Tips for Camping at Yosemite Without a Reservation

Yes! You can find a first-come, first-served spot at Yosemite National Park. Don’t expect it to be easy, though. (And… umm… don’t get too choosey.)

Over 4.5 million people visited Yosemite in 2019. Crazy, right? So, it should go without saying: try to reserve your campsite online if possible. Online reservations open up 5 months in advance but are often booked in minutes/seconds. If you’re hoping to get a first-come, first-served campsite here are some tips.

Showing up at Yosemite National Park without a reservation is dicey. The park is wildly popular, which makes it tough to get a first-come, first-served campsite. So, try to avoid showing up at Yosemite without a reservation between Thursday and Saturday. Weekends are busy, especially during peak season.

Consider which season to visit Yosemite in

A small number of campsites come available in June—but only if conditions allow. From May to September Bridalveil Creek is accessible on a first-come, first-served basis.

During the summer months (July – September) a handful of Yosemite campsites are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. These include ones at Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, and Porcupine Flat. (Tuolumne Meadows’ campsites are half reserved, half no-reserve.)

Even the off-season is busy at Yosemite. That said, the park slows down a bit in the winter months. You’ll have a better chance of getting a first-come, first-served spot during this time than peak-season.

Hodgdon Meadow and Wawona Campgrounds are no-reservation from autumn through early spring (October – April). Camp 4 is unique in that it’s open year-round. That said, you can only book via a web-based lottery that runs a day in advance.

Camping in the “off season” shows a whole other side of Yosemite.
Photo: Jitze Couperus

Get to know Yosemite’s campground options

The busiest campgrounds are in the valley. So, you can increase your chances of finding a campsite at Yosemite by looking at the campgrounds on Tioga Road (Highway 120). These include Tuolumne Meadows, Porcupine Flat, Yosemite Creek, and White Wolf. These campgrounds offer a good number of first-come, first-served campsites. That said, you might need to drive more if you stay at these campgrounds, depending on the natural attractions you plan to visit.

Staying in the Yosemite Valley reduces driving times, but reduces the likelihood of getting a first-come, first-served campsite. This is in part because most campers are set on camping in the Yosemite Valley, which makes it more competitive.

Also, consider that each campground is different and some are more suited to large rigs than others. Bridalveil Creek, White Wolf, and Tuolumne Meadows can accommodate RVs and trailers. However, RVs and trailers aren’t recommended at Tamarack Flat (the road is winding), Yosemite Creek (a long, one-lane road), and Porcupine Flat. Camp 4 doesn’t accommodate RVs.

Additionally, each campground has its own feel. Larger groups seem to prefer campgrounds like Bridalveil Creek. It’s a great starting point for some good hikes. White Wolf is also nice for larger groups and families. It’s at a higher elevation and evenings can be cooler there. Tamarack Flat is the campground that’s closest to the Valley.

Meanwhile, those looking for a more communal feeling might prefer Camp 4, which is a second home to many rock climbers.

Waking up with the sun is key to getting your tent on a pad in Yosemite.
Photo: Christopher Michel

A game plan for finding your no-reservations campsite

If you arrive late in the day, consider camping outside the park—but not too far away. The US Forest Service has some campgrounds near Yosemite (in Stanislaus National Forest). Alternatively, you can search Free Campsites for other options near Yosemite National Park.

Make sure you find a valid place to camp, as Yosemite doesn’t permit sleeping in your car at the side of the road. You can only sleep in your car if you’re in a campsite that you’re registered to camp in. Camp 4 has no sleeping in cars whatsoever.

Spending one evening just outside of the park sets you up for an early start the next day. This increases your odds of getting a no-reservations site. Campsites are typically vacated in the morning, after campers finish breakfast. (Some sites need to be vacated by noon.)

If you don’t find a spot at one campground, you can drive to another. Just remember that Yosemite is a big park, with notable distances from one campground to the next. (Some will take up to an hour and a half to drive between.) Also: remember to fill your tank before entering the park, as gas prices are higher within it.

Found a spot? Claim it!

You can register a first-come, first-served campsite by going to the kiosk at Camp 4. Tuolumne Meadows has a reservation office near the campground. At all other first-come, first-served campsites, claim the spot and then fill out a self-registration envelope at the registration area. If you found a site the night before, get to the registration office early to avoid spending the morning in line.

Also, note that campsite reservations at Yosemite National Park are sometimes canceled. For this reason, it’s worth searching recreation.gov frequently for canceled sites. Alternatively, you can set up an automated search for canceled reservations at Yosemite on Campnab which will save you from having to run your searches manually.

You can call 209-372-0266 to check the campground status. For road conditions dial 209-372-0200.

You’re bound to meet a few of the park’s other residents.
Photo: ArtBrom

Bonus tip

Although many make reservations at Yosemite, sometimes they can’t make the trip and forget to cancel their reservation. If you’d like to try for one of their spots, go to the campground reservations building as early as you can. Once there, you can put your name on the campsite waitlist (you might need to wait in line). By the afternoon you can check back to see if you got lucky!

—

The spectacular image of morning sun blanketing Yosemite National Park was photographed by Stefan Serena.

Back to Blog index