In the heart of California's mountains, Yosemite National Park is one of the nation's most famous national parks. The park offers indoor lodging with all the amenities, but if you want to get a little closer to nature, there are many options for camping. Whether you drive a home on wheels or carry your tent in on your back, there are campsites that let you experience Yosemite's wonders.
Park Locations and Campsite Types
Yosemite offers five types of campground camping: tent, RV, group, horse and backpacking, which requires a wilderness permit. Visitors can also use the park's housekeeping camp, or one of the park's lodges. There is no RV or trailer camping permitted at Camp 4, Tamarack Flat or Yosemite Creek, and the other sites limit the allowable RV or trailer length. Wawona Campground offers year-round group campsites, while Hodgdon Meadow, Bridalveil Creek and Tuolumne Meadows campgrounds offer group sites in summer. There are horse sites at Wawona, Bridalveil Creek and Tuolumne Meadows campgrounds.
Open or Closed
In Yosemite Valley, Upper Pines and Camp 4 are open year-round. The same is true for Wawona in the south and Hodgdon Meadow in the north. Because the weather isn't entirely predictable, the remaining nine campgrounds open and close at different times of the year. According to the National Park Service, campgrounds at the lower elevations usually open around March and close in October or November, while those at higher elevations usually open in July and close in September or October.
Reservations and Regulations
Some campgrounds in Yosemite take reservations whenever the campground is open, some accept reservations only during certain times, and some are on a first-come, first-served basis. Check-in and checkout times are noon each day. You can arrive any time after noon on the first day of your reservation, but be sure to check in before 10 a.m. the next morning to avoid having your reservation canceled. You cannot stay more than 30 days during a calendar year, or more than 14 days between May 1 and September 15. Only seven of those 14 days may be in Yosemite Valley or Wawona. The park also has restrictions on the number of vehicles and the number of persons per campsite.
Yosemite Valley allows campfires between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. from May through September. At other times of the year, and outside the valley, you can have a campfire any time, as long as you monitor it. You are responsible for keeping food safe from bears and other wildlife. Leashed and attended pets are welcome at all campgrounds except Camp 4, Tamarack Flat, Porcupine Flat and all group campsites.
Water
Water for drinking and hygiene is critical in Yosemite's wilderness. With the exception of Tamarack Flat, Yosemite Creek and Porcupine Flat campgrounds, which have vault toilets and require you to boil creek water for use, Yosemite's campgrounds provide tap water and regular restrooms. Showers are only available in Yosemite Valley at Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp, and not at any of the campgrounds.
Dump Stations
Waste removal is another critical part of maintaining the National Park System. If you are backpack camping, be sure to remove any waste with you as you move through the park. Upper Pines Campground has a dump site year round, and there are summer-only dump sites near Wawona and Tuolumne Meadows campgrounds. RV and trailer campers should note that there are no hook-ups at any Yosemite campsites.
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