Best Glamping near Yosemite Valley, CA

Yosemite Valley is pure magic and Half Dome Village is no exception. It’s definitely more “glamping” than camping and the tents feel like cabins and are very close together. Bathrooms are nice and there’s a store, bar, cafeteria, coffee shop and pizza place to take care of your needs. It does have a bit of a party atmosphere at night as folks from other campgrounds gather at the bar/pizza spot but the tent area was pretty quiet (save for me hearing someone peeing outside my tent one night...). Dark at night, bring a headlamp or flashlight.

Biggest complaint is the price. Location can’t be beat but it’s so expensive for canvas tents that aren’t super clean and are smushed together. I love Half Dome Village but next time will probably camp elsewhere and shuttle in for pizza and beer.

Tent camping in Yosemite Valley in winter is not for the faint of heart! We were actually one of just a handful of people in the whole campground crazy enough to be in a tent.

The result of the cold was that most people were in RVs. RVs unfortunately means lights and generators and the Rangers did not enforce the generator quiet hours at all.

The nice thing about visiting Yosemite Valley in the winter is that it’s relatively less crowded. It’s still Yosemite and there will be lines for parking and at the more popular places to visit and eat, but nothing like the summer. Roads, pathways, and trails can get very icy, so come prepared.

Considering it’s Yosemite Valley, the sites were actually reasonably far apart. Not so much side to side, but front to back there was a decent amount of space. Behind us was a pretty big open area between our loop and the next.

Upper Pines is close enough to the road and nearby trails that you can easily access the Valley Loop Trail, JMT/Mist Trail, and Mirror Lake Loop trail from the campground.

Yosemite Valley is one of the most spectacular places I have had the pleasure of seeing on this planet and thankfully that’s the case because otherwise the throngs of people would not be worth the trip. Everyone should visit Yosemite Valley at least once in their lifetimes and camping at Upper Pines is a good way to enjoy the valley.

Holy cow! Yosemite Valley is CROWDED. Believe everything you hear. I still recommend staying somewhere in the Valley just for the experience of it all at least once, but if you are interested in using any of the facilities, be prepared for crowds.

RV or Tent camping is the main thing here, sites are organized and packed close with a bathroom facility at the top of the loop. No showers (located at Half Dome village for $5). Close walk to the Mist Trail, The John Muir Trail, and the valley public transit system. I do not recommend driving in the Valley during the day unless you’re headed somewhere out of the valley.

Be prepared for your neighbors to have a lot of gear, with a lot going on. The City In The Woods is an apt description of the Valley floor peak season. In the end, if you’re willing to travel even just a mile beyond where the pavement ends, relative solitude can still be yours.

If you want to stay in a yurt, cabin, or other enclosed structure, look at one of the other campsites in the valley.

It's almost impossible to get a spot at the campsites in Yosemite Valley these days, but if you do you are lucky.  There are a ton of campsites here so it always seems overcrowded, but it does give off a good community vibes with lots of groups and families around.  If you bring a bike you can easily get to anywhere in the Yosemite Valley in minutes without having to worry about walking a couple miles or parking your car.  Several of the top hikes are within walking distance of the campsite

Upper Pines is not a place you go to for relaxation and solitude - but then neither is Yosemite Valley. Upper Pines is a great home base for seeing all of the sights of Yosemite Valley. The valley shuttle runs from right outside the campground. If you manage to get a spot a bit further back in the loops, these seemed quieter. But it's a nice, reasonably priced location for what it is. The amenities weren't great, though - there are no dishwashing stations, so if you're tent camping, you best bring a bin or something to do your dishes back at your site.

The location is perfect for all the Valley trails. There is a shuttle right outside. There are several campgrounds here. There is a space for tents and also a village of canvas tents for those who prefer glamping. For food there is a convenience store nearby, a restaurant and a pizza place.

TIPS:

Tent cabins are close together, you will hear your neighbors, bring ear plugs

Leave early, the trails get crowded very quickly

Lots of tourists so parking will be tight

Driving into Yosemite is horrible lately, especially into the Valley, CARPOOL!

This is a very busy campground in the Yosemite valley. It’s very close to many of the major hikes and visitor center but it is a bit cramped. It’s still incredibly beautiful and we loved every minute of it

this is the ultimate glamping. Bunk beds, electrical outlets, private patio with awning and round picnic table, even curtains for your shared sleeping quarters. Near by clean restrooms running hot water. Id recommend wearing sandals for showering. Nice open space between campsites. We had the campsites reserved months in advance next to the river. It was pretty dry the this time. Enough water to capture some great photos. In the campgrounds there were large bear lockers, and well distributed benches and fire rings. Quiet time is 10pm and they are strict about it. Cant reallly complain about yosemite though. Its just pure beauty.

probably the most crowded campgrounds i've ever been to. felt more like an refugee camp as i could literally hear full on conversations from my neighbors. only upside is you are in yosemite valley. bring a bike, you can thank me later.

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!

Great location right in the middle of Yosemite Valley. Great access to beautiful hikes and scenery. The camp sites are spacious. Because it's an equestrian campground, you will smell the horses and stables....be prepared. The river is close to the campgrounds and are refreshing on a hot day.

As Yosemite is a very well visited National Park, the Yosemite Creek bears an amazing view of the massive granite wonders and the nature that fills the Yosemite valley, a beauty within itself! As an overall experience, I give the Yosemite Creek, and the Yosemite National Park overall amazing experience and would highly recommend it!

Sites are moderate sized with bear locker, picnic table and fire pit. Campground has flushing toilets, sinks. Campground is close to curry village where showers, pool, market and pizza are available. Campground is near happy isles, where the trailheads for vernal falls, Nevada falls and half dome begin. Great camping spot to see Yosemite valley! Also is pet friendly.

Being able to sleep under the stars in Yosemite Valley is a dream come true. The campground is crowded but the scenery makes up for it. Everywhere you look is an Ansel Adams portrait. Lots of trails leave from the surrounding area. Bathrooms are clean but its a trek to the showers. Have fun.

Cell Coverage: Verizon (Low)

You're staying in Yosemite Valley, one of the most beautiful places in the world. We stayed a couple nights in the tents, and it was fine. They're close together, but it's nice to have a "room" instead of just a tent. The bathrooms and showers were nearby too. Be sure to enjoy the countless miles of trails and epic views.

We had a nice open camping spot. It was at the edge of Yosemite Valley. The only downside to the spot was everyone else had a RV and had there generators on at 6am. We are not RV people so we don’t know why they need to run them. Next time we will camp in a tent only area. This area had no showers.

Even tho you are practically on top of each other at this campground it’s totally worth it in my opinion just to sleep in Yosemite valley. I could have and wish we had spent a whole week here.

FYI, they are not joking about wildlife here, bear lockers are there for a reason and the animals are so comfortable and used to people they get close to camp. We were sitting at our picnic table around 9pm while there were plenty of other sites with people awake and outside and a coyote was right behind me, a few feet, searching for food. He was not threatening but it’s still worth noting their confidence.

Another note, when we road tripped thru California in October there were fire bans at every campground so bring your stoves!

Sites are not too tight. We had a corner lot which was nice. Campground was clean. Had some noisy neighbors and dogs but they were friendly. Close to Groveland proper and Yosemite Valley. Campground Wi-Fi is third party, cheap ($15/wk), but connectivity was inconsistent, we had to keep disconnecting and reconnecting to get any throughput. Trails around campground itself aren't that great, but there are plenty of awesome trailheads around.

Sick of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of the Yosemite Valley at peak times? Head to the high country and stay at Tuolumne Meadows Campground. I lucked out and snagged a walk-up spot in early summer, when it was still showing closed for reservations online, but was actually open.  Quiet, full of trees, bear boxes at every site, bathrooms with flushing toilets, water, lots of nice hiking trails nearby, and not nearly the crowds of the valley floor.

Upper Pines Campground in the Yosemite Valley is my home away from home for one week every year.

Pros: Nice shady campgrounds Proximity to Curry Village Close to tons of great hikes Flushable toilets that are pretty clean Overall beautiful campground

Cons: Extremely difficult to get a reservation even if you go on the day it opens Has become more and more crowded every year

Regardless Upper Pines will always be a favorite campground in one of the kost beautiful places in CA.

Close to Happy Isles and Mirror Lake/Meadow, this campground is convenient for day hikers. it's one of the better spots in Yosemite Valley, somewhat off the beaten path, so to speak. Access to the Merced river is also close-by, so you can cool off after a long day of hiking. It's no secret that this is a high-use high-traffic area, but braving the crowds is worth it to spend a few days and nights under the Yosemite sky.

On the east side of Yosemite Valley, it offers a convenient spot to rest after exploring and enjoying all the activities the area has to offer. Is crowded, but each spot is equipped with fire ring, food storage, picnic table, parking spot and flat, shaded spots for your tent.

Advantages: car camping, good for families, pets are allowed, bathroom and potable water nearby. Shuttle bus is pretty close too.

Disadvantages: Crowded, have to book a lot of time in advanced, distance between campsites is short.

This campground is great if you would like crowds and lots of bear activity. The views are gorgeous, the campgrounds are fairly clean and have access to many amenities such as small stores restaurants and call the touristy stuff that Yosemite Valley has to offer. This would be a great place to take your family if you are not big on roughing it. It is good for younger children and a good first exposure to the outdoors. Also, if you eat at the Hotel restaurant the squirrels get inside and run around :-).

This is one of the most beautiful places I have camped. We have stayed here in a RV and a tent. Tuolumne Meadows is a little removed from the hustle and bustle of the Yosemite Valley area but worth the stay. The sites are booked online but assigned by the ranger when you arrive. Try to get one by Tuolumne River. No hookups is the only negative thing I can say but if you stay at National Parks often then you are used to this. There are many great hiking trails across from the camping area to Lembert Dome and Dog Lake.