North Pines Campground

The campground was good, I stayed in the backpackers campground, and there was plenty of room. There were a couple bears that came through one just before nighttime and one in the middle of the night, but it did not seem to be a problem, although I believe it’s a common occurrence. Also, the payment process was not very good. Was not able to get a good signal to make the payment, it said payment pending. So, I put the ticket on my tent with a note explaining that and did not have a problem. Also, I rented a bike the next day and was able to ride all around the valley. Since the valley is flat, it was a great way to see everything without having to utilize the shuttles.

If you're dreaming of falling asleep to the soothing sounds of the Merced River and waking up to misty mountain views, this campsite delivers big time. Nestled right on the riverbank, the location is absolutely stunning—perfect for fishing, skipping rocks, or just zoning out with a cup of campfire coffee.

Pros:

Location, location, location! You’re literally steps from the river.
Scenery is unreal. Towering granite cliffs, whispering pines, and the occasional deer strolling by.
Clean facilities and well-maintained grounds.

Cons (or... “adventures”):

The Rangers. Never. Sleep. I swear they have bear locker radar. Leave your granola bar out for 30 seconds and bam—a ranger materializes from the forest like a parkour-trained squirrel, clipboard in hand.

Bear locker lectures are frequent and passionate. I now know more about bear behavior than I ever wanted to. (Did you know bears can smell toothpaste from a mile away? Because I do. Now.)

Final Verdict: If you can handle a little ranger micromanagement and keep your snacks locked up tighter than Fort Knox, this riverside gem is a Yosemite must. Just don’t forget to actually use the bear locker—or prepare for a surprise pop quiz on food storage regulations.

Loved the campground! Site was “meh.” Campsite behind me had picnic table and fire ring literally within 5’ of the back of my 23’ RV, which is where my bed is. Literally walked around the rear of my RV to put my bike on my bike rack and felt like I was standing in the neighbor’s site as they ate dinner and vice versa. Very level site and shaded, which was nice. Easy to back into. Love that campground is on the river. Since our picnic table was about a dozen feet from our neighbors gathered around their fire ring, we took our dinner down to the river to eat. Bathroom was close by and clean.

Our campsite 136 was amazing!

Great campground. Smaller and louder than when we stayed at upper pines. I liked the scenery a little better and the distance to the river. More shallow than other places. Great for small children on that side. Busy in July for sure but still able to get around. At least you won’t be hiking alone 😎

Site 322 is listed as RV only. It was able to accommodate our tent (albeit was super close to the other sites) but it worked for us. Camping in the Valley meant we didn’t have to worry about parking and could walk or shuttle everywhere. Quiet hours are not really observed so it was difficult to rest, but we had fun. The views and the river were incredible.

We stayed at the backpackers campground in order to get an early start on our three-day backcountry hike near Yosemite Falls, El Capitan and Eagles Peak. The area was easy to locate, had pit toilets in the immediate vicinity and flushable toilets were a short walk away. Two adjacent campground neighbors had an altercation regarding campfire which resulted in lots of unnecessary screaming, headlamps shining in all directions and follow up visits from the camp host and rangers hours later- not a great night of sleep and shocked at the lack of consideration for everyone else in the campground. Other things to consider about staying here is that it is flanked by a couple of trails. We woke up in between the hours long altercation to a few people stumbling into the campground loudly asking whomever was awake for trail guidance and about that they didn’t have headlamps. All and all, Yosemite was a zoo full and if you really want to experience it get away from the valley.

Campsites filled early, additional hikers continued to arrive and set up in shared sites. Loud shouting match between two groups occurred in the middle of the night. Latrines full and smelly. Signage to the backpacker’s area lacking.

Since I came in very late the night before I had some difficulty finding a spot to camp for the night but was able to share a spot with a few kind gentlemen. I did find the board and was able to make payment even with little to no service. I enjoy the convenience that YNP offers to camp there before and after your trip. Happy Trails

It’s a backpackers stopover ending or starting a trail. The pit toilet aromas change direction. It was crowded share your site and bear boxes. Basic cheap