria and situations.

Best Overall Yosemite Campground: Upper Pines Campground

As explained above, the Upper Pines Campground is the best all-around campground in Yosemite National Park.

It’s near the park’s iconic attractions, it can accommodate all kinds of camping equipment, it offers basic amenities and services, and it accepts campsite reservations year-round. No matter your situation, it’s an ideal campground to stay at in Yosemite.

Best Yosemite Campground for RVs: Upper Pines Campground

Only 4 of Yosemite’s campgrounds cannot accommodate RVs (Camp 4 and the 3 primitive campgrounds along Tioga Road), so there are plenty of campgrounds for RV campers to stay at.

For all of the reasons just mentioned (location, amenities, and ability to accept reservations all year), Upper Pines Campground is the best campground whether you’re staying in an RV or not.

But on top of those factors, Upper Pines Campground is only one of a few campgrounds in Yosemite that has a dump station. Tuolumne Meadows Campground and Wawona Campground are the other 2 campgrounds that have dump stations.

Note that none of the campgrounds in Yosemite National Park have hookups for RVs.

Best Yosemite Campground for Groups: Tuolumne Meadows Campground or Wawona Campground

If you want to camp in Yosemite National Park with a group, the campground I’d recommend checking out first depends on what time of year you plan to visit the park.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground has 7 group campsites. This is by far more group campsites than any other campground in Yosemite has, so you may have the best chance of finding an available group site here.

However, the group campsite at Wawona campground is open year-round, so this is where you’ll need to camp if you’re planning a group camping trip in the off season.

The other campgrounds in Yosemite with group campsites are Hodgdon Meadow and Bridalveil Creek.

Best Yosemite Campground for Winter Camping: Upper Pines Campground

The only campgrounds that are open year-round in Yosemite are Upper Pines Campground, Hodgdon Meadow Campground, and Wawona Campground.

Out of these 3 campgrounds, Upper Pines Campground is the only one which accepts reservations all year. The other 2 campgrounds transition to a first-come, first-serve system outside of peak season.

Best Yosemite Campground for Rock Climbers: Camp 4

Camp 4 is located at the base of the Yosemite Valley’s granite walls, placing it in an ideal spot for rock climbing.

I’m not a rock climber so I’m not going to attempt to summarize the relationship of Camp 4 to rock climbers. Instead you can read about the historical significance of Camp 4 in this article from the LA Times.

Best Primitive Campground in Yosemite: Tamarack Flat Campground

The 3 primitive campgrounds in Yosemite National Park are Tamarack Flat Campground, Porcupine Flat Campground, and Yosemite Creek Campground.

Of these 3 campgrounds, Tamarack Flat Campground is the only one that can accept reservations more than a few days in advance (if at all).

It’s also the closest primitive campground to the Yosemite Valley and services like Crane Flat gas station if you need to access anything during your stay.

How Hard is it to Get a Campsite in Yosemite?

All of Yosemite’s campsites can fill up within minutes of becoming available for reservations. The park’s first-come, first-serve campsites typically fill up as well, especially on weekends and holidays.

So if you have your heart set on a specific campground in Yosemite after reading this article, be prepared with backup options, especially if your trip dates are not flexible.

Here are a few things to keep in mind before attempting to reserve a campsite in Yosemite National Park plus tips for snagging the best Yosemite campgrounds:

As of this writing, several campgrounds were closed for long-term rehabilitation projects. Make sure the campground you’re most interested in will be open during your visit before you attempt to make a reservation.
If you haven’t already, create an account on recreation.gov before the day you plan to make your campground reservation. Log into your account before reservations become available to save time in the reservation process.
Can’t find a campsite? Try a service like Campnab which sends you alerts when a reservation is canceled and a campsite becomes available.
Camping in your vehicle isn’t allowed outside of campsites. So don’t expect to just sleep in your car on the side of the road if you aren’t able to lock down a first-come, first-serve site when you arrive at the park.

Need more help planning your trip to Yosemite National Park? Check out these related articles:

As always, enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Leave no trace on all of your adventures.