Best Tent Camping near El Portal, CA

I really recommend this campground. I can come here and play online games with my family. The campground offers both reservable and first-come, first-served campsites. The sites are relatively spacious and provide a mix of shade and sun. Each campsite typically includes a fire ring, picnic table, and food storage locker. It provides basic amenities such as restrooms with flushing toilets and drinking water. However, it does not offer showers or hookups for RVs. There are no electrical or water connections at individual campsites. The campground's location provides access to various outdoor activities. Nearby attractions include the Mariposa Grove, where you can explore giant sequoias, and the Wawona Golf Course. Additionally, there are hiking trails, scenic drives, and opportunities for wildlife viewing in the area.

North Pines is one of three campgrounds on the floor of Yosemite Valley. Across the Merced River from the other two campgrounds and adjacent to the horse stables, it is relatively isolated with no major roads running by it. Nevertheless, it is well connected to the rest of the valley amenities, with a quick walk to the bus station, a longer walk (1 mi) to the visitor center via the Valley Loop Trail, or a drive (if you don't mind braving traffic and searching for parking spaces). 

The sites are not well defined. You have a place to park and besides that, it is a little of a free-for-all with the adjacent sites as to where you set up your gear. Despite that, we had plenty of room to set up our large 10 person tent, without feeling crowded or that we were overspilling our space. We were there the last weekend it was open (Oct 26/27) and all sites were booked. There are no hook-ups, and the comfort stations only have toliets and sinks (no showers), a fresh water faucet, and a disposal "toliet" for dish water. All dishes must be washed at camp. The facilities were fairly clean, though the disposal toilet often backed up.  Being late October, I was expecting very cold conditions. But the weather was great! 70s during the day and 40s at night. Clear skies. Absolutely beautiful. 

Our site was located right next to the comfort station, and in hindsight I wish we had found a place a little farther away. But besides the proximity, our site was nice with a fire pit and picnic table. Quiet hours are from 1000-0600, and we had to remind our neighbor campers who came back drunk at midnight to shut it, but that seems to be more the normal than abnormal these days. There were mostly tents in the campground, with a few small RVs and trailers. Generators are allowed during limited hours, but the noise wasn't overwhelming, since they were few and far between.

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. This weekend I got to test the Wenzel Great Basin 10 tent (https://wenzelco.com/great-basin-10/). Overall, my impression of this tent is that it is a solid and reliable tent. Yes, it has a few design items that could be improved for ease of use, but overall it served us well and I look forward to using it again. The tent is a domed center-opening design, with two side "rooms" that can be separated by zipped curtains, making three interior spaces total. My husband and I filled up on room with two large cots facing length wise (we had them oriented along center line and still had enough room to move along the sides). The other side has more than ample room for my daughter's small cot, which ran the width of the tent along the side window. Very comfortable for three people. 

Yes, this is a huge tent. Can it be set up by one person? Probably, if that person is patient and tenacious. Two people work much better. A few design items we found annoying were the pole connections, which would frequently catch on the tent pole sleeves and center strap. Also, the zipper flap on the tent's door would frequently get caught in the zipper, making it almost a necessity to use two hands to open and close the tent. Besides these two small inconveniences, the tent worked great. The rain fly fits snug against the tent roof. The construction felt sturdy and we liked the design of the three interior rooms. 

Overall, we had a fun two nights in Yosemite. We might make a tradition out of going for the closing weekend each year.

We stayed the night at one of the Hetch Hetchy reservable sites (first come, first served) before our trek through the backcountry of Yosemite. The sites were just a quick walk in from the parking lot and featured picnic tables, bear boxes, bathrooms and established fire rings. A permit is required to stay in the area as well as a $6 per person fee and you're able to check-in with your reservation right at the Hetch Hetchy entrance. The sites are well maintained and do feature scenic vistas, though it appears that the best views offered by Hetch Hetchy are found farther in the backcountry and we wish we had the time to really explore the area. The campground served as an easy spot to hike in, set up and prepare for a long trek ahead, although, if you're not pressed for time or resting up for a big hike, I'd recommend continuing on past the established sites into the more scenic backcountry. One major advantage of Hetch Hetchy is that you'll avoid the major crowds in Yosemite Valley which can't be beat in my book.

Thousand Island Lake is a backcountry camping area located at 9,839 feet elevation in Ansel Adams Wilderness within the Inyo National Forest, California.

If you desire 360 degree mountain beauty, a cool lake to fish, float, swim or reflect by, epic sunrises and sunsets, star-filled night skies...or just desire the unearthly quiet of being unplugged and being a speck in rugged vastness...this is for you!

This incredible dispersed backcountry camping area must:

1. Be hiked into
2. Possess a permit
3. Use approved bear canisters
4. Leave No Trace

There are a few methods of getting to Thousand Island Lake...all involve backpacks and hiking. First, if you are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail NOBO or SOBO, you will at some point of your journey reach Thousand Island Lake. Second, if you are hiking the John Muir Trail NOBO or SOBO, you will reach Thousand Island Lake during your journey. Third, you can choose a beautifully scenic 14.3 mile out and back from Mammoth, CA...the shortest of the three options. Fourth, there are horseback/mule train options.

We happened to reach Thousand Island Lake as part of our August 2018 SOBO John Muir Trail attempt.

Choosing to hike in by any of the options takes planning and preparation. This is beautiful country, but it is also rough and unforgiving. The trails are wonderfully cared for, but not groomed and flat...know this and adequately prepare.

Every hiking/camping group must possess a permit, which for a short hike directly into Thousand Island Lake is secured through the Inyo National Forest office. PCT and JMT permits are primarily lottery based (although several walk-in permits are granted each day on site...but that's a gamble).Inyo National Forest website page states: "Groups cannot be larger than 15 people (includes day use). Quota of 30 people permitted to start overnight trips each day from May 1 to November 1."

This is active black bear country, so you must use approved bear canisters for food and odoriferous items (toothpaste, soap, lip balm, insect repellent, etc). Stiff fines by rangers (and they do backcountry patrols) await if you foolishly ignore this law...worse yet, you might receive a catastrophic visit from Yogi or Boo-Boo. We did not see any bear or evidence of their presence but I’m sure they saw us.

Leave No Trace...pack it in...pack it out. Yes, that means everything. Know the rules and abide by them. Nothing more distasteful and damaging to pristine wilderness are those that believe they are the exception to this rule and leave trash...worse, waste and TP dotting the landscape. Unfortunately, I found myself burying selfish stranger's waste. So bring a small shovel (www.tentlab) and a Ziploc freezer baggie to pack out your TP.

There is signage at Thousand Island Lake advising where to camp, which is far away from the main JMT trail. Again, abide by the rules and camp at least 40 feet away from the trail and 100 feet from the lake. Read and obey the list of rules on the website.

We camped on the northwest area of the Lake. Numerous hikers were there, some groups that hiked in for a day or two, others were thru-hikers. I enjoy the "community" of backcountry backpacker's. Day hikers can bring "Fido."

It is unnecessary to pack in hordes of water, as there seems to be streams and lakes aplenty. I'd recommend a reliable water filter or boiling the water to ensure a parasite free thirst quencher. We used a simple Sawyer Squeeze, which was both lightweight and effective.

Once camp is set, hike around the trails of this pristine wilderness and soak it all in...or just pull out your sleeping pad and relax.

I have read and been admonished to use 100% DEET for the mosquitoes on the JMT...particularly June-July, and though prepared, we experienced none in mid-August, nor at this elevation. The elevation should not be bothersome healthwise, as it is not above 10,000 ft. As Floridian Flatlanders, we had no adverse altitude maladies...other than being out of breath while climbing passes. June and early July hikers may experience snow at this elevation depending on the winter accumulations.

Several notable peaks shadow Thousand Island Lake, Banner Peak being one of them.

For those securing a day hike permit, search out several websites/blogs for the best starting locations (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/thousand-island-lake-pct).

If you are looking for the best bang for your buck in backcountry short trips, file this one away as a "must do!" There are others in the eastern Sierra Nevadas...but that's for another post.

This campground seems more fitted to those using campers more so than those tent camping.

I saw very few tent campers and the RV's and tow behind campers were the majority here.

I managed to grab a decent site, I think it was 36.  Tucked in a wooded area not far from the restrooms.  Which are flush toilets and running water.  Clean and well maintained.

Site was a bit muddy and wasn't that easy to find a level spot for a tent.  A bit of garbage was left on site and trash in the bear box.  All sites have a picnic table, fire ring and bear box.

Noise level was higher than I prefer but then again if I'm not just hearing nature, it's too loud for me.

Pretty lakes, waterfalls and a nice area to venture around.

Traffic in Mammoth can get pretty busy.

Wonderful campground with gorgeous views that won’t disappoint! Plenty of shade and spacious camp sites. Restrooms and water were also available. You can also purchase firewood from the camp host. I had no cell phone service in the Reds meadow valley. There is plenty to do in the area with hikes to the Devils postpile which is a National Monument, and Rainbow falls. You can see them both on a 4 mile loop that leaves from the postpile parking lot. There is also river access In the campground for great fishing. You will need to purchase an adventure pass on your way into the valley either from the mammoth mountain adventure center or the guard station upon entering the park for 10$. Take plenty of water on your hikes and remember to leave no trace on trails. Also remember to properly store food in the provided bear boxes this is very active bear country!

On our way from Reno to Vegas we drove into a serious thunderstorm, so while we weren’t planning to stop, we were thrilled to find this campground when we did! Close off the Highway and very close (~2 miles) from grocery, gas etc. in town, yet feels secluded and is very quiet. Clean vault toilets. Picnic table, water spigot, fire ring, BBQ pit and bear box at each site. Despite the rain we were happy to find a covered, honor-system firewood stack ($7 in the bucket) so we could still have a fire. Great spot for getting up and heading to hike at the many awesome trails surrounding. Lots of people had their OHVs along too- must be good trails for that too! Gotta pay on rec.gov.. no cash ranger box.

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.

Stayed here for one night on my way through Yosemite. Car camped in a Toyota Yaris end of June 2021. Limited number of spaces available. Very budget-friendly. No Reservations needed or required. The sites are close together they come with a picnic table a bear box and a fire ring. There is no usable water on property. No flush toilets. No showers. There is a man in charge of the campground in the very first sight to the left when you drive in look for the American flag. There are two bears that roam this property they come and check the property at night and in the morning and they will investigate every single site so do not leave anything out put everything edible in the bear box! Well I was here the Bears annihilated someone's ice chest that got left out overnight. Great trails Great hiking a lot of nature to look at in this area I like this campsite I wish it had running water at least one well pump would be great I know that the river was closed because I was able to get to it but I don't know how usable that water is. I will probably be back this is a great location! Check out is 2 p.m.!