Community Forums

keymastr · 12-10-2017, 01:26 AM

I see that Lower Pines, North Pines and Upper Pines all get excellent reviews. Our trailer is 27' from hitch to ladder and we will need to charge batteries with the generator a bit each day, is there a preferred loop or campground that is generator friendly? my reservation window is opening soon and I know I may not have much choice but if I do I want to make the right decision.

DaveG39 · 12-11-2017, 10:39 AM

I have stayed in all three. I prefer Upper Pines but second is Lower Pines. Google the web site for photos of the sites. You need to book early the first day the sites for that date come available.

cruzbill · 12-11-2017, 10:56 AM

Make reservations at recreation.gov for Yosemite. For May, you need to be on-line at 0700 Pacific time on Mar 15 and press reserve for your campsite. Do your site by site search now and come up with a list of a dozen sites or so at any of the three valley campgrounds, Upper, Lower, and North Pines. All are good, some spectacular. You have to be lightning fast on the computer or sites will be booked. Try reserving for one night, better chance of success.
Late April, early May is the very best time to visit the Valley, but every day of the year is spectacular no matter what the season!

Good luck!

Booking Rules

If you call on You can make Yosemite reservations for arrival dates between:
January 15th. January 16th and June 14th
February 15th February 16th and July 14th
March 15th March 16th and August 14th
April 15th April 16th and September 14th
May 15th May 16th and October 14th
June 15th June 16th and November 14th
July 15th July 16th and December 14th
August 15th August 16th and January 14th
September 15th September 16th and February 14th
October 15th October 16th and March 14th
November 15th November 16th and April 14th
December 15th December 16th and May 14th
Yosemite's summer reservations are always in extremely high demand. Typically, all Yosemite campsites will be reserved within 20 minutes after they go on sale. The table above indicates when you will be able to reserve a facility in Yosemite National Park.

cruzbill · 12-11-2017, 10:58 AM

OOPS! Feb 15 opens the booking window for May reservations-sorry!

keymastr · 12-11-2017, 11:37 AM

Thanks for the answers. Very helpful. This is the only park on our schedule that has tight reservation windows so it is great to have experienced campers share how to get it done.

cruzbill · 12-11-2017, 11:45 AM

If you get frozen out of the Valley, a good back-up plan would be to book a campsite at Wawona, still a NPS campground and not too far from the Valley.
Yosemite and Sugar Pine Railroad is a must see if you get to Wawona.