THE EARNEST TRAVELER
Yosemite has thirteen campgrounds. Four run all year: Upper Pines, Camp 4, Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona. The rest are seasonal, and the high-country ones do not open until well into summer.
Camping is the difference between a $36 night and a $500 night in Yosemite. The catch is not the price — it is that the Valley sites go in minutes, five months ahead.
All thirteen campgrounds, 2026
| Campground | Fee | Sites | Elevation | 2026 Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Pines | $36 | 236 | 4,000 ft | All year |
| Lower Pines | $36 | 74 | 4,000 ft | Apr 21 – Oct 19 |
| North Pines | $36 | 81 | 4,000 ft | Apr 21 – Oct 26 |
| Camp 4 | $10 per person | 61 | 4,000 ft | All year |
| Wawona | $36 | 95 | 4,000 ft | All year |
| Hodgdon Meadow | $36 | 100 | 4,900 ft | All year |
| Crane Flat | $36 | 148 | 6,200 ft | May 21 – Oct 12 |
| Bridalveil Creek | $36 | 110 | 7,200 ft | Jul 3 – Aug 14 |
| Tamarack Flat | $24 | 52 | 6,300 ft | Jun 22 – Oct 12 |
| White Wolf | $28 | 68 | 8,000 ft | Jul 2 – Sep 14 |
| Yosemite Creek | $24 | 74 | 7,700 ft | Jul 1 – Sep 7 |
| Porcupine Flat | $24 | 55 | 8,100 ft | Jun 23 – Oct 11 |
| Tuolumne Meadows | $36 | 289 | 8,600 ft | Jul 1 – Sep 27 |
Five months ahead, on the 15th of the month at 7 a.m. Pacific: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow. These are the Valley sites and they go in minutes.
Two weeks ahead, rolling daily: Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat.
One week ahead, rolling: Camp 4.
All campground bookings go through Recreation.gov — a different system from the in-park hotels.
Camp 4 — the climber's campground
$10 per person per night · 61 sites · Valley floor
Reservations required April 15 to November 9, 2026, released one week before arrival. First-come, first-served November through mid-April. Up to six people per reservation.
Stay limits are park-wide: 30 nights a year, dropping to 14 nights between May 1 and September 15, of which only 7 may be in the Valley or Wawona.
Housekeeping Camp
Seasonal: Apr 3 – Oct 12, 2026 · Bed pack rental $15 double / $9 single
Three-sided concrete shelters with a canvas roof on the Merced River. The cheapest way to sleep in the Valley without a tent. Booked through travelyosemite.com.
Skip the car: the YARTS regional bus
Public buses run into the park from the gateway corridors, with three stops in the Valley. Worth knowing: YARTS fares do not include the park entrance fee. Details at yarts.com.
Entrance fees
- $35 per vehicle, valid 7 days.
- $70 Yosemite annual pass.
- $80 America the Beautiful annual pass, valid at every national park.
- Non-U.S. residents: $35 per vehicle plus $100 per person aged 16 and over, and the nonresident America the Beautiful pass is $250 rather than $80.
Violations run up to $5,000 and vehicle impoundment. "Food" includes toiletries and empty coolers. This catches first-time campers constantly.
Cold nights at 4,000 feet, bear boxes, and early starts.