Camp 4

Overview

Beginning September 16, Camp 4 will return to first-come, first-served camping (the daily lottery will be closed during this period). Campers must register with a Ranger at Camp 4 to stay overnight. Learn more about staying at Camp 4 during the fall, winter, and spring.

Camp 4 is located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range at an elevation of 4,000 feet. The site is situated in the heart of Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite National Park is known. 

You must enter the daily lottery for an opportunity to reserve a campsite for the following day at Camp 4 during the peak season (mid-May through mid-September).

There may be days when Camp 4 is not accepting lottery applications for next-day arrivals due to no availability. In this case, please check back the next day for an opportunity to apply to the lottery. 

Recreation

Yosemite's trails, cliffs, roads and rivers provide endless recreational activities. Hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, auto touring, cross-country skiing and photography are all very popular activities within the park. Hiking trails range from the easy paved, two-mile roundtrip walk to Mirror Lake/Meadow, to the grueling but rewarding 14 to 16 mile trek to Half Dome (permit required). Rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Yosemite Valley also offers numerous guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities and an art center with workshops.

Facilities

Camp 4 is a shared site campground, which means six individuals (including children 3 and older) are assigned to each site. The campground has a total of 36 sites which accommodate tents only. Since Camp 4 is a walk-in campground, no vehicles are allowed to enter the campground. You may not sleep in your vehicle in the Camp 4 parking lot, this includes vans. Each site has picnic tables, food storage lockers and fire rings that are shared by all occupants of that site. Restrooms and drinking water are located in the center of the campground. Tent areas are mostly level and most sites have shade. Due to the close proximity of sites and its shared nature, Camp 4 is not considered a quiet campground. Other than Service Animals, pets are not allowed at Camp 4. 

Parking is available adjacent to the campground (approximately 100-300 yards away). A parking permit is required from spring through fall. You will receive a free parking permit upon check-in. 

Natural Features

Yosemite Valley is forested with a diverse mix of California black oak, ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, white fir, and white-leaf manzanita, which offers a pleasant combination of sun and shade. Through the trees, Yosemite's telltale granite cliffs peek through, and the gentle, refreshing Merced River flows nearby.

Lottery Information

Camp 4 reservations are issued through a one day in advance lottery. The lottery runs daily between May 21 and September 15. Applicants must apply to the lottery the day before their desired reservation date. The lottery opens at 12:01 a.m. PDT each day and closes at 4:00 p.m. PDT. Successful and unsuccessful notifications will be sent by email after the lottery closes. If you are successful in securing a reservation, your arrival date will be for the day after you applied to the lottery. If successful, the credit card or debit card used for the lottery application fee will automatically be charged the remaining fees. If the charge to the card is declined, the reservation will be forfeited. 

Each individual may submit only one application per lottery, with a maximum group size of twelve people including the lottery applicant (excluding children 2 or under). Applicants must apply using their legal name, and be 16 years or older.  

If successful, you and all of your group members 16 and older, must be present at check-in and show government issued, photo identification. The successful applicant’s government issued, photo identification must match the successful lottery application name.  

Successful lottery applicants and their group members should check-in on the reserved date between 8:30 a.m. PDT and 4:30 p.m. PDT at the Camp 4 kiosk for campsite(s) assignment. Please note, you cannot occupy your campsite(s) until 12:00 p.m. (noon) PDT or after. If you arrive after 4:30 p.m. PT, please check the Camp 4 kiosk window for your campsite assignment(s).  

The opportunity to extend your stay is limited. Please check with the Ranger at the kiosk upon arrival about extending your stay.

Checkout time is 12:00 p.m. PDT.

Between May 1 and September 15, the stay limit at Camp 4 is seven nights.

Charges & Cancellations

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations cannot be processed for Camp 4. The lottery occurs once per day, and cancellations cannot be re-assigned due to the expedited nature of this lottery.

Change Policy: No changes to reservations. 

No Show Policy: Successful lottery applicants have until 8:30 a.m. the day following their arrival date to check in or their camping reservation will become void. Campers should call (209) 372-8502 if they know they will be late. The maximum fee for no shows is $20 and loss of the first night’s camping fee.