We stayed at camp site 500 during June and just FYA the grass spot is covered in ticks everywhere if u are planning to not bring an rv and actually set up a tent. Other than that cool place, very close to the river and super clean bathrooms. read more

In short, this is a "maybe" recommendation. To preface, I have visited Yosemite National Park many many times, with many many stays at campgrounds, the Yosemite Valley Lodge & The Ahwahnee. My family loves this park so much that my husband & I chose to get married there last year. I think overall this is an okay campground for the most part. It is well located within the valley loop. It is close to some popular hiking routes, is next to Merced river and just down the road from Curry Village. However, a few things to note that didn't make it a 5-Star stay. 1) Customer service - upon entry, we were greeted by two very friendly hosts. Our party had a physically disabled person with handicap plates on the car. One of the hosts let us know that the stall we parked a car in (temporarily) to unload was designated for law enforcement, but okayed us unloading for 10 minutes. We appreciated the info and consideration. Nearing the 10 minute marker another/separate host approached us really quite aggressively, yelling about us breaking the law and that we need to move immediately. We explained the discussion with the prior host we spoke to, but this one kept yelling at us about how our car looked empty (it wasn't) and wouldn't stop yelling at us until we moved. We totally get the technicality of the stall, but we did receive an okay from another host and this guy was just aggressive as hell with no regard to ADA considerations in a very temporary situation. No law enforcement used it the entire time we were there (several days), did 10 minutes kill them to let a disabled guest unload?? It just was not very host like and incredibly unprofessional. Approach would have meant everything. To add to the poor customer service, we were later accused of pushing the limits with our tents and having more than 6 people (we only had 4 people) despite other campsites directly next to us having at the least 8-10 people, who lit fires mid-day, who had on occasion left their fires completely unattended, and who smoked weed and screamed & talked loudly way after noise cutoffs.. yet no host was approaching them about any of that. 2) some campsites were way overgrown with weeds and fallen over tree trunks. 3) no soap in the bathrooms. As a lover of this park who has stayed more times than I can count, the stay this time at North Pines overall was just okay. The lack of customer service and disregard for disabled persons from some of the hosts was something I don't think myself nor my family will soon forget. I've/my family had never been made to feel like that before, especially at a place that wants conservation support and goes through so much to accommodate ADA. read more

Best campsite at Yosemite! A bit more off the track versus the other campsites, conveniently located near the Mirror Lake trail. Wedged between a river and a creek, and the creek can be waded in. 1/2 mile to Camp Curry with amenities. Bathrooms were clean but lacked soap for hand washing throughout the visit. We were in campsite 504 which is basically the best one. We really lucked out. Creek and river adjacent. Downside is that we had lots of visiting campers, a bit lacking privacy. Bear bins for food storage are plentiful in space and secure. read more

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Getting there: Follow the signs into the park to the valley floor. You're going to follow the signs for Curry Village and North Pines Campground. You'll see Upper Pines, and Lower Pines first then you'll finally make a left into the North Pines Campsite. Experience: This was by far the best campsite I've ever stayed at. Pictures do not do it justice. We had the best views of El Cap on one side and Half Dome on the other. Waking up to those views are indescribable and incomparable to any other National Park. Logistically, we had snagged the campsite from a friend of a friend who was unable to go anymore. All we had to do was make sure we had access to the reservation and a photo ID of the person who booked the site and we were good to go! We were walking distance from Curry Village which was so convenient. It was also really easy to access the Mist Trail, and Nevada Falls trail from here. Campground and bathrooms were very clean. I don't think I can camp anywhere else in the park ever again after being spoiled camping here. Tips: - Screenshot the reservation before you lose service. If you can't access it before you get to the park entrance they will not let you in. Also, have your confirmation number just incase as well. - If you can snag site 511, you'll have these epic views we had. read more

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Such a stunning location! We loved our campsite #526. Right along the Merced river. We had enough space for 2 tents. The site includes a picnic table and a fire pit with grill. The restrooms were pretty close by and were fairly maintained (clean enough to make the stay comfortable). Curry village is at walkable distance. Curry village has a restaurant and pizza patio. Their store carries almost all essentials including camping necessities in case you forgot a thing or two. They also sell firewood (for $12) which was said to burn for 4 hours but lasted about 2. No complaints though I think everything was quite reasonably priced and I loved the convenience it added to our stay. We got so lucky to get this reservation for the long weekend! We will definitely try again for reservation at this campground for future visits. read more

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This campground was amazing. I loved the creek and rover that ran through it. There was plenty of hiking trails right by it and we were able to hike right to mirror lake from our campground. I liked how strict the rangers were about bear lockers. They would go through everyone's campsite after the 10 pm curfew to check if people locked up there items correctly. The bear lockers were huge we were able to fit a 77 gallon and a 55 gallon lifetime cooler in it. The campground was right next to curry village so if you want to take a shower head there. I recommend renting bikes if you are able to, to get around the valley easier. There's is absolutely no parking after like 9am. It's packed. We went in august and midday it was pretty hot. Our spot had little shade. I loved the big trees and the dome thy surrounded us while we were there. The bbqs have grills and that was helpful to cook meat on. The camp spots were close together so if you get one try to get a corner spot If you want more privacy. Overall this campground was amazing and I want to return. The squirrels here have no fear and will run in your camp spot and eat anything so be careful. I had Verizon and had no service. Other people with me had AT&T and had no service. Another person had T-Mobile and her phone had service. read more

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Beautiful pine forest campground right in the middle of Yosemite. Mix of tents, trailers, and RV's. We had site 109 and it's a beauty right on Merced river with views all around. The showers are a bit of a walk over the bridge but clean bathrooms are plentiful in the campground. Quiet and respectful groups of campers. We loved our perfect weather October visit as it's a great time to hike without the crowds. The Mist Trail is a favorite hike a short walk from the camp. read more

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I've camped in Upper Pines a few times so I was excited to finally get a reservation in North Pines. I highly recommend getting a spot by the river, if you can. I reserved site 520 and was surprised at how large it was and it's literally right on the water. Bathrooms here are clean and well maintained. Camp hosts are friendly and they do a good job of patrolling the campground. I feel like North Pines is much quieter than Upper Pines but I would say I like them equally. I'm mostly posting this review to suggest getting site 520 or any of the river front spots. I felt like 520 was twice as large than a lot of the other spots. read more

North Pines Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

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North Pines is one of the three campgrounds in Yosemite Valley. There is a shuttle stop at the stables, right at the front of the campground, but during our recent trip the stables were closed and the shuttles didn't stop. I have stayed at Upper and Lower pines on several occasions but this was my first time at North Pines. The access to the Merced River is all dependent on where you can grab a campsite, although there are some open beaches that allow access for everyone (mainly near the the lower section of the campground). Some of the sites are river side, unlike Upper Pines which has no sties that butt up against the river, but there are some really nice sites that are next to the forest (the outer and upper loops come to mind). Most sites are solid, but a few are very small and very close to neighboring sites. Do you research. Read reviews. Check YouTube and Campsitephotos.com to look at potential sites ahead of time. Bathrooms were clean and well-maintained, although the campground closest to us didn't have a water filling station. All of the other restrooms did, which comes in handy when you are starting off for a hike or just staying hydrated while at the campsite. No matter what, you are in the valley, and that's all that matters when you are spending the night in Yosemite. Btw, there is a nice trail that leads out of the backpacker's camp that will lead you to the Ahwhanee Hotel and then onto the village and even onward to Lower Yosemite Falls if you are down for a nice walk. We hiked this trail in the middle of summer and there was no one else on it. There are ways to get away from the crowds in Yosemite, and this trail is one of them. read more

This is the best campground of the Valley campgrounds. Even though it gets crowded during the summer, the fact its on the outer edge of the valley means only campers are around you. I recommend sites 520 or 502 which are larger than the others and right on the river. The free shuttle picks you up right outside the camp entrance so once you get there, your car does not have to move. If your taking kids, I recommend taking bikes as the valley should not be to difficult for kids to ride around. The only problem is the limited availability of sites. Do your homework and make the reservations 6 months in advance. I love going to Yosemite each year and North Pines Campground is my destination of choice. read more

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I camped here with my family in early August and had the most amazing time. I'm giving it 5 stars because I had the best campsite in the entire North Pines (#506). It was large, shady, as private as you could get in North Pines, and right by the river. We even had a little utility area by our campgroup where a group of us was able to play a friendly game of wiffle ball with some fellow campers. We were directly next to the river, but it was not swimmable. But steps away, the river was calm with a small area of sand and shallow water. This is perfect area for kids to wade around and build sand castles, so don't forget the sand toys. You can bring innertubes for the kids, but also bring long utility string so you can hang on to your kids. The current can pick up if they edge too close to the river. I cannot stress this enough....IF YOU CAN BRING BIKES, PLEASE DO! The entire Yosemite Valley is flat and easliy ridable. My friends and I rode through meadows and passed waterfalls. You can also easily ride to the village store for groceries. Bringing a bike greatly increases the fun, I promise! Also, not sure what user Nan W is used to, but these restrooms are some of the better campsite restrooms I've seen. They had lights at night, which is huge! Attempting to use the restroom with a flashlight is no easy task for a lady! read more

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Other than being in Yosemite (yay!), this campground was very 'just OK' for me. We had site 310, so we were smack in the middle. The campsites were *packed* with RVs; we were the only tent-only campers I saw. So: lots of generators, although people observed the limited generator hours. It was packed with people, too. This is NOT a commune-with-nature campground, more like a stay-cheaper-than-in-the-village campground. And for what it is, it is just fine. At night, it was so, so smoky. I know people like to burn stuff cause it is fun...and then they get in their climate-controlled RVs, leaving us tent people to breathe their stinky smoke. Please bring and burn dry wood, people, if you really must burn... Bathrooms were basic and not filthy, but only cold water with the type of faucet you have to hold to keep on. Bring soap and towels each time you go. No showers; flush toilets; one-ply tissue. The campground is bound by Tenaya Creek on the one side and the Merced River on the other, and I agree with others that the waterside sites are the best. Really pretty. The stable is next to the campground, and the smell is very very strong in the mornings. I don't find the smell of horse poop so bad, so I didn't care too much. But just a heads up. Bring bikes for to-and-fro to the Village. It isn't that far away, but if you have to make several trips a day, bikes are just great to have. Oh, and...use your bear locker for everything. For reals, there are bears. read more

North Pines Campground - Tenaya Creek (running next to the campground) - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

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The best are the spots next to the river near the entrance, starting at 101 and going to around 109. These seem to be the least crowded. You really can't go wrong with this campsite though!! Bathrooms are relatively clean and have toilet paper FYI. The campsite is walking distance or a quick shuttle ride to all the main trailheads in the Valley. read more

North Pines Campground - Bambi next to our tent! - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

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I grew up camping and have camped on the beach, in the desert, in the woods, and in the mountains. Each has their unique features that give them a certain appeal. I really love the location of this campground nestled amongst the pines and next to the river. If you like being in nature...meaning you prefer a long walk instead of a short drive (appx 1 mile), this is a good location that is a beatiful walk to the Half Dome Village. It is also a short walk to the Half Dome trailhead (the Upper Pines and Lower Pines campgrounds are closer). If you have a bike, everything is close in my opinion. I rode my bike all around the valley area...on nearly every paved trail and road...23 very easy and scenic miles. Now the things that drop my rating begins with the reservation system. First, it is not intuitive to use...it doesn't make sense how to search or which links to use to find a campsite...to make a reservation. Next, in all my years of camping, I've never been in a campground where the campsites were packed together so densely (Upper and Lower Pines are the same). That being true, any one driving at night with the headlights on, lit you up! I drove with just my fog lamps easily until I was passed the campground entrance. You're so close to your neighbors that you can't help but hear their conversations...I suggest you speak softly. Also, being packed tightly means that if you're downwind of your neighbors camp fire, you may end up in their smoke! Two things I was warned about but didn't experience were, long park entrance lines and lots of visitors...meaning that finding a parking space is tough. I thought there were a lot of visitors, but my friends told me we got lucky with a minimal crowd (might be due to recent nearby fires). That being true, I'd hate to be here on a packed day. On the good side; bathrooms are in good shape and clean. Bear proof storage containers are provided at each campsite...they reasonably large too! But check it for small openings as field mice might be able to still get at your food. Sites also have an ADA picnic table and a fire ring. No need to bring bottled water here. Water from all faucets and fountains here are mountain fresh and clean...just bring containers and fill up. Staff everywhere seemed very friendly. So overall for me, there are good things about this campground, but also some drawbacks. But the in park, lodging alternatives are very, very pricey for what you get. Campgrounds outside the park entrance are a long ways away. So for me, I can only give the campground 3 stars. Now that is not a reflection on the park itself...there a separate review for that. read more

We had a grea time here in the valley at this campsite. If you are thinking about hiking Vernal Falls or Half Dome, I would choose this campground. Our location happened to be quite spacious and the people were considerate with the quiet hours. This may be unnerving for some, but a deer and a bear, yes a bear, walked right behind our campsite around 6pm! I was thrilled and loved it, but for some, that might deter them. I hope to hike Half Dome next year and will be aiming for this campground for that hike. read more

North Pines Campground - Bear behind our campsite! - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

We stayed here a day before starting backpaking to Half Dome and Cloud Rest. We had a bad traffic so we arrived at this campground after the sunset. It was hard to find a place for 5 people, but people there are very friendly and looked for the space together. I like this campground. read more

Just spent 4th of July weekend here and loved it! We lucked out in February and scored a great campsite - right alongside the Merced River and in front of the bathrooms (which were very clean btw). The campsite is spacious and the view is simply amazing. Rangers do come often but they are helpful. The location is amazing and the whole family had a blast! We would love to make this a family tradition - however, in the future, we will avoid heavy holiday weekends because it is simply impossible to get anywhere in The Valley due to heavy traffic! read more

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This is a great campground in the Yosemite valley. It's in the tourist-y spot so if you're looking for peace and quiet, this is not the place for you (Try Hodgdon Meadow). The campsite is right along two rivers, which in August, 1 still had ample water in it, the other was dried up. You will see very friendly squirrels, blue jays, enormous crows, families of deer and quite possibly a black bear or two. This is a great site because your car is right next to your spot, the bathrooms are CLEAN, the ground is level for your tent, and the proximity to hikes (short walk to Yosemite, Nevada and vernal falls, 4-mile hike, mirror lake, happy isles), close to curry village for your peets coffee or anything else you need- literally, even showers which are $5. Do not go here if you are averse to children screaming and running around, it is definitely a family campground. P.s. try to bring your bikes, you will not regret it. Biking through the valley is much easier than driving! read more

One of the ways to have a great time visiting Yosemite is to stay in Yosemite. While a night at the Ahwahnee is $500 for only 20 dollars you camp in same woods. North Pines is the quietest of the three campground that allow RV's and drive-in camping. The sites are close together but at least when we were there people were respectful of the quiet hours between 10pm and 6am and the neighbours were all friendly. All sites come with a fire ring and a picnic table. The roads to the sites are narrow and while we were there an rv hit a tree getting out. Camping arrangements ranged all from tents to luxury moterhomes. While there restrooms with flush toilets there are no showers and the only showers available are in Curry village for 5 dollars. I'm not sure if camp showers are allowed. There are also free drinking water stations as well as a place to dump gray water and garbage. It's an easy walk to curry village and a long walk/short bike ride to Yosemite Village. It's also close to some trail heads to waterfalls. read more

What can I say? It's in Yosemite. It's right along the Merced with sandy beach areas for swimming in the summer. Only drawback is the stables are right next to the campground so it can get very aromatic. Oh yeah, the backpackers camp is right here as well with all the berry bushes. Bear sightings are routine. Have your camera at the ready! read more

North Pines Campground - Young Bear in the Berry bushes by North Pines. - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

Some nice people we found on mt project were willing to share their campsite with us, which was awesome because the campground was full! They were camping in their supercharger van and we set up a tent. There were 5 of us total at the one site and a very large dog named Ansel(after Ansel Adams of course). There are restrooms with lights, running water and flush toilets. Luxurious amenities! Some of the sites were located near the river. Lucky if you can snag one of those! We happened to be closer to where they kept the burros. Heeehawww, we only got a whiff of poo if the wind shifted. The campsite is smack dab in the middle of the valley and convenient to shuttles. It's an ideal spot to camp if you can snag a site. read more

Our first time coming to Yosemite. Couldn't have picked a better camp site! First, the areas have tons of space so you are not on top of each other. Second, the bathrooms are clean Third, each site has everything you need - bear container (which you are required to use), picnic table, and fire pit with a metal piece to BBQ on. Lastly, it's close to everything or close enough to a shuttle to take you where you want to go - bar to drink, trail to hike, Yosemite store, Curry Village. We will definitely be coming back in May to hike Half Dome and we will pick out North Pines again. read more

We went June 5,2014 we had site 101 in the North Pines campground, right next to the river, ranger booth and horse stables. The site was great, just steps from the river and our kid wanted to visit the horses every morning. The breeze off the river keeps bugs away, the site is kind of close to the street, but I am pretty sure they all were. We did have deer hang out in our site every morning and 1 bear pass through our site the other bear was walking over by the horse stables, but rangers are always clapping their hands and scaring them out because the bears have trackers on them. We road our bike to most places encountered a bobcat up close and personal and numerous deer. read more

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I stayed here for two nights. Compared to other campsites I've stayed at, these campsites are definitely closer to each other. But, you still have plenty of space and we didn't feel cramped. As long as your neighbors are respectful in regards to quiet hours it'll be fine. I was curious about the size of the bear box, rest assured they are large. I would say about 36" wide and 24" deep. There is a stop for the Yosemite Village bus system right at the front of the campgrounds and the Merced River is close by if you want to take a dip. All of the rangers we spoke with at the campgrounds were all very friendly. The restrooms were clean. read more

Best campsite we have stayed in any campground! BEAUTIFUL VIEWS, RIGHT ON THE RIVER AND CLOSE TO RESTROOMS. Our campsite number was 107, but 105, 109 and 111 are also just as goo d(those were the ones close to us) read more

Very nice and clean camp ground! You do need to book reservations as soon as the time slot you want opens! They go within seconds! We camped there with a 31 foot travel trailer. It is tight to get in there, but spot 500 is very nice and open. It was quiet and the park has specific times to run a generator if you need too. Easy access to the Merced river as well. Lots of Deer in the camp, we didn't see any Bears, but have heard they will come around from time to time. read more

North Pines Campground - I had a hard time finding a photo of site 500 at North Pines Campground. So here is a new one! It opens up nicely behind me as well. - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

Had an amazing time here! As a first time camper, the bathroom was definitely a plus. Everything was so clean. The fellow campers around us were friendly, and I thank them for putting up with us without complaints even though we were a bit loud at times. Our space was right by the creek. It was delightful. I would most definitely recommend this site for camping! read more

This is a great camp ground. Nice space, clean facilities, great proximity to the Merced. Very friendly neighbors because everyone is psyched to be there. The views are priceless. read more

North Pines Campground - The Valley - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

Feels a bit less developed than Upper Pines campground, and one step further from the Curry Village hubub. Both pros, in my mind. We were there in early August, and there were a TON of yellow jackets (bees), so you may want to consider a plan for avoiding trying to fight 30 bees over your sausages/anything-with-meat. They didn't bother us over pancakes, apple slices, or cold cheese, but everything else got a bit exciting. You'll also have to chase squirrels and birds away on occasion. But it's camping at Yosemite, where the daytime summer human population seems like it is probably a couple million. The "pests" are going to be geared toward trying to get human food, probably. :) The campsite is between and alongside Tenaya Creek (I think) and the Merced River. The Merced is lovely for swimming and water play, so if you have water-safe kids or are a grown-up, be sure to bring swim suits and towels, and even a raft. In August, the water was low enough to be fairly slow-moving and safe for swimming. If you have toddlers, you may want to be sure your campsite is not one of the ones up against the river/creek when you check in. It is a 0.8 mile hike to Happy Isles (below Vernal Fall), and a 0.5 walk to Curry Village (so you can walk to get ice or coffee, so you don't have to deal with/hope for parking). The horse stables are right next to the campground. I don't mind a mild wiff of horse-smells now and then, but if that bothers you, you may want to try for a different campground. Most of the campground was in the shade, which was a relief, but it meant that even though we were at the foot of North Dome and the Royal Arches, and right next to Half Dome, we couldn't see them really from our campsite (#527). We could, however, see the mountains across the valley from North Dome and above Curry Village (where Glacier Point is?). This was our first time camping in the valley--generally I've tried to avoid the valley during the summer. I will probably resume that plan until our girls are old enough to bike well. It was insanely crowded--people were unfriendly in parking lots and on the shuttles due to things being so packed, I think. Bikes allow you to travel the entire valley floor area without as much hassle, from what I could tell. Since the valley is mostly flat, I think you'd just need to be able to easily bike a couple of miles at a time for it to be really helpful. They do have bear problems, but I was amazed at how, even with a very stern warning as we checked in, I still saw people leave food out (I saw an ice chest ON A PICNIC TABLE when I made a middle-of-the-night bathroom run). So, be smart about it, vacuum your car before you come if you, like me, have small children who occasionally snack in your car, and put all food and toiletries in the bear containers. My sense, by the end of our trip, was that probably most if not all of the bear problems are due to people not following these simple rules. So don't be scared away; just follow the guidelines and you will be fine. The bathrooms were pleasantly clean and did not smell (!). Some parts of the campground looked more crowded than others, but you'll probably be fairly close to at least one other group no matter where you are. read more

As campgrounds go, North Pines was average. We went over Fourth of July week and the campground was sparsely populated even though the entrance booth said full. I was surprised, but guessing it was due to the level of the rivers that are located on 2 sides of the campground. Some of the campsites would flood at different times of the day and unless you came in a houseboat, it probably wouldn't be fun camping at those sites. Yes, the campsites are close, but come on, it's a National Park people. It didn't bother me that people were practically sitting in my tent as I took a nap or that I was getting second hand smoke from their campfire. For me, being in Yosemite helps me overlook small things like that. The bear lockers are big, but don't expect to fit all of your food and drinks a full week unless you eat like a rabbit. Putting everything away can be like a jigsaw puzzle if you have a lot of stuff. Major pain! My vote is for a bear locker that is 1/3 bigger. Quiet hours are between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. or 7, I can't remember... everyone was respectful of that, which surprised the hell out of me. I'm used to the loud party going campers that fight for their right to party. Oh, I didn't complain a bit. I loved the quiet time. As for unexpected visitors...bears. The first night we had a bear sighting about 11:30. It was awesome. Nothing quiet like seeing glowing eyes as you shine your flash light in the direction of all the commotion. No...really...it was cool. Then a few minutes later the bear was directly across from our campsite. Once I directed the flash light in it's direction it picked up the pace. In my opinion, there was no danger. It was just looking for your food NOT you for food. Now for the BIG negative... the bathrooms. YUCK! GROSS! I've been to many campsites, but these are the worst bathrooms ever! NASTY! It was a muddy mess on the floor. At least, I hope it was mud. The toilet seals leaked so there was water constantly on the ground which combined with the dirt people tracked in. Now I don't know if this was the case in the men's restroom, but the women's constantly ran out of TP. Bring your own people if you don't want to drip dry. Also, bring your own soap and if your really anal (pun intended), bring toilet seat covers, 409 or Clorox wipes. The sinks had dirt an inch thick. And on a side note, if you have arachnophobia, you won't want to use the bathrooms. Charlotte and her family were constantly residing in the bathrooms. The first night there was what looked like a juvenile tarantula. YIKES! Now, my review may not sound like the most positive, but I would actually stay at NP again. It's conveniently located near Curry Village and is a short bike ride to Yosemite Village. You have rivers, a view of Glacier Point, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls from different parts of the campground. Staying at NP may not be your first choice, but because of the overpopulation of the earth and everyone on the planet wants to visit Yosemite the same time you do, you may not have a choice on which campground you stay in. Remember...it's Yosemite people. You should be thankful that you get to stay ANYWHERE in the Valley. read more

North Pines Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Yosemite Valley, California

For a camp ground, it was great. Clean bathrooms, plenty space between camp spaces. Close to Curry Village and to the bus stop. We will definitely go back. We had camp ground 315. read more

I love going to North Pines Campground. It's on the opposite side of the river from Lower and Upper Pines Campgrounds and is a little more secluded. As a result, the only people walking through the campground are the ones camping in it. I only gave it 4 stars and not 5 because in the summer the campground(s) are PACKED and the bathrooms aren't as clean as they are in the spring and fall months. read more

Big thanks to the park rangers on helping us with our broke down car. These guys and women made our stay at Yosemite so much fun. Bathrooms are clean and the views are spectacular. Thank you Rangers! read more

My husband & I were in North Pines during our anniversary trip to the Sierras and of course Yosemite is our favorite stay. North Pines is between 2 rivers and the most ideal spot to camp although all 3 PINES campgrounds in the valley are just 5 star quality! We had a view of the river and watched people float down in tubes, and we did that ourselves! It was close to the restrooms that were well-maintained. They have a dish flush, drinking water that you can fill up and the ranger is so nice. It was walking distance to the bridge where on the 4th of July we stood on the bridge with others and watched the night stars full of STARS... listening to the water streaming down. It was stunning. We love North Pines! read more

This is going to be a contrarian review for something most may judge to be my own fault. I'll go straight to the point. If you are going to send rangers to roust campers from their sleep at midnight to tell them they cannot leave food inside their cars, maybe you can station a ranger at the camp entrance past 9 pm. We had just camped Yellowstone a week earlier where we were told to leave all food inside our car. I know, different park, different state, different bear -- different rule. But could this rule be due to the presence of a $M worth of bear food storage lockers and a 20-year-old problem of black bears ripping open cars like sardine cans? My fault was apparently arriving after the campground attendant had departed for the night. I'm sure a main part of their job is telling unwitting campers like me to use the bear food storage lockers, or else! I didn't benefit from any such notification. I was more focused on setting up a new tent and getting my family settled in for the exciting night of camping in Yosemite Valley. By the time I had the tent up, it was 10 o'clock and very dark. I never saw the bear lockup and if I did see it, I mistook it as a garbage bin. So, my wife and I had our wine and cheese/crackers dinner, locked all our food and toothpaste in the car, and went to sleep. I was in an enjoyable dream state when I began to notice a bright light shining on my eyes... The end?!? Heaven?!? And then I heard - not an angel - but an impressively kind Ranger Rickette say, "excuse me, we see food in your car, you'll have to move it to the bear storage locker. Do you want me to show you how it works?" Is there any other response than, "Uh, sure." After a short recovery to awaken and stand, in my confused state, I couldn't find my shirt. Not wanting to entertain any similarities to an episode of "Cops," I asked for more time to find it. I finally don my shirt and go outside my tent. Since it took me so long to become conscious and fully dressed for my instructional, Ranger Rickette was now joined by Ranger Rick, a less than imposing sidekick who seemed more amused than intimidating. Ranger Rickette begins, "we have bears so you have to use this storage locker," pointing to the steel box I thought was a garbage bin. The only response I could think of in my diminished state was, "grizzly or black bear?" See, even when half awake, I can be a smart-ass. Maybe this is a defense mechanism or maybe I'm always analyzing risk. She should have cuffed me right then and hauled me off. Instead, she politely said, "black bear, we don't have Grizzlies here." She proceeded to demonstrate the locking mechanism on the steel box making a god-awful metal on metal screeching noise while doing so. Satisfied that I might follow through with her request, she and the silently amused one departed to roust other uninformed campers as I transferred the bait and listened to the electronic beep-beep of other cars being opened across the campground. It took awhile to get back to sleep. In the morning, I researched black bears-Yosemite-food-cars and learned it was a major problem in the 90s, that prompted some wealthy donor to donate a few million dollars worth of bear food lockers, and that it wasn't really a problem anymore. Maybe they justifiably don't want it to become a problem again, maybe they need to justify the expensive lockers. I don't know. My original point returns, if they can afford staff to conduct midnight inspections, maybe they can keep someone at the camp entry gate a little later than 8 pm. Otherwise, besides the dirty restrooms, it was a fine camping experience. Cheers! read more

Best time ever! This was an amazing campground! We stayed here for four days and it was not long enough! The campsite was beautiful, lots of trees, close to a river. We will definitely camp here again! read more

Yah...now that Oprah's camped in Yosemite, I hope more people would support our parks!!