Camping at Yosemite National Park

One of the most quintessential aspects of spending time in America's national parks is reveling in the great outdoors. Naturally, the easiest and most obvious way to maximize the time spent outside is to camp, and visitors to Yosemite National Park have ample opportunities to do just that.

About Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park was the third park designated as such on October 1, 1890, and it was central to the development of the idea of national parks. It was also designated a World Heritage Site in 1984. Yosemite is known around the world for its stunning granite cliffs, towering waterfalls, clear streams and Giant Sequoia groves. While the park as a whole is open all year long, many parts are closed during the winter due to the large amount of snow.

Camping

Yosemite has 13 campgrounds, and depending on the time of year, up to seven of them require reservations. It is possible to make reservations as much as five months in advance for blocks of up to one month. Campgrounds requiring reservations fill up very quickly, and oftentimes the first-come, first-served campgrounds are also filled early in the day, so advance planning is essential.

Amenities

Every campground at Yosemite is unique, and that applies to the amenities available. Some have regular restrooms, while others have vault toilets. Showers are only available at two sites in Yosemite Valley, Curry Village and Housekeeping Camp. Hook-ups are not available at any of the campsites, but RV campsites are available at most of the campgrounds. Visitors looking for horse campsites have three choices; Wawona, Bridalveil Creek and Tuolumne Meadows.

Camping is a one-of-a-kind, infinitely memorable experience. Yosemite National Park is an exciting place and even more special when nights there are spent under the stars.