Best Campgrounds in Yosemite Valley

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Getting campsites in Yosemite Valley is so difficult, most people are happy with anything they can get. And understandably so because camping in Yosemite Valley is amazing no matter where you stay. You’ll find some of the best campgrounds in Northern California here. But if you want to have a shot at securing a campsite, you need to be totally prepared. That means knowing the best campgrounds in Yosemite so you know which campground you want to book your site at.

Let me paint you a picture real quick: It’s 6:50 in the morning on February 15. You log into recreation.gov and you wait until 6:59 staring at a list of campsites in lower pines, north pines and upper pines. The clock strikes 7:00 and you click as fast as you can only to be told that the campsite is no longer available. In fact, all of the campsites in all 3 campgrounds are gone and it’s only 7:01 am.

If you have ever tried for to go camping in Yosemite, this is probably all too familiar with you. You legitimately only get one shot to get a campsite before they are all booked up. While I do share tips on how to have better luck at getting campsites at hard-to-get campgrounds, luck plays a huge role in it.

Upper Pines, Lower Pines & North Pines – The Best Campgrounds in Yosemite

North Pines, Lower Pines and Upper Pines are three of the most popular campgrounds in Yosemite. They are located in Yosemite Valley and are close to many popular attractions and some of the best hikes in Yosemite. And you can reserve ahead of time, which provides a lot less stress than the first-come first-serve campgrounds.

It’s important to note that many of the amenities are the same at all three of the Pines campgrounds. They all cost the same. They all have bathrooms with flush toilets (no showers) and drinking water, and they each have campsites complete with a fire ring, a picnic table and a bear storage box.

None of the campgrounds offer RV hook ups, although you can find a dump station near the entrance of Upper Pines campground. While the three campgrounds are very similar, there are definitely some differences you might want to consider when deciding which campground to go for.

North Pines Campground – One of the best campgrounds in Yosemite

In 2022, North Pines campground started testing out a new lottery reservation system. This lottery grants early access for people hoping to go camping in Yosemite during the popular summer months, between June and September. It costs $10 to participate in this lottery, and if selected, you will get a day and time to log in and try for a campsite before the general public. Anything left over will follow the normal 5-month reservation schedule that the other Pines campgrounds follow.

North Pines has 81 campsites and most can accommodate RVs, trailers or tents.

What I Love About Camping at North Pines

The North Pines campground is located right on the river. There are some river-front beach areas that you can set up on and enjoy easy river access (when conditions are right and the river is open). There is also a lot of shade at the North Pines campground.

Lower Pines Campground – My pick for best campground in Yosemite

With 60 campsites, Lower Pines is the smallest of the three Pines campgrounds. But it is the only one that has double sites available. There are three double sites that can each accommodate two RVs or trailers and up to 12 people in total.

What I Love About Camping at Lower Pines

I think Lower Pines is my favorite of the three campground is the best campground in Yosemite for a variety of reasons. Like North Pines, Lower Pines is right on the river (just across from North Pines) and there is a lot of shade at this campground. In addition, you have great views of Half Dome from Lower Pines and can use binoculars to see climbers making their way up various cliff sides.

Lower Pines also has an amphitheater in the campground, used for ranger programs at night. When it’s not being used by the rangers, it’s a fun place for the kids to play and “perform” for one another. The open space around it also gives kids an area to play without running through other people’s campsites.

Another thing I love is that there is meadow access from the far end of Lower Pines campground. There’s a wooden walking path that takes you through the meadow. We love doing after-dinner walks here, often seeing deer in the meadow. This wooden path offers beautiful views of Yosemite falls and leads to Curry Village, where we sometimes get the kids ice cream at night.

Upper Pines Campground

Upper Pines is the largest of the three Pines campgrounds, boasting 238 campsites. This campground is just up the river from Lower Pines campground, but doesn’t have the river access or views that the other two campgrounds have. It also it a bit hit or miss when it comes to shade. Some sites have plenty of trees providing shade, and others seem to have none.

Why Upper Pines is One of the Best Campgrounds in Yosemite

Because Upper Pines is the largest campground, and probably the least popular of the three, I have had better luck at getting campsites here. You are close to a couple different shuttle stations, and closer to Happy Isles and Mirror Lake when you camp at Upper Pines. And if you’re coordinating with other families, your best option of being in close proximity to each other is if you try for this campground, simply because of the number of campsites.

While Upper Pines is a bit further from the river, there are a number of small nearby creeks that our kids like to explore just behind the campsites. To be clear, camping in Yosemite will be amazing no matter which of these three campgrounds you score a site at.

Other Top Campgrounds & Hotels Near Yosemite

If you don’t score a campsite in Yosemite Valley, you might want to consider camping near Yosemite and making a day trip over to the park. It’s not as good as camping in the Valley, but there are some other great campgrounds in that area.

Pinecrest Lake is one of our favorite campgrounds, and it’s close enough to make a day trip over to Yosemite Valley. The same is true for Oh Ridge Campground and Bass Lake Campgrounds as well. Our favorite Bass Lake campground is the Spring Cove Campground.

And if all else fails, you can always stay at one of the many great hotels in the area.

Other Tips for Booking

If you strike out when trying to book, I recommend downloading this app. It will continue to scan for cancellations for you, and it will even add it to your cart if something opens up. Then you have 15 minutes to complete the booking process–it’s my favorite app and has helped us secure lots of campsites!

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