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.
$36 / night
"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."
"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."
$28 - $75 / night
"Beautiful Campground along the river. it's about 16 miles from Yosemite Valley and not as crowded as Yosemite Valley campgrounds."
"Nice location along the Merced River. Campsites have tree cover but aren’t super private. Bathrooms are primitive, but in good condition. Provides good access to Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point."
$48 / night
"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."
"This campground is in the heart of Yosemite Valley. It is great to camp on the valley floor, especially during peak season as traffic from all main gates to the valley floor is very congested."
$36 - $60 / night
"Bathrooms were clean, access to drinking water was easy. Park shuttle is nearby and easy to get around."
"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."
$24 / night
"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!"
"Not a bad drive, of course everything in California is beautiful compared to the flat lands of Texas."
"After accidentally driving to this location following the directions of another reviewer for the “Yosemite Boondocks” campground across 41 (which we never found) we were very happy with this location."
"Great spot about 5 minutes away from Yosemite entrance. Only a few other campers nearby but plenty of space to where they were only seen from a distance."
$36 - $75 / night
"This campground is located outside of Yosemite Valley, so it has less of the “Disneyland of the Sierra” feel—more serene and fewer people and buses."
"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."
"For people with mobility issues, this site is a good walk away from the inner valley trails, fine for anyone else who is up for walking distances, because that is why you came to Yosemite!"
"Beautiful campground, unfortunately right next to the trail, but very spacious and also has bathrooms and picnic tables right there!"
"Perfect Campground for a night outside Yosemite Valley!"
"Our tent site was #311 and it was perfectly tucked in the trees with a stream alongside."
$36 - $75 / night
"attractions: 40 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Near Tuolumne Sequoia Grove. I might camp here (just drove through checking out the campground)."
"From the East entrance of the park off the 120 the campsite is less than a mile from the entrance gate."
GuideBeautiful Campground along the river. it's about 16 miles from Yosemite Valley and not as crowded as Yosemite Valley campgrounds.
Guidesite: wooded. semi-private. large. quiet campground. cooler temps than in Yosemite Valley. amenities: clean. no showers at campground. attractions: near to a market. Hiking trails. 40 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Wildlife. I would go camping here again- nice quiet place.
Guidesite: wooded area. not very private. most sites have an incline. amenities: not very clean facilities. attractions: 40 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Near Tuolumne Sequoia Grove. I might camp here (just drove through checking out the campground).
TravelerWe have stayed at Wawona a few times. We only stay there if we have not reserved a site in advance. You can visit the camp office and see if they have any openings the day of your arrival. It is close to the road so there is some noise from it. The river runs close to the campground. It is about one hour from Yosemite Valley.
TravelerNear the South entrance to Yosemite National Park, SUMMERDALE campground is a small, quiet, well maintained campground that requires advanced reservations. The sites are spread out in a little valley with a small stream called Big Creek flowing through it. Nice, clean pit toilets and drinking water available. A short drive from Yosemite Valley makes it a good place to base day trips into the park and great, quiet place to spend the night.
ScoutI know that you don’t know me but trust me! Tamarack Flat is an awesome campground and definitely worth being a short 30 minutes away from Yosemite Valley. It is first come first serve but I have never had any problem acquiring a campsite. While it is remote, it is beautifully scenic and with many campers nearby, you don’t feel like you’re out in the wilderness alone. There are bear boxes at every site as well as a fire ring/pit. I would highly recommend camping here if you are tent camping or have a small unit. You will not be disappointed.
RangerI stayed here for 4 nights while visiting Yosemite National Park. This was the closest campsite that I could get without a reservation (about 15 minutes from park entrance, & 1 hr. from Yosemite Valley) The campground looks like it used to be much nicer but it was obviously burned in the Rim Fire. Even if it wasn't burned, I still wouldn't be too impressed. The sites are pretty close together and the campground is right on the highway so the noise is pretty bad. Also, they are doing some kind of construction around the site so we woke up to the sounds of equipment driving right behind our tent. Also, this place is WAY over priced for what you get. I paid $20 per night plus $8 per night per extra vehicle. If you're planning on spending most of your time in the park, this place can be a decent last resort if everything else in the area is full.
GuideI stayed here twice during a visit to Yosemite. The first time was at the beginning of my trip and i was backpacking out the next morning. I took the shuttle from Yosemite Valley where I parked and left my car and utilized one of the backpackers campsites towards the back (first come first serve but you need a wilderness permit to stay at these). The spot I was at (#40) backed up to large rocks and was quite nice. It was close to a creek and there was some firewood you could collect (though people at this campground were hoarding firewood like the apocolypse was coming). After my backpacking trip I extended my stay in Yosemite to hike the Mist trail and stayed here another night. This night I grabbed site 39. The camp was loud and crowded. There were many people making large bonfires that seemed dangerously uncontrolled. At some point in the vening I used the restroom and there were people smoking what appeared to be meth in the mens room at which point I felt very unsafe. I made it through the night without more problems but was happy to leave the next day. I would never expect such issues with a NPS campground, but this one is on the outskirts. If possible choose another campsite for your visit as this one does not have the NPS ranger staffing it clearly needs.
LegendIn the summer of 2015, my (now) boyfriend and I decided to plan a very last-minute hike up Half Dome. We finalized the decision to go about six weeks before our trip in the third week of September, therefore had missed the window of opportunity to reserve a valley campsite by about 5 months. The only available campgrounds in Yosemite were the ones outside the valley, and we decided to try out Crane Flat campground.
The Crane Flat Campground is about 19 miles outside Yosemite Valley off highway 120 - it takes around 35 minutes or so to travel by car from Yosemite Valley to Crane Flat. Crane Flat is a nice and peaceful campground surrounded by trees, and at the time was at less than half capacity. While camping in Yosemite Valley would have been more convenient for us on the day of our Half Dome hike, we enjoyed the peace and quiet of the nearly empty Crane Flat campground.
The campsites in Crane Flat have bear bins, fire rings, and picnic tables. The toilets were plumbed but there are no showers available. I imagine Crane Flat fills up during the peak seasons, but the sites seem to be more spread out than the sites in the Valley. If you want to avoid camping in the Valley, Crane Flat or Wawona campgrounds are both great options!
We spent our first day doing easy hikes around the valley floor, swimming in the Merced River, and keeping our fingers crossed that we would win the lottery to hike Half Dome. We did, so we climbed it the next day.
We were exhausted the day after our Half Dome hike, so we decided not to drive to the Valley. We swam in Tenaya Lake which was still FREEZING in September, but it felt good as it was hot out. We drove past the Big Oak Flat Entrance and out to Groveland, where we had lunch and drinks at the Iron Door Saloon. The Iron Door Saloon is a family friendly restaurant and bar that is apparently the oldest continuously operating saloon in California. It’s a little tourist-trappy, but I’ve enjoyed it the couple times I’ve been there, and they have good burgers and drinks for cheap.
CAUTION: be extremely aware of bears while camping in Yosemite National Park! Each campsite in Crane Flat has a bear bin - USE YOUR BEAR BIN! Bears are known to break into cars to snack from coolers or any food or toiletries are left out. The bear bins are quite large, so coolers do fit inside - bears can still smell food in coolers inside of cars, and apparently recognize a cooler when they peak into your car windows. If you have to leave your cooler in the car, it is suggested that you cover it up with towels or gear to hide it from site. On the same note, do not leave any of your toiletries or snacks inside the tent with you. In general it seems that the rangers seem to have good control over the bears that have been tagged and are constantly monitored, but not all bears are tagged, and even the tagged bears will make their way into Yosemite campgrounds. Be smart and safe in bear country!
CAMPSITE SPECS
Fees: $26/night peak ($18/night non-peak)
Plumbed Toilets: Yes
Drinking Water: Yes
Showers: No
Picnic Table: Yes
Firepit: Yes
Cooking Grate: Yes
Shade: Yes
Cell Service: No
Animal Bins/Food lockers: Yes
Trash: Yes
Discovering the great outdoors with your furry friends near Yosemite Valley is a rewarding experience. Several campgrounds in the area welcome pets, ensuring that you and your companions can enjoy nature together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Yosemite Valley, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Yosemite Valley, CA is Upper Pines Campground — Yosemite National Park with a 4.5-star rating from 65 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Yosemite Valley, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 235 dog-friendly camping locations near Yosemite Valley, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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