Camp 4 — Yosemite National Park

We recently visited Yosemite and camped one night at Camp 4 , September 19-20th, 2023. We, however, missed the memo that the sites are shared if you do not have 6 people in your party. The site will be filled with as many parties as it takes to reach 6 individuals at each site (during busy season). This may or may not result in an unpleasant experience for you but the people we joined were less than impressed we were joining the site and didn’t make room for us. Awkward! No photos of the site due to the tense situation. 

**The rangers are very serious about bear/ wildlife safety in Yosemite. All scented items must be placed inside of the bear lockers at your site when not in use or there will be unwanted visitors.** 

As a semi mobile individual, I found that walk-in site 1 was close to the parking lot and near the restrooms. There is a wheelbarrow available to move your belongings from the car to your campsite, located at the check-in kiosk. The restrooms did have running water, flushing toilets, a potable water/ dish washing station. Note there is no soap in the restrooms (at least not during our visit there weren't even dispensers), so bring your own soap, sanitizer, or wipes. 

This site/campground is close to multiple hiking trails including a couple that were under 2 miles with minimal elevation gain, numerous rock-climbing sites and a bus stop to the rest of the park, which you can find by walking from the check-in kiosk, around the edge of the parking lot, out to the bench just off the road. 

Don’t miss sunrise from Tunnel View! It is a phenomenal view and experience. 

As of May 21, 2023. through Sept ember 30, 2023, campsites will be available only by reservation via Recreation.gov one week in advance of your arrival date. October 2023 through May 2024 sites are first come first served, unless posted otherwise.

Always love staying at camp 4. The new upgrades are great!

Great place to stay! Sign in was at a kiosk. Beautiful view of the falls. We got lucky there wasn’t too much snow, just patches

Absolutely stunning views. I was more mesmerized by the trees than rock formations but all were gorgeous.

Falls aren’t… falling (haha) at this time of year but it was still amazing to hike and enjoy this park.

Absolutely love the views and the animals running around smells so fresh

Muy bueno

Open year-round by lottery, Camp 4 is a popular campground for rock climbers attempting the trek up El Capitan. Because of its popularity, its 25 campsites are hard to come by. Each includes a picnic table, fire pit and bear lockers (shared). There are flush toilets and potable water nearby. Tents only, and no animals allowed.

It’s a lottery. Day before lottery. Super excited we got to stay. Max nights is 7 nights. Showers and bathroom facilities are all new.

This campground is fine. We stayed during covid and despite the reduced capacity it was crowded and mask wearing was not what we would have liked. Cabins are very close to each other so you are right on top of the next group. Not easy to sit outside and hang out.

Lots of history at this campground for rock climbers. I ended up at this spot during the off-season when it wasn’t too busy so not many people were here. The layout is community style which makes it good for meeting folks who are climbing. Met someone who was biking and we did a road loop around the park.

I am a tent camper and I am not a climber.  And I usually have some "youths" with me when I camp.  I stand in line for Camp 4 for a reason.  It is where most of the campers are climbers.  You share your site with others.  It is a great place to learn to share and also a great place just for campfire stories and to meet your neighbors. Best climbings stories ever are shared here.

When I feel socialable this is a good place to be. You will share a site, probabaly a food storage locker and be close to your neighbors.  If you do not store your food in the locker you will have visitors.  The large bear kind or the small aggressive ground squirrel kind.

You are in Yosemite Valley on the bus line.  You can get anywhere from here.

Felt like Ansel Adams

Traveling to Yosemite there are many options for camping. Even with in the park itself you will find numerous options. However one camping area is vastly more coveted than others. If you are a person who enjoys climbing camp 4 is your camp. 

I explored the camp to find out what all the hype was about. I noticed quickly that there is a sense of camaraderie that comes with a stay at this location. All of your items must be brought to your campsite from the parking lot therefore there are no RVs. The vast majority of those staying at camp for are those who are hoping to scale the Rocky crags of El Capitan and other large faces. 

The camp itself is not so different than other camps. In this area there a bear warnings posted everywhere, bear boxes available, standard restrooms, picnic tables and fire rings. 

But something you will only find at camp for our campers with a single voice. Your next-door neighbor maybe your climbing mate. You may end up sharing a meal with someone you have only met at the camp. Typically there is a waiting list to camp here during peak season so I don’t recommend coming on weekends or during the summer months expecting to find a walk in site here. 

From the camp access to the park is limitless. The trolley system will take you around the park to various locations of interest. You can access visitor centers museums and theaters within only a few moments. Special programs are featured in this area within walking distance. And for those staying for an extended amount of time laundry services are featured on premises within only a short trolley ride. 

Waking up in this camp is waking up to the heart of Yosemite. You’ll find the Fog of morning rising to meet the horizon, the shadows of the mountains casting down late in the afternoon and the whispering winds which once inspired John Muir himself. 

With all the pros of comradely there also come a lot of cons due to the overcrowding of this area. Many times in this area people seem in such a hurry to get out and about for the day that they often, despite animal warnings being posted, leave food within the camp. It is not uncommon for camps to be over run with smaller animals or even bears catching a scent. 

In addition, sometimes because of this same crowding the site lines can become a bit blurred. This is by no means a private site. If you are wanting something more remote, private or isolated there are many more options throughout the park which can accommodate those needs. 

This location is more about the access than the spacing itself.

Normally I don’t mind animals around the site, but the critters here are known for their scavenger abilities and getting into the bear cans.

The bathrooms are well maintained considering how many people come in and out of this campground. Don’t try to get a site here on the weekend without some patience. We were infiltrated by another group who tried to take over our site. We had to have a discussion with the ranger in order to set the boundaries at the site.

There were also many bear in campground sitings in the area due to food being left out.

The views were incredible from the site and it was easy to get to trailheads from the campground.

great views, clean sites, bears

Come early! There were a dozen people already in line when we arrived at 4:30a. These are shared sites meaning there are 6 people assigned per site to share a fire ring and it was $8 per person per night. Fires are regulated and strictly enforced- no fires 10p to 5a. The rangers will site you if you leave trash or food out unattended. There are reasons for the bear proof boxes provided and they take their bear safety seriously, which is appreciated. The ground squirrels were begging by day and racoons by night so it is keep loose items stored. There are no showers onsite but you can find some at neighboring campgrounds. We recommend the Green Dragon trolly tour. We got to hit all of the POI's while learning some history in 2.5 hrs or so. We saw plenty of deer along the way and slowed for all the best photos. Rangers offered coffee in the mornings by the Raffi Memorial Boulder across from the bathroom. We had a great site with access to an open area for some frisbee or just taking in the view. This is a park then walk-in campground so be prepared to walk a few hundred feet to your tent site…well worth it for the view up El Capitan from our site and Yosemite falls view from parking area.

This iconic campground, situated in the middle of Yosemite Valley, was once home to many of America's early rock climbing pioneers. It is so historic that it is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places! While the campground is no longer home strictly to climbers, you'll still see many of them walking through, whether to find partners, or to project many of the classic boulders within the campground limits. It is the absolute best campground to stay in if you're climbing in the valley.

The facilities are top-notch (running water, toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, fire pits), as is the access to nearby climbing and hiking. It also happens to be one of the few campgrounds that doesn't take reservations in the park, so for these reasons, be sure to show up EARLY in the morning to snag a site. It is extremely popular. In June it's pretty hot, but fortunately there is ample shade.

Only walk in campground in the valley, the line can form the night before. We got there at 11pm the night before we wanted to check in, but most people show up early in the morning and are fine. You share a spot with a few other groups, bathrooms and water are at the campsite. Perfect for exploring the valley.

We were on a long motorcycle ride through Yosemite and crashed out for a night here. It was perfect

great location in the valley, super close the the yosemite falls trailhead and the lower falls loop. there are spots here that are fairly shaded. it's first come first serve! we saw a little bit of wildlife and had a great time.

no reservations. I would suggest lining up the morning of at least an hour before the office opens.

This is a first come first serve campground and the first time I’ve ever stayed in a campground where campers are paired together to maximize the space. A little concerned initially because I was camping with the family but it ended up working out just fine. My previous experience with camping in the valley just enforced my desire to find seclusion at higher elevations but We really enjoyed meeting a bunch of interesting people from all over the world and didn’t have any issues with sharing the campsite with other campers. Last minute camping is very difficult in Yosemite so this is an excellent option if you can get in. Recommend getting in line super early in peak season. Water levels were high and the valley was green and abundant with waterfalls.

Camp 4 is legendary. Since it's a no reservation spot, it's a bit of a struggle to actually get a site (early wake up and wait in line situation), but it's definitely worth it. Once assigned to a campsite, there are plenty of trees and flat ground to set up your area. There are bathrooms, fire pits, a big boulder, and views for days! Would definitely recommend. Protip: get there on a weekday to avoid the weekend crowds trying to get a spot!

this was the last stop on my cross country road trip from boston to san fran. This place was amazing and had to be the best place ive ever camped! love the vibes and great people I met

hard to get; crowded

This is just lovely and close to everything you might want to see!

Camp 4 is Yosemite's only walk-in campground, which means you don't need reservation to stay. Of course, with such a popular destination, perfect location and lack of other options in the area, you'll need to get up early to find a spot.

This site sees a lot of traffic. While the location is great, the actual site resemble a large patch of well used dirt. During busy season, plan on other campers taking a festive approach to dinner and campfire life.

Was on a ten day trip in Big Sur decided to take a break and spend a few days in Yosemite. Drove through the night and showed up at Camp 4 at 2am. We were the 20th person in line Waiting for a site to open the next day. Luckily we ended up with a site in the shared space pretty much have to hope there are enough people leaving or you’re out of luck. Ranger comes down in the morning and will let people in based on availability.

So I want on a week long backpacking trip in June of 2017, right in the height of the heat wave in California. I spent a couple days in San Francisco before my trip, and unfortunately was naive in thinking my naturally tan self did not need sunscreen (I am from Indiana, and the sun is not nearly as close.) Anyways, I ended up with a second degree sunburn and severe heat exhaustion/stoke/whatever. I was so nauseous I was struggling to eat enough to sustain myself. After two nights in the backcountry and one night in the backpackers' camp, I had to accept I could not continue to solo backpack in my condition.

Camp 4 is first come, first serve. And I did not wake up early to get a campsite, completely unaware that the line gets incredibly long in the middle of the night. I was so very fortunate that I was the only solo camper, and received literally the last spot in the campground. So although I had no troubles getting a spot, I surpassed over 20+ people that morning who had been in line all night. My recommendations would be to get there very very early and plan to camp out in the line, especially if you have a larger group. Also, I would recommend going in the middle of the week, since more people are apt to be there on the weekends.

The campground itself was basic and sufficient. Each site holds 6 (or maybe it's 8 people, I forget) regardless of whether you know them or not. This was actually a benefit to my solo self, because I had people to talk to and I made some cool friendships. I had absolutely no issues with people messing with my stuff, even when I would leave it as I went on day hikes, of course never leave your valuables unattended just as a rule of thumb. The bathrooms were as you would suspect in a campground, not always the cleanest but definitely better than an outhouse! I did see housekeeping every day too. The water available was cold and refreshing and the shuttle stop was literally right across the street. The showers were a decent drive across the park, but again even without a car, the shuttle system is so easy to get everywhere and anywhere around the Valley.

This campground was definitely more than sufficient than my unexpected need. Although I would recommend trying to get a reservation at another campground if you are planning far enough ahead of time, that is purely because of the difficulty to get a site. It was a pleasant experience, and helped me recover and relax from my illness. The only thing I wish is that I had felt good enough to try bouldering on the boulders literally right beside the bathrooms, like much of the other climbers staying within the campground.

My boyfriend and I stayed at Camp 4 last June (2016) and it was worth it. We arrived at the campsite at 3:30AM and there was already 23 people sleeping in line. The ranger arrived at the kiosk at 8:30AM and we were lucky enough to get a campsite. We were able to start setting up camp at noon. Camp 4 is an awesome campsite because it's at the center of everything in the valley. There are restrooms, but no showers. I recommend this campsite!