Yosemite National Park - Special Use

Little Yosemite Valley

This is one of the most heavily-visited areas in the park. In order to minimize impacts in Little Yosemite Valley, there is a designated area for camping that contains toilets, bear boxes, two communal fire pits and a ranger station. The ranger station in Little Yosemite Valley is for emergencies and some information - do not depend on this as a fully staffed and/or supplied station. 

Half Dome and Vicinity

If you are going to travel beyond Little Yosemite Valley for your first night’s stay, you must be a least two miles past Little Yosemite Valley in any direction. Camping is prohibited on the top of Half Dome due to its special ecosystem. Camping on the shoulder of Half Dome requires more responsibility on the part of the wilderness user; proper food storage, human waste disposal, trash removal, and water treatment are imperative.

High Sierra Camps

The High Sierra Camps are located in the Yosemite wilderness at Glen Aulin, May Lake, Vogelsang, Merced Lake, and Sunrise Lakes. These popular backcountry lodges are administered by DNC Parks and Resorts at Yosemite and reservations must be made well in advance. For more information contact DNC at 559/253-5674. These areas are also popular locations for backpackers. To minimize the impacts in these heavily-used areas, we have designated backpacker camps with composting toilets.

Day Use Only (One & Four Mile Zones)

In order to provide a quality wilderness experience for day hikers, there is a “no camping” zone one mile from any road corridor and four miles around the more heavily populated areas in the park . The four mile restriction includes all trails out of Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Hetch Hetchy, Glacier Point, and Wawona. Please check with a ranger or at a wilderness/ visitor center if you are unsure where you can legally camp.

Backpackers" Campgrounds

There are backpackers" campgrounds located at Hetch Hetchy, in Tuolumne Meadows, and in Yosemite Valley behind the North Pines camp area. The purpose of these campgrounds is to provide a camp space for backpackers or people without vehicles, such as bicyclists. The charge is $5.00 per person per night. If you plan a wilderness trip, you may stay at the backpackers" campgrounds one night before and/or one night after your trip.