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Trip details · Upper Pines Campground

Upper Pines Campground packing checklist

  • ActivityCar camping
  • ParkYosemite National Park, CA
  • NearestMist Trail to Vernal Fall, 1.2 mi

Yosemite Valley’s biggest campground, open all year near Happy Isles and the Mist Trail.

Trip details

Elevation
4,000 ft
Sites
236 (about 90 in winter)
Reservations
Year-round, released 5 months ahead on the 15th at 7 am PT
Vehicles
RVs to 35 ft, trailers to 24 ft
Best season
September, after the crowds (our pick)

Packing list

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Check off what you already have. For anything you still need, there’s a product suggestion when we have a good match.

Trip-specific: permits and hazards

  1. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

    Source: Recreation.gov: Upper Pines

  2. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

    Source: NPS Yosemite: Bears and food storage

The Ten Essentials (NPS)

  1. Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth 32 oz

    Nalgene Tritan Wide Mouth 32 oz

    $17.99 on Amazon

    For hikes from camp, about 1 L per 2 hours.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

    Source: NPS Yosemite: hiking safety (1 quart every 2 hours)

  2. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

  3. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

  4. Petzl Tikka Headlamp

    Petzl Tikka Headlamp

    $34.95 on Amazon

    For bathroom trips and late returns to camp.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  5. Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 Spray (2-pack)

    Banana Boat Sport SPF 50 Spray (2-pack)

    $11.49 on Amazon

    Valley trails get hot and sunny in summer.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  6. FROGG TOGGS Ultra-lite2 Rain Jacket (men’s)

    FROGG TOGGS Ultra-lite2 Rain Jacket (men’s)

    $22.74 on Amazon

    Valley nights get cold, and spring brings rain.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  7. Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .5

    Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight/Watertight .5

    $31.95 on Amazon

    For blisters, scrapes and sprains, the most common trail problems.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  8. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

  9. No product pick yet. Bring your own or check with the park.

Nice to have

  1. LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern

    LuminAID PackLite Nova Solar Lantern

    $32.99 on Amazon

    Picnic-table light with no fuel.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  2. GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Chair

    GCI Outdoor Freestyle Rocker Chair

    $80.00 on Amazon

    For evenings under Half Dome.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  3. Jetboil Flash 1.0L Stove

    Jetboil Flash 1.0L Stove

    $144.99 on Amazon

    For a fast breakfast before the trail.

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Prices and stock checked on Amazon on Oct 18, 2026, and may have changed.

Photos

Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley
Photo: Andrew Burnham · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
A bear-resistant food locker at Upper Pines Campground
Photo: Mx. Granger · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Coordinates 37.7361°N 119.5625°W

Elevation 4,000 ft

Park Yosemite National Park, CA

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