Lower Pines Campground, near [Yosemite National Park](https://thedyrt.com/camping/california/near/yosemite-national-park), is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in the stunning beauty of the park. With its proximity to the Merced River and breathtaking views of Half Dome, this campground offers a memorable backdrop for your outdoor adventures.

The campground features clean restrooms and drinking water, making it a comfortable place to settle in after a day of exploring. Campers have noted the availability of fire pits and bear boxes at each site, which are essential for keeping your food safe from wildlife. As one visitor put it, “It’s Yosemite! Just amazing.” 

For those eager to hike, you’re just a stone's throw from popular trails like the Mist Trail and Mirror Lake. While some sites can feel a bit close to neighbors, the overall atmosphere is friendly and vibrant, perfect for families and groups. Just remember to keep an eye on your food—bears are known to roam around, and the rangers are vigilant about wildlife safety. 

Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your RV, Lower Pines Campground is a solid choice for anyone wanting to experience the magic of Yosemite.

## Overview

 Lower Pines is closed for the winter season.Lower Pines campsites are available to reserve up to five months in advance on the 15th of each month at 7:00 a.m. PST. For example, on January 15, arrival dates for the period May 15 to June 14 become available to reserve, and therefore, the full arrival date window would be from the campground open date to June 14.\_\_Reservation tips! Campsites in Yosemite are extremely popular and typically sell out in minutes. Login to your account or create a new account before the 7:00 a.m. PST release time. You may only add reservations to your cart and proceed with your reservation if you are logged into your account. The recreation.gov call center does NOT have access to additional sites or additional information beyond what is published on recreation.gov.Lower Pines Campground is located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The site is situated in the heart of Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite National Park is known. Within Yosemite, visitors gaze upon waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, vast wilderness areas and much more. [Yosemite National Park Campground Reservation Dates][1]\_\_For additional park information, call (209) 372-0200 or visit [www.nps.gov/yose][2]\_
## Recreation

 Yosemite's trails, cliffs, roads and rivers provide endless recreational activities for any kind of visitor. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, auto touring and photography are all very popular activities within the park. Hiking trails range from the easy, paved, two-mile round-trip walk to Mirror Lake/Meadow, to the grueling but rewarding 14- to 16-mile trek to Half Dome (advanced permit required). Both of these trails begin near the Pines Campgrounds, and there are many additional trailheads within Yosemite Valley. Rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Yosemite Valley also offers numerous guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities,and an art center with workshops. 
## Facilities

 Lower Pines Campground is one of the three reservation campgrounds in Yosemite Valley. It offers paved roads and parking spurs, flush toilets, drinking water, and an amphitheater. Each campsite contains a picnic table, fire ring, and a food storage locker. Yosemite's free shuttle bus stops at the campground entrance. Within walking distance, historic Curry Village offers showers (for a fee), a general store, restaurants and a bar, amphitheater, and tours and activities desk. 
## Natural Features

 Yosemite Valley is forested with a diverse mix of California black oak, ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, white fir and whiteleaf manzanita, which offers a pleasant combination of sun and shade. Through the trees, Yosemite's telltale granite cliffs peek through, and the gentle, refreshing Merced River flows nearby. 
## Nearby Attractions

 Glacier Point offers sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Little Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and Clouds Rest, among other notable landmarks and a visit to Wawona and the Pioneer Yosemite History Center is like stepping back in time. The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes, and granite domes. Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high-country of the Sierra Nevada, with its broad sub-alpine meadows and granite domes and peaks and the beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is home to spectacular scenery and numerous wilderness trailheads.
## Charges & Cancellations

 Cancellations more than 48 hours in advance of arrival date only incur a $10 transaction fee. Within 48 hours, $10 and the first night's fee are charged (Exception: 1 night reservations do not incur an additional $10 fee, but do not receive a refund). No-shows will be assessed a $20 service fee along with the loss of the first night's fee. 

[1]: https://recreationonestopprod.servicenowservices.com/external?id=kb_article&sys_id=72fff607dbe8a30022f970c08c961990&table=
[2]: http://www.nps.gov/yose

Lower Pines Campground — Yosemite National Park

Looking for the best campgrounds near Yosemite Valley, CA? Yosemite Valley is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your California camping adventure.

Yosemite Valley

The Best Camping Near Yosemite Valley, California

site:  right on river was a huge plus!  semi-private, decent sized site. some sites seemed more private than others.  some tree cover. a bit loud for tent camping quiet, but it’s expected with such a full campground.
amenities: quite clean for the amount of people using facilities.
attractions: the views from my site were amazing. shuttle stop near campground.
I would go camping here again if we wanted to be in the heart of the park.


close to the action

A convenient hub for activities in Yosemite Valley. Toilets, water, and a storage box for all the food and other smelly items that attract bears. The valley can be a circus, but get off the beaten path and enjoy taking in the soaring cliffs and plunging waterfalls!

Well, it's in Yosemite!

I love Yosemite. I love camping. But this campground is not my favorite. We stayed here, just for the convenience of being close to the trailhead for Half Dome, which was the purpose of our visit. It is also a convenient place to see much of the park and the Valley. However, it is far too crowded for my tastes. And full of touristy people (read: RVs). 

Pros:
Nice facilities, convenient access to Yosemite Valley via the free shuttle system, convenient access to Half Dome trailhead and other hiking trails, nearby amenities. If you need food or a shower, it's just a short shuttle or car ride over to Half Dome Village to get what you need, including restaurants and a bar. You can even hop on shuttles to Glacier Point and other popular destinations. It is all well shaded and you have access to potable water and flush toilet restrooms. It is also centrally located in the park and you can get to most of the sites with just an hour or so drive.

Cons:
TOO MANY PEOPLE. When I camp, I like to get away from people and get away from civilization. If you do too, think about looking into campgrounds outside of Yosemite Valley. When I do camp around other people, it is usually with the understanding that they are also "camping people". The folks you are likely to find in the Valley are not these people. They are tourists. Tourists just don't have the same "campers' code" that you find among camping people. There is an unspoken rule that is honored among campers. And up at the top of that is respecting other campers' campsite and property. We had people walking right through our site as a shortcut to the restrooms and I even had someone steal my hammock in the middle of the night from right next to my tent. The next time I stay in Yosemite, I will avoid staying in this area.

Conclusion:
Convenient, but loud and crowded. Beware of thieves.

Convenient, But Too Crowded

Great for year round camping. Easy walk to many of the valley climbs and trail heads. Close walk to Happly Isles and Curry Village.

Most recently spent a week here for a climbing trip but I've stayed here during the winter as well.

Bathrooms are clean and there is a designated dish washing sink in the bathroom area. Showers located at Curry Village.

Be sure to use the Bear box in your site and keep it closed at all times. I've heard stories about people simply walking back to the car and a bear getting into the box within a minute.

Great Basecamp

The Yosemite Valley campgrounds are large and busy - it's an extremely popular park, and Lower Pines is right in the heart of things. Don't expect silence and solitude if you are staying here. That being said, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Lower Pines. We camped for 3 nights in a camper van (switched to Upper Pines for a 4th night). Reservations are hard to come by; we got very lucky and reserved our spot only a couple of weeks before our trip (traveling in the Fall helped some).

Site was large with a bear box to store food - be sure to use this and store food safely! The rangers will warn you about the destruction bears can cause, and there are pictures posted all over to prove it. Our site had a large level parking pad (perfect for the campervan), picnic table, and fire ring. Awesome views of El Cap towering above us, at night you could see the lights from climbers up on the wall.

Bathrooms were clean, access to drinking water was easy. Park shuttle is nearby and easy to get around. Half Dome Village was a short walk/shuttle ride with access to food, stores (got some tenacious tape to repair a hole in a hydration bladder, saving our hiking!) and showers (for a fee). They had rental bikes which we used for a day to explore the path around the Valley. Trails were very close, we did a lot of hiking/trail running and were able to get a permit for Half Dome as well which was awesome! We were there in late September/early October - Yosemite Falls was dry and the other waterfalls are much lower that time of year, something to keep in mind if seeing the waterfalls roaring is in your itinerary.

All of our nearby campers were very polite and friendly. Yes, this is a "tourist" type campground, not a backcountry or dispersed site in the middle of nowhere. Everyone is there to experience Yosemite Valley in their own way. We found it to be fairly quiet and enjoyed checking out other people's camping setups and chatting with them while walking around, etc. We didn't find that to be a negative experience at all.

http://adventuresneaker.com/2017/01/23/california-road-trip-days-1-2-san-francisco-to-yosemite/

http://adventuresneaker.com/2017/01/25/california-road-trip-day-3-yosemite-hiking-4-mile-trail-panorama-trail-mist-trail/

http://adventuresneaker.com/2017/02/06/california-road-trip-day-4-half-dome/

Perfect Home Base for Exploring Yosemite Valley

This place has bear proof food storage containers for a reason. Use them. I had my backpack ravaged by a racoon, because of a handfull of trailmix that I forgot to take out.

beware of the wildlife

You’re on the valley floor and you really can’t beat that view wise. There are a lot of amenities near the campground and the busses (if they’re not too full) stop at the entrance. There is an amphitheater in the campground with ranger talks also. They ask you not to have a fire if you don’t have to, and you will see why at night. It hangs in the air. Sites are spaced apart enough, and it wasn’t too loud when we were there. If you can get a site here, take it. You won’t regret it.

Great views

Campsite was classic, had bear boxes (of course), and also had nightly seminars on different topics in the amphitheater (the night we went it was on bird communication). Bathrooms were pretty basic, not lit at night so you need a flashlight.

nice view, close to shuttle

Typical campground set up with fire rings and bear lockers at each campsite. Flush toilets, but no showers. There is a dedicated sink to wash dishes at by the bathrooms along with a faucet for drinking water and a water bottle filling station. You can take a shower at Half Dome village right down the road for $5/person. They provide towels, shampoo, and body wash. The campground is conveniently located right next to a shuttle stop which makes it easy to get around the valley, but it’s also very noisy at times if you have a campsite right next to the road so just keep that in mind. Both Half Dome Village and Yosemite Village have large general stores that sell firewood and anything you could possibly need so if you forget something you can most likely find it there. No WiFi and very limited cell service. You can get LTE coverage outside Lower Yosemite Falls if you absolutely need to get ahold of someone or read an email. My only warning is about the pine sap! The pine trees are great for shade but get pine sap all over everything so just be prepared to clean it off your car and camping gear. Also a good idea to bring something to cover the seats of your picnic bench when you sit down, otherwise you stick to them. 

Great Location

Fairly busy campground in the heart of the valley.  I came here after a long backpacking trip to do some light dayhiking.  It seemed to have less people than Upper Pines where I stayed the night before.  It has great views as well.

Other than that it is a decent campground.  It has nice bathrooms and a sink to do dishes (that was full of food and made me worried about bears).  Bus stops are close by and so are several hiking trails.

Nice Campground

If you are a new camper, that likes to be around a lot of people, any of the Valley campgrounds are great. For me, it is way too busy. I want to get out of the city, and with the amount of people I felt claustrophobic.

With that said, Yosemite is one of the most majestic places on the planet, and I don't care where you camp, just go! Each site has a bear box, please be sure to use it, you will encounter numerous wildlife while you are here, and they all want your food! They also come with fire pits and picnic tables.

I didnt spend alot of time at my campground due to the fact that the valley has numerous hiking trails, so many waterfalls, lectures nightly on different environmental topics.

Be sure to reserve your site well in advance. Spring is best time to go, but seriously, just go!

The Valley is good, if you don't know where else to camp.

Super confidently placed site to go to different areas of the park. Also close to trailheads. 

Lower pines 

Just amazing. We walked in and got a site on the same day! We only were able to secure two night but after that we book a nice canvas tent at Curry Village to give us some more time to explore Yosemite! 

It’s Yosemite! 

This site is tent only (I believe) with limited tent space. Was shaded throughout the entire day!

Site 33 - Shaded - Small Space

It was our first time camping in Yosemite and we absolutely loved this campsite. Mirror Lake, and Mist Trail were near by. Restrooms are extremely clean great views all around. 

Fantastic 

We had site 19. Fairly shaded but close to neighbors. Across the road from the river so it was easy to pop in. Half dome is massive and we had a great view of it, especially at sunset. Lots of squirrels and so so on mosquitoes. The camp hosts at the time were very intrusive it made us not comfortable. We were there at the end of June, weather was warm. Overall great experience, bring tubes.

Close to river, view of half dome

We were here after a major dump of snow in early December. They cleared the sites which was great but it was very cold all through the day thanks to its position in the valley and the pines (funny that!). I'm sure this is a huge attribute in summer. It also seems strange that those staying in Camp 4 are provided showers but staying here you aren't, would be great if NPS could install a system similar to camp 4 here too. Overall very pretty and conveniently located with 2 minor bug bears!

Beautiful but very shaded in Winter

Campsite felt larger than some of the other ones in upper pines, we could fit 3 vehicles if needed. Plenty of spots for tents and hammocks. We knew the storms were in the forecast and we found out it does make a lake towards the center of the campsite with the fireplace is where the center of the lake kinda is. If you call here during rain season place your stuff up high, lake also had the bear box at the shores.

Campsite 001 

We were there in the busy season and were very lucky to get a last minute reservation for one night. Once you get in the Park, cell service is nearly nonexistent due to the amount of traffic there. So, although I may have been able to snag another night, I could never complete the reservation! Since they go so quickly, it’s no use use trying make a reservation  at the registration desk. It is absolutely stunningly gorgeous, which makes up for the lack of cleanliness in the bathrooms. Rangers are constantly patrolling and we were given a written warning for leaving our dinner plates out while we went for a quick walk. So, beware the bears!

Yosemite Valley Campground 

We stayed 1 night at RV #70 by tent. There is only a small area next to the paved parkway that is flat for our 6-person tent. But this is a Yosemite campground, we would take whatever campsite available. Restroom is clean. Drinking water outside of restroom. No shower. Campground has access to the beautiful Merced River. We enjoy our stay and will be back next Summer!

Photos of Lower Pines Campground — Yosemite National Park

Real photos from real campers