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Upper Pines Campground is located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park in Central Californias rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The site is situated in the heart of Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite National Park is known. Within Yosemite, visitors can gaze upon waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, vast wilderness areas and much more. Natural Features: Yosemite Valley is forested with a diverse mix of California black oak, Ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, White fir, and Whiteleaf Manzanita, which offers a pleasant combination of sun and shade. Through the trees, Yosemites telltale granite cliffs peek through, and the gentle, refreshing Merced River flows nearby. Recreation: Yosemites trails, cliffs, roads and rivers provide endless recreational activities for any kind of visitor. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, auto touring, cross-country skiing and photography are all very popular activities within the park. Hiking trails range from the easy paved, two-mile roundtrip walk to Mirror Lake/Meadow, to the grueling but rewarding 14- to 16-mile trek to Half Dome (permit required). Both of these trails begin near the Pines Campgrounds, and there are many additional trailheads within Yosemite Valley. Rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Yosemite Valley also offers numerous guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities and an art center with workshops. Facilities: Upper Pines Campground is the largest of the three reservation campgrounds in Yosemite Valley It offers paved roads and parking spurs, flush toilets, and drinking water. Each campsite contains a picnic table, fire ring, and a food storage locker. Yosemites free shuttle bus stops near the campground entrance. Nearby historic Curry Village offers a general store, restaurants and bar, amphitheater, coin showers, and tours and activities desk. Nearby Attractions: Glacier Point offers sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Little Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and Clouds Rest, among other notable landmarks. The Tioga Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes and granite domes. Beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is home to spectacular scenery and numerous wilderness trailheads.
Take Highway 41 north from Fresno, Highway 140 east from Merced, or Highway 120 east from Manteca into Yosemite National Park. Follow signs to Yosemite Valley and the campgrounds.
My partner and I were able to get a 7 day reservation here (at the same site) and it was a nice campground. They have picnic tables and a bear box in each site. The sites are pretty close together, but all of the neighbors we had were respectful and friendly. They have quite a few bathrooms (with flush toilets), running water, potable drinking water, and a place to dump waste water. We paid $35 a night for a spot, which is on the more expensive side, but at least you’re in the valley! The campground was very accessible to the shuttles, trailheads, and the river. I’d stay here again.
We stayed in site 187. It is at the end of a loop right next to the trash cans and restrooms. I thought it was very convenient, but some people may find it noisy when people are throwing away trash. Bathrooms were cleaned every morning and stayed in pretty good shape throughout the day. Curry village is about a 10 minute walk away. Same with Happy isles. Wonderful views and lots of wildlife. The site has a pretty short parking space, so if you have two vehicles it may be difficult to fit both of them in. You can also park in the trailhead lot or Curry village parking lot. Camp hosts were all friendly. We had one grumpy ranger visit, but everyone else was super nice. I personally like lower pines campground a little better, but getting any spot in Yosemite valley can be difficult and this one was great!
Great place for tent camping. Multiple close-by restrooms, parking is easy, fire rings and bear-proof food storage at every camping spot, easy parking, fair quiet-hour regulations. I couldn’t have asked for a better spot to camp and feel safe while having fun in Yosemite!
We there on a Saturday, we got lucky and found 2 free spots. We immediately booked campsite 004 however it was a little challenging because the service was not the best. AT&T worked better than T-Mobile in some spots and other spots the other way round. The campsite had a ring fire and bear safe food storage boxes. We had a van so we didn’t use the food storage boxes. It was a quiet night. Very nice camp.
