What You Need to Know for Camping at Yosemite National Park
Last Updated: April 8, 2024
Yosemite’s campgrounds are much nicer than the photos you’ll see online on the campground reservation website. In fact, when staying at the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley, you’ll be surrounded by massive mountain peaks and towering trees during the day, and covered in twinkling stars at night. Each campground is labeled with your site number and includes a picnic table, a bear box, 2 parking spots, and flush toilets within easy walking distance.
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Everything You Need to Know to Camp at Yosemite National Park: Table of Contents
- How much does it cost to camp at Yosemite’s campgrounds?
- How do you reserve a campsite at Yosemite?
- How do you store food at Yosemite National Park’s campsites?
- Is there food for purchase when camping at Yosemite?
- How to get around while camping at Yosemite National park?
- Do campsites at Yosemite provide trash & waste management?
- Are there bathrooms when camping at Yosemite?
How much does it cost to camp at Yosemite's campgrounds?
Expect to pay $36 a night at Yosemite’s campsites. This includes up to 6 people and 2 vehicles. Just make sure to double check at Recreation.gov
How do you reserve a campsite at Yosemite?
Getting a campsite at Yosemite is incredibly competitive, but not impossible. Within Yosemite Valley, there are 3 main campground options: Lower Pines, Upper Pines, and North Pines. Hopefully you’re lucky enough to snag one of the options. Truth be told, beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to securing a campsite at Yosemite, and you need to come up with a plan for how to be ready to snag your reservation as soon as they open up at 7:00am PST 5 months in advance.
We did a lot of research on how to get a campsite, and we were successful. So, to help you be successful too, we’ve taken our time to write out how to increase your chances of securing a campsite at Yosemite.
How do you store food at Yosemite National Park’s campsites?
Fortunately, every campsite at Yosemite includes a bear box. What are bear boxes? They are food storage containers to make sure bears and other animals stay away from your food. The bear boxes at Yosemite are quite big and are large enough to fit your average sized coolers. Bear boxes at Yosemite’s campsites are 2-door metal cabinets that come with a locking system. Yosemite’s bear boxes are 35′ D x 43′ W x 28′ H in size. Unless you want bears to break into your car, do not leave food in your car! That includes things bears might think are food, such as toothpaste, scented wipes, etc.
Is there food for purchase when camping at Yosemite?
Yes, there are plenty of options to purchase both groceries and cooked meals at Yosemite Village and Curry Village. When staying at the campgrounds, Curry Village is just a short half-mile walk or bike ride away.
At Curry Village you’ll find a small grocery store, a Peet’s coffee shop, a bar, and a variety of different restaurants. You can also find additional food options at Yosemite Village, which is a bit further from the campgrounds but can be accessed via driving, cycling, or the complimentary shuttle bus.
How to get around while camping at Yosemite National park?
Walking, biking, and complimentary shuttle buses are the primary ways to get around while lodging at one of Yosemite’s campgrounds. You can also walk to various destinations within Yosemite Valley, depending on how far the destination and how much energy you have for walking. Driving is also an option to certain points within the Valley, but it can be difficult to find a parking spot at certain interest points, like Yosemite Falls, for example.
If you have a bike, you can save time waiting for shuttles or looking for a parking spot. If you don’t have a bike or space to store one in your vehicle, Curry Village also offers bike rentals.
The convenience of the complimentary shuttles is that they’ll take you to most of the major points of interest in the valley, plus they are air conditioned. Air conditioned transportation comes in clutch after a full day of hiking and sweating!
Do campsites at Yosemite provide trash & waste management?
Yosemite’s campsites have plenty of dumpsters and trash bins dispersed throughout the campgrounds, Curry Village, and Yosemite Village. This means you can drop off your trash bags in one of the many bear-safe dumpsters before leaving the park and won’t have to drag it with you in your car on your way out. However, there aren’t any trash bins on the trails, so if you’re taking snacks with you, just remember to bring trash bags (we often bring an old grocery bag!) to carry it out. Some trailheads have bear boxes near the parking area, if you want to leave food as you hike, but those aren’t guaranteed at most trails.
Are there bathrooms when camping at Yosemite?
Thankfully, yes, there are bathrooms at Yosemite’s campgrounds. Each bathroom has three stalls, two sinks, a hand dryer, one outlet, and a water fountain outside. The water fountain cannot be used to wash dishes, but it is safe to drink and refill your water bottles.
As for the outlets, you can use them while in the bathroom, but you may not leave your phones charging unattended. The rangers periodically do rounds and may confiscate any unattended electronics. I recommend bringing a portable battery if you plan on staying for a couple of days.
As for washing your dishes, there is a separate small dishwashing station behind the bathroom, but I recommend getting a portable sink that you can fill with water and bring to your campsite to wash your dishes.
What are the Yosemite campground kiosk hours?
The Yosemite campground kiosks are open from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, every day. The kiosks, located at the entrance to each campground, are where you check in and out of the campgrounds at Yosemite.
What happens if you arrive at the Yosemite campground after hours?
It’s no problem to check into the Yosemite campgrounds after hours. You simply drive directly to your campsite (they’re clearly numbered) and set up camp for the night! Just be sure you check in when the kiosk opens the next day, as they may deem your reservation cancelled otherwise.
Camping at Yosemite is an amazing experience, and definitely worth it if you get the chance. Plus, the cost to camp at Yosemite is only $36 per night (as of 2023), which is MUCH more affordable than the majority of the other lodging options near Yosemite Valley. Camping at Yosemite is also great for beginner campers, because the campgrounds are so well equipped with bathrooms, clean water, easy food options nearby, and of course, the stunning views of Yosemite!
