Camping in Yosemite: 16 NPS Campgrounds, Reservations, and Rates

By Jocelyn Pion · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Yosemite

The short version: Yosemite has 16 campgrounds managed by the NPS, with 1,452 sites in all. Every campground requires a reservation through recreation.gov, with sites released five months ahead at 7 a.m. Pacific Time. In July and August, the most popular sites are gone within an hour of opening.

Campgrounds in the park (12)

• Campground Upper Pines Campground first come, first served · 236 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Hodgdon Meadow Campground first come, first served · 100 sites Directions ↗
• Campground North Pines Campground first come, first served · 81 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Lower Pines Campground first come, first served · 74 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Wawona Campground first come, first served · 95 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Tuolumne Meadows Campground first come, first served · 289 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Crane Flat Campground first come, first served · 148 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Camp 4 Campground first come, first served · 61 sites Directions ↗
• Campground White Wolf Campground recreation.gov · 68 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Porcupine Flat Campground first come, first served · 55 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Yosemite Creek Campground first come, first served · 74 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Tamarack Flat Campground first come, first served · 52 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

Can you camp inside Yosemite?

Yes. Dispersed camping is prohibited. Every overnight stay must be in an official campsite or covered by a wilderness permit. Camping outside designated areas is an offense punishable by a fine.

Campgrounds inside the park

Yosemite Valley

Four campgrounds sit in the valley, within walking distance of the waterfalls and El Capitan.

Upper Pines is the valley's largest campground, with 236 sites, and it's open year-round. Tents and RVs up to 35 feet are allowed, with drinking water and a dump station. Reservations are required year-round. In winter, only the first two loops remain open, for about 90 sites. It's the recommended starting point for a first visit, with service from the park's free shuttles.

Lower Pines and North Pines run along the Merced River a few hundred yards apart. Together, they have 155 sites (74 and 81), with water and bear-proof storage lockers. Both allow RVs up to 40 feet and close for winter, with Lower Pines closing around mid-October and North Pines in late October.

Camp 4 is the historic climbers' campground, open year-round. It has 61 tent-only sites at $10 a night, the lowest rate in the park. Sites are shared, with up to six people per site. From mid-April through October, reservations open one week ahead on recreation.gov. From November through mid-April, half the sites are first-come, first-served.

South and west areas

Wawona Campground, at the South Entrance on Highway 41, is open year-round with 95 sites at $28 a night. Water, a dump station, and bear-proof storage lockers are available. Reservations are required from about mid-April through late October.

Hodgdon Meadow on Highway 120 West is also open year-round, with 100 sites at $28 a night. Reservations are required from mid-April through mid-October. Outside that period, sites are first-come, first-served. It's convenient for arrivals from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Crane Flat, farther east on the same road, opens from late May through mid-October (in 2026, from May 21 through October 12) with 148 sites at $36 a night. Reservations are required.

Bridalveil Creek, on Glacier Point Road, has 110 sites at $50 a night, but its season is short. It's open only from early July through mid-August (in 2026, from July 3 through August 14). Water isn't available on every loop, and temperatures stay low even in midsummer.

Tioga Road (high elevation)

These campgrounds open only after the snow melts and Tioga Road (Highway 120) reopens, sometime between late June and mid-July depending on the year.

Tuolumne Meadows is the park's largest campground, with 289 sites, and is open from July through late September (in 2026, it is scheduled to close on September 28). The rate is $50 a night. It's a starting point for many high-country trails, and reservations are required.

White Wolf has 68 sites at $28 a night and is open from mid-July through mid-September. RVs are allowed only up to 27 feet.

Tamarack Flat (52 sites, $24 a night) opens from late June through mid-October and is tent-only. No RVs or trailers. Yosemite Creek (74 sites, $24 a night) operates from early July through early September, with no running water; RVs are not recommended. Porcupine Flat (55 sites, $24 a night) opens from mid-July through early October, with RVs allowed at only four sites (maximum length: 24 feet). These three campgrounds offer a more primitive setting, but all require reservations.

The park also operates three horse camps (Tuolumne Meadows Horse Camp, Bridalveil Creek Horse Camp, and Wawona Horse Camp), with nine sites in all at $50 a night. They're open seasonally and require reservations.

RV and camper van camping in Yosemite

Length limits vary by campground: 40 feet at North Pines and Lower Pines; 35 feet at Upper Pines, Wawona, and Tuolumne Meadows; 27 feet at White Wolf; and 24 feet at Porcupine Flat, at only four sites. Tamarack Flat and Yosemite Creek don't allow RVs or trailers. No electrical hookups are available at NPS campgrounds. Generators are allowed during set hours, generally from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. If your vehicle exceeds the permitted length, see our Yosemite RV Camping Guide.

Camping nearby, outside the park

When the campgrounds are full, the neighboring national forests (Sierra National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest) offer more accessible sites, sometimes without reservations, and rates are generally lower than in the park. Our Where to Stay guide covers noncamping lodging around Yosemite.

Dispersed camping and backcountry camping

Spending the night in the wilderness is possible in Yosemite, but it's regulated. A wilderness permit is required. You can get one through an online seasonal lottery that opens in March, or in person at Yosemite Village's Wilderness Center. In the backcountry, tents must be at least 0.9 miles from a road and at least 5 miles from the valley. For backcountry routes and choosing high-elevation trails, see our Yosemite Hiking Guide.

How and when to reserve a Yosemite campsite

All reservations go through recreation.gov. Sites are released five months ahead at 7 a.m. Pacific Time. For a July 15 stay, they become available on February 15. In peak season, Upper Pines and Tuolumne Meadows sell out within an hour of opening. A practical tip is to select several consecutive dates to improve your chances. For Camp 4, reservations open one week ahead from mid-April through October. Outside that season, half the sites are first-come, first-served. To choose the best window based on weather and crowds, see when to visit Yosemite.

Rates: how much does a night of camping cost in Yosemite?

Rates range from $10 a night (Camp 4, shared tent sites) to $50 (Tuolumne Meadows, Bridalveil Creek, and the horse camps). The valley campgrounds with full services (Upper Pines, Lower Pines, and North Pines) cost $36 a night. Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow, which are open year-round, cost $28 a night. The campgrounds without running water along Tioga Road (Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, and Tamarack Flat) cost $24 a night. These rates are in addition to the park entrance fee, which is $35 per private vehicle and valid for seven days. America the Beautiful pass holders enter free. For entrance fees and annual passes, see the National Parks Fees & Passes page.

Safety and best practices: bears

Yosemite is black bear habitat. Food storage rules are non-negotiable. All food, drinks, toiletries, and trash must go in the metal bear box provided at every site, or in an NPS-approved bear canister in the backcountry. Leaving food visible in a vehicle is an offense punishable by a fine of up to $5,000. If you encounter a bear, don't approach it or feed it, and report any unusual behavior to a ranger. At night, close the trunk before you close the tent.

Which campground is right for you?

Frequently asked questions