Yosemite Creek Campground
The Quick Take
Yosemite Creek is the campground that Yosemite Valley wishes it could be — quiet, uncrowded, and refreshingly free of generator hum. The trade-off is real: that five-mile dirt road off Tioga Road will rattle your fillings and filter out anyone not genuinely committed to a backcountry-adjacent experience. There's no potable water, no flush toilets, no camp store, and no cell service. What you get in return is a forested perch at nearly 8,000 feet with creek-side sites, dramatically cooler temperatures than the Valley floor, and a legitimate shot at having neighbors who actually came to camp rather than treat their site like a hotel room with worse plumbing. This is the campground for experienced tent campers who want Yosemite without the theme-park energy — and who remember to pack a water filter.
Booking
Reserve Your Campsite
All 75 sites are reservable.
Book at Yosemite LodgesWhat You Get
Sites & Setup
RV Information
RVs allowed. No electrical hookups.
Accessibility
47 ADA-accessible campsites. The following campsites are suitable for wheelchair and include picnic tables with extended tops. The closest restrooms to these campsites are also wheelchair accessible. These campsites are limited to people with disabilities. Sites 47 and 49 Paved Roads - All vehicles OK
Rules to Know
- Fires:<b>Fires:</b> Wood and charcoal fires are permitted.
- Bear Safety:<b>You are required to store food properly in order to protect Yosemite's bears.</b> Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/bears.htm">bears</a>, <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/bears.htm">proper food storage</a>, and <a href="https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/lockers.htm">food lockers</a>.
- Occupancy:<b>People per site:</b> A maximum of six people (including children) are allowed per campsite.
Pro Tips
The access road is the great equalizer here. It's narrow, unpaved, and genuinely rough — plan on 20-plus minutes to cover five miles. Low-clearance sedans can technically make it, but you'll feel every rock. If you're arriving after dark, take it especially slow because there are no lights and the washboard sections will surprise you.
Yosemite Creek is your launching pad for the hike to Yosemite Point and the top of Yosemite Falls via the north rim. The trailhead is close, and doing this hike from the top down (instead of the brutal climb from the Valley) is one of the best-kept secrets in the park. Start early and you'll have the overlook mostly to yourself.
Pack in every drop of water you'll need for cooking and drinking on day one, then treat creek water after that. Bring a reliable pump filter or gravity system — chemical treatment works but takes longer in cold mountain water. Also bring your own firewood; there's nowhere to buy it nearby, and collecting downed wood is allowed but pickings can be slim by midsummer.
Photos
NPS Photo
NPSGetting There
Directions
The Yosemite Creek Campground access road is located off the Tioga Road 21 miles west of Tioga Pass, the park’s east entrance (40 minutes). From Yosemite Valley, take the Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road 34 miles (just over 1 hour). From Hwy. 120 west/Big Oak Flat Road, take the Big Oak Flat Road and Tioga Road 34 miles (40 minutes). Once you turn off the Tioga Road, you’ll travel 5 narrow, windy, rough miles to access the campground.
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