Trip planning guide

How to Plan Your First Yosemite Family Camping Trip

Imagine waking up to crisp mountain air, surrounded by towering granite cliffs and the sounds of nature. Yosemite National Park — with its waterfalls, ancient giant sequoias, and glacier-carved valleys — is one of the best places in America for a family's first real camping trip.

Our family has camped Yosemite with our kids for almost a decade, and the views never get old. Whether you're seasoned campers or planning your very first trip, this guide walks through the decisions in order: when to go, where to camp, how reservations actually work, what to bring, and what to do once you're there.

Deciding when to go

Yosemite is beautiful in every season. Winter snow makes the park magical, spring brings wildflowers and comfortable temperatures, and summer means warm days and long daylight hours.

Start by being realistic about what works for your family. With school-aged kids, a week-long trip usually means spring break or summer — but don't dismiss fall break or a four-day weekend in the shoulder season, especially around a teacher work day that doesn't fall near a major holiday.

Then look at the logistics: the weather (and your ability to stay warm at night), campground opening dates, and crowds. Peak season kicks off mid-April, fully peaks in July and August, and tapers into late October. Shoulder seasons mean smaller crowds and easier reservations — just watch the forecast as your dates approach.

In Yosemite Valley, where the amenities are, only two campgrounds are open year-round: Upper Pines (reservations required all year) and Camp 4 (first come, first served in winter). Popular valley campgrounds like North Pines and Lower Pines open roughly May–October. Outside the valley, Hodgdon Meadow (north) and Wawona (south, along the Merced River) are open year-round, with several higher-elevation campgrounds opening in June or July once the snow clears.

Choosing your campground

Yosemite Valley campgrounds put you near iconic views of Half Dome and El Capitan plus the amenities that make trips easier with young kids — a quick grocery run, or a fun bike ride for ice cream. For quieter sites and bigger solitude, head north of the valley. Pick based on the activities you want and the amenities you actually need.

In summer, our family loves North Pines and Lower Pines: you can walk to Curry Village or bike to Yosemite Village for the grocery store and dining, and both campgrounds have easy access to trails like Lower Yosemite Fall. Both have flush toilets; showers are available at nearby Curry Village.

How Yosemite reservations work

All national park campground reservations happen at recreation.gov. For most Yosemite campgrounds, sites are released five months in advance, on the 15th of each month at 7am Pacific — and they go almost instantly. Create your account and log in before the release moment. North Pines also runs an early-release lottery for peak season, with applications due in late fall.

One common question: if you hold a campground reservation, you do not need a separate reservation to drive into the park — the peak-season drive-in reservation system applies to day visitors.

What to bring: gear essentials

You don't need to spend a fortune, but think of gear as an investment — you're saving on hotels and restaurants, and unlike a hotel night, the gear gets used trip after trip. The essentials:

• Tent — size up one from your family count. Four people sleep better in a "6-person" tent, with room for bags and not stepping on each other.
• Sleeping bags and pads — compare the bag's temperature rating to nighttime lows for your dates, and go warmer if in doubt. Pads are essential for both insulation from the cold ground and comfort.
• Camp chairs — picnic table benches are for meals and card games; for campfires and stargazing you want a real chair.
• Headlamps — hands-free light for bathroom trips, cooking, and finding toothbrushes. Every person should have their own.
• Basic kitchen — a burner, a pot and pan, cooking utensils, and dishes. A small tabletop grill expands your options.
• Refillable water bottles — hydrated kids are less cranky kids.
• The extras — trash bags, paper towels, ziplock bags, and baby wipes (they're magic).

For the complete list, use our free family camping checklist — it's interactive and printable.

Clothing

Dress in layers — mountain weather is unpredictable. Even in summer, pack a base layer and long pants for evenings and mornings, breathable tees, and comfortable walking shoes. Trail runners are a great family hiking option without the weight of boots, and kids' hiking shoes with bungee ties save you trail-side shoe-tying stops.

Activities and planning your days

Lower Yosemite Fall and Mirror Lake Loop are easy, kid-friendly hikes. Lower Yosemite Falls is also accessible — paved walkways work for wheelchairs and strollers. The valley's bike trail system is the easiest way to explore, reach trailheads, and hit the amenities. In summer, floating the Merced River through the valley is a family favorite where water levels allow it.

Add the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center and ranger-led programs, then build a loose daily itinerary: hiking, biking, downtime at the campsite, and unhurried meals together. The National Park Service app has maps, trail descriptions, and program schedules.

Meal planning

Plan meals before you leave. Simple, family-friendly options win: sandwiches, wraps, pasta, one-pot meals. If you're using a cooler with ice, cook the meats and fresh vegetables in the first couple of days and save the jarred-sauce pasta night for the end of the trip. Ice is available at the Yosemite Valley grocery store.

Wildlife

Yosemite's food-storage rules are simple and they work: never leave food in the open, in your tent, or in your car — use the bear lockers at every campsite for food and scented toiletries, and put trash in the campground bins. Keep your distance from wildlife and never feed animals, however small and cute. That's the whole recipe for a safe trip.

One step at a time

Planning can feel like a lot, but it's just four steps:

• Pick a few dates that work for your family
• Choose a few campground options that feel right
• Read the reservation rules for those campgrounds
• Make a reservation plan — know the exact date and time sites release, have backups, and be persistent

A family camping trip in Yosemite is a chance to step away from the daily grind, reconnect with each other, and give your kids a love of the outdoors that lasts.