Lower Pines Campground

Lower Pines is a wonderful option for camping in Yosemite. Lower Pines has fewer spots than Upper Pines, but the spots themselves are larger and more conducive to those traveling in a large group or in an RV.nnMake sure you book your site months in advance or check the recreation.gov website for cancellations. The Pines in general are in a super convenient location close to the trailheads and services in the valley.nnThe campsite itself is well-maintained and the rules (such as quiet hours and keeping food in a bear locker) are followed by all. We had plenty of space to park our car and set up all of our gear.

I love this campground! We stayed in site 69. The bathrooms are clean! We stayed for 4 nights and every night was as beautiful as the last! The rangers are friendly! Our site was pretty big! Close to the neighbors but we had nice neighbors so it worked out. Never staying in the valley before I realized it would be a good idea to either take the shuttle or rent a bike to get to different areas of the valley. We didn’t do neither but glad it is there to use if need be! Love Yosemite! Make sure to bring a warm jacket and hat and gloves which I forgot to bring so had to take a trip to bass pros in Manteca. It gets pretty cold first night we were there it got down to 35. Until next time Yosemite! Can’t wait to come back!

Great campground. Bathrooms were clean (flush toilets). Some campsites offer great, mostly unobstructed views of Half Dome, while others hug the Merced river. We saw that some sites are larger and more level than other sites. There's really nothing to complain about this campground, if you are lucky enough to snag a reservation. I would recommend bringing bicycles. You can ride a lot of the valley with bicycles, bypassing a lot of vehicle traffic that occurs on weekends in Yosemite.

Bathroom destroyed by tree on lower loop. Portable toilets are relatively clean and don't smell bad on cool days. The campsites are very tight and open, but the experience of Yosemite Valley is way worth the crowded camping. Be warned: though printed materials state that you may store food in cars during daylight, rangers stated that was incorrect and threatened $5,000 fine for having lunch in an ice chest in the car.

You can't do much better than this campground if you are going to experience Yosemite. This is in the heart of it all! You have Curry Village right next to you for food, showers, coffee and other necessities. You have the Merced River right next to you. A spectacular view of Half Dome. And the campground itself is great. They provide bear boxes (which are essential; we were visited by a bear). There are bear-proof trash and recycling bins. Flushing and portable bathrooms. And it's surprisingly quiet for how many people are there.