Little Yosemite Valley Campground

Great, clean campsite to use as your launching point to the Yosemite backcountry. Most campers are there for 1 night as they summit Half Dome. Ideal place to camp and even just rest and enjoy the Merced river after an arduous climb out of the valley via the Mist Trail. Camp vibe is great. Also nice to have regularly cleaned pit toilets (4 stalls). Watch for bears ... they are common here. Otherwise, hang up your hammock and relax!

If you are attempting Half Dome you could exhaust yourself and hike up from base, or you could extend the trip and hike here first, stay a night, wake up early, and be the first on the Dome to watch the sunrise - that's what we did! 

Great backcountry camping with nice, clean spots to setting in among the trees and a group spot for a firepit. There's a river nearby so bring a filter and go upstream. It's not easy to organize the proper permits, but it's worth it!

We loved every aspect of this camp area. Yosemite only allows a certain number of people to camp at the backcountry sites and it shows. This was a pine tree lovers paradise! We hiked the waterfall trail, which is breathtaking, but full of a lot of people! Once you get passed the 2nd huge waterfall, the crowds start to die down and its just you and the mountains. When you finally get to Little Yose Valley, you're probably super tired (we were!), and the campground invites you in like a warm cup of coffee. We passed out immediately in our hammock to the sound of the river next to the site, then woke up and set up camp. Hiked the rest of half dome the next day. My favorite camp site I've stayed in so far.