Getting there: As far as campsite in Yosemite go, Hodgdon is one if not the easiest to get to. From the East entrance of the park off the 120 the campsite is less than a mile from the entrance gate. You wont get stuck in the grueling traffic that often plagues the drive to get down into the valley.

Campsites: Hodgdon rest on the upper shelf of Yosemite outside the valley. Because of this a lot of RV's camp here and then use their tow vehicle to drive down into the valley. Additionally Hodgdon will be windier than in the valley and a few degrees cooler. The campsites are fairly close to each other and all provide a picnic bench and fire pit with grill grate. There are shared restroom areas with full plumbing and potable water through the campsite. WARNING: Because Upper Pines sits along and is so exposed to the forest there is HEAVY BEAR ACTIVITY. Keep your campsite clean, keep all food/toothpaste/sunscreen/anything that smells (even canned beer or alcohol) in the Bear Bin. If you're not prepared to chase a bear away from your tent, your car, or your family... stay someplace else. The Park: Yosemite is awesome. What to do: While Hodgdon isn't one of my favorite campsites in Yosemite it does have a distinct advantage, access. If you stay in the Yosemite Valley... you're basically stuck in the Yosemite Valley. Staying at Hodgdon gives you much better access to Hetch Hetchy, Tuolumne Grove, Crane Flat, and everything off Tioga Road (White Wolf, Porcupine Flat, Tuolumne Meadows) - if it's open.