I have spent much of my life living in hotel rooms so they no longer appeal to me. My idea of a vacation involves sharing my morning coffee with the deer, chipmunks, and any other wild creature that might be curious about the pancake smells emanating from the frying pan over a campfire. I like to do this in solitude, reserving my campsite to only those that I invite, such as friends and family. To that end, Yosemite does not fit the bill unless one wanders into the wilderness area.

Restricted Camping

Yosemite does not permit “off road camping.” That restriction irritates me to the point of anger, but I understand. I am raising my children in the way that I was raised. I respect the outdoors. I hike with a garbage bag and pick up after my fellow man. (It amazes me that some have the strength to carry in a full can of soda or beer, but don’t have the wherewithal to carry out the empty.) We leave our campsites cleaner than when we found them. We leave firewood for the next campers. If it’s a wilderness site, we obliterate any signs that we were there. Unfortunately, there are those who don’t follow these rules and hence the restrictions.

I also take issue with firewood restrictions. We don’t chop down trees, but we do collect deadfall. I consider this a boon to the area, particularly during fire season. Yosemite National Park does not see it that way. There are many restrictions on collecting firewood depending on the altitude of your campsite.

My final complaint is with animal restrictions. You may bring your dog, but he or she is not welcome on the trails. Only certain campgrounds permit dogs and even then they have to be tied up or on a leash. (I can live with that. Many dogs are ill mannered or poorly trained for such experiences.) Whereas horses are permitted on most trails, only certain ones permit Llamas. This doesn’t affect me, since I don’t own a Llama, but I am incredulous that the Park Service must make such restrictions.

Designated Camping

There are three types of campgrounds at Yosemite. The first type is “reservations only.” At these campgrounds, you can make a reservation in advance. (The allocate a portion to advanced reservations and a portion for “same day” reservations. The “same day” reservations can be secured at the Reservations Centers located at each park entrance. The advanced reservations can be obtained by telephone. (1-800-436-7275 or, for international callers, 301-722-1257.) You can reserve sites on the web at www.reservations.nps.gov. You can also reserve by mail at NPRS, P.O. Box 1600, Cumberland, Md., 21502. If you plan to camp in Yosemite Valley proper, I would highly recommend advanced reservations.

The second type of campgrounds is “first come, first served.” These do not permit reservations and, as the name implies, you select a site on arrival. If it is late in the day, you may have problems finding room. The best time to get a site is in the morning when the previous night’s campers are forced to reregister or leave. Unfortunately, this does not always fit in with your plans for the day’s activities. Sometimes, however, it is best to select a site and leave enough equipment there to show others that it is occupied. You can then go forth for your day’s explorations.

The third type of campground is in the wilderness areas. To get to these, you have to “hump your ruck.” One would ask why one would use such campgrounds when you have an entire wilderness area available to you. The answer is simple. During fire season, you may be prohibited from building fires anywhere but in designated fire rings. The rings are located in the campgrounds. (During extreme fire danger periods, even that may be prohibited.)

The campground prices vary according to their amenities. The range is from $3 per night to 15$ per night.

The Specifics

North Pines, Upper Pines, and Lower Pines are all located in Yosemite Valley proper. Among the three, there are around 400 total campsites. North Pines is open from April to September. Upper Pines is open all year. Lower Pines is available from March to October. All require reservations and all cost 15$. There is a fourth campground in Yosemite Valley, Camp 4. It is open the year round and is a “first come, first served” campground. It has limited parking, amenities, and privacy. The cost of Camp 4, Sunnyside, reflects that, as it is but $3. Pets are allowed at all except Camp 4.

Tuolumne Meadows campground is near the East Entrance. It has slightly over 300 sites and is reservation only. It has the most amenities of any of the campgrounds and charges $15 per night. Pets are permitted. Being high altitude, it is only open July through September.

Hodgdon Meadow and Crane Flat campgrounds are near the Big Oak Flat Entrance. (Highway 120 from Manteca.) Hodgdon Meadow, open the year around, has 105 sites and is very near the entrance. Crane Flat is about eight miles closer to Yosemite Valley, if that is your final objective, and has 166 sites. It is open from June to September. Both permit pets. Both require reservations. Both cost $15 per night. We enjoyed our stay at Crane Flat. We had to "hike" the tent down some rocks to a secluded site, but it was worth the effort. We awoke to a doe grazing outside our tent.

Wawona is near the Wawona Information Station and Museum, some few miles up Highway 41 from the South Entrance. It has 93 sites and is on a “first come, first served” basis. Open the year around, it permits pets and costs $15 per night.

Bridalveil creek is on the Glacier Point Road that can be accessed from Yosemite Valley or from the road to Badger Pass Ski Resort. It has 110 sites and is open from July to early September. Pets are permitted and the cost is $10 per night.

There are four other campgrounds that are all accessed from highway 120. Yosemite Creek, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, and Porcupine Flat are all “first come, first served.” White Wolf has the most amenities, having a store, shower, and, if you like, cabins. It permits pets and is open from July to early September at a rate of $10 per night. There are restrictions on RV’s over 27 feet.

Yosemite Creek has 75 sites and is far more primitive. It costs $6 per night and is open from July to Early September. We camped her, as it permitted pets. The road to the site is that last vestiges of the old mining road. After traveling six miles on this primitive road which, in my mind, is not suitable to RV’s or trailers, we were treated to a dry camp. The creek was stagnate. (This was late August. I suspect that it flows during the spring and early summer.) The hiking is great, but bring your own water.

Tamarack Flat is open from June to early September. As with Yosemite Creek, I would not venture to the place in an RV. There are 52 sites that provided quite a bit of privacy, as did Yosemite creek. The cost is $6 per night and, once again, bring your own water. Pets are not permitted here so my dog gave it a one star rating.

Porcupine Flat is similar to Tamarack Flat. It is open from July to early September. There are 52 sites and only stream water, if the stream is flowing. The cost is $6 per night and pets are not allowed here either.

All campgrounds provide toilet facilities. Some flush. Some are of the hole-in-the-ground outhouse variety. As a general rule, those facilities requiring reservations have more amenities. The best way to select your “first come, first served” campsites is to refer to the brochures that are presented to you when you enter the park.

A Parting Word

Yosemite is bear country. All campgrounds have “bear boxes” to store your food. Several epinionators have commented on this and I shall not belabor the point, only to say, “Use them!” We are the bears’ guests in their home. When you don’t properly secure your food, they trash vehicles and tents to get at it. This results in their relocation or destruction. It’s sad, really, because it’s our fault, not theirs.

As mentioned earlier, off road camping is not permitted. It pains me to see a secluded glen next to a flowing stream that would make an ideal campsite, but know that I cannot go there. Part of it is for the protection of the environment. Humans tend to trample the flora and fauna rendering it unsuitable for the survival of the local wildlife. (This is akin to what my in-laws do to my home during their visits.) It is also necessary, I suppose, to preserve the glory of the place for subsequent generations.

Although we are forced into campsite, I implore you to treat the area as a shrine and not a motel room. The Park Service and subsequent campers are not your maids. Always leave your campsite cleaner than you found it, if you can. When hiking, take a garbage bag and pick up after our slovenly brethren. Watch the wildlife, but don’t feed them. Remember, when the campgrounds are closed, they must fend for themselves. If they are out of practice, they starve to death.

So, my friends, if Yosemite is in your future and you decide to hike the back country, you’re always welcome at my campfire and I promise a hot cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Happy Trails!






Recommended: Yes