Note: this is now called Camp 4 campground

Located right in the valley, a 5 minute walk to Yosemite Lodge, 15 minutes to Lower Yosemite Falls, across the street from a shuttle stop and at the beginning of trail to Upper Yosemite Falls. Predominantly serves as a staging point for serious hikers and rock climbers, it is a walk in campground with space for 210 people (35 campsites, each campsite is for 6 people, expect to share a campsite with others!)

My wife and I camped here for 4 nights with our two young daughters, our primary goal was securing a space without a reservation that allowed us to easily access the valley. Camp 4 was perfect. If you are camping during the tourist season, make sure you are in line before 7 am and expecte to wait for at least 2 hours to get your spce. If traveling with a large group and you want to all be located next to each other, make sure you get there even earlier and get one of the first spots available.

The campground itself is fine, running water, flush toilets, fire pits. Because the campground is predominantly used by hikers and climbers, most people staying at the campground are either solo or two people. We stayed for 4 nights, over the course of the 4 nights we shared for two nights each with two different groups of two. Only drawback is that cars must be parked in the general lot for the campground, so all equipment and baggage must be carriers to the site, which deeding on the site can be a bit of a walk. Major pluses are that it is located in the middle of the valley, reservations are not required (not even accepted), and it is tent only camping! Will definitely use again in th future.