Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [440]
Camping
There are numerous camping opportunities within and surrounding Yosemite National Park. Brief descriptions of individual campgrounds follow; you'll find additional details in the campground chart in this chapter.
Important note: When camping in this area, proper food storage is required for the sake of the black bears in the parks as well as for your safety. See local bulletin boards for instructions.
INSIDE THE PARK
First, the bad news: Yosemite Valley lost half of its roughly 800 campsites during a flood in early 1997. The lost campsites will eventually be replaced elsewhere in the park, but no one's predicting when. Campsite reservations are a really good idea. Reservations are accepted in 1-month blocks beginning on the 15th of each month and can be made up to 5 months in advance. Make your
reservations (☎ 800/436-7275 or 301/722-1257 outside of the U.S.; http://reservations.nps.gov) as soon as you can, especially for sites in the valley. Unless noted otherwise, pets are accepted in the following campgrounds.
Additional campground information is available by touch-tone phone (☎ 209/ 372-0200).
Wilderness permits are required for all overnight backpacking trips in the park (see "Overnight Hikes," above),
and no wilderness camping is allowed in Yosemite Valley.
The busiest campgrounds in the park are in Yosemite Valley. All four of the following have flush toilets and access to the showers nearby at Camp Curry ($2). Upper, Lower, and North Pines campgrounds require reservations. Upper Pines is pretty and shady, but you won't find peace and quiet here in the summer. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 15 or 19. Lower Pines Campground is wide open, with lots of shade but limited privacy. Still, it's a nice place with clean bathrooms, and sits just south of a picturesque meadow. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 19. North Pines, which we particularly like, is beautifully situated beneath a grove of pine trees that offer little privacy but a lot of shade. It's near the river, roughly a mile from Mirror Lake. Parking is available, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 18. Camp 4 (also called Sunnyside Walk-In), has tent sites only. It's a small campground that's become a magnet for hikers and climbers taking off or just returning from trips. It's behind Yosemite Lodge and the trailhead for Yosemite Fall, and near rocks frequently used by novice rock climbers. Pets are not permitted. Parking is available about 50 yards away, or take the shuttle bus to stop no. 7.
Elsewhere in the park, Bridalveil Creek Campground at Glacier Point has flush toilets. Near beautiful Glacier Point, this campground is set off from the valley crowds but a moderate drive from the valley sights. It's along Bridalveil Creek, which flows to Bridalveil Fall, a beauty of a waterfall, especially after a snowy winter or wet spring. The campground can accommodate some pack animals; call park offices for information. Take Wawona Road (from either direction) to Glacier Point Road. The campground is about 8 miles down the road.
Several campgrounds are near Big Oak Flat Entrance, roughly 20 to 25 miles from Yosemite Valley. About
1 mile inside the entrance is Hodgdon Meadow, which has flush toilets and RV and tent sites, including some walk-in sites. It's open all year and requires reservations from May through September. This campground is along North Crane Creek, near the Tuolumne River's south fork. The Big Trees are 3 miles southeast. About 8 miles farther, not far from the Tioga Road turnoff, is Crane Flat, a large but pleasant campground with flush toilets. It's near the Big Trees and away from valley crowds. Tamarack Flat Campground is a bit off the beaten path and therefore more secluded and