Backpackers Campground (Little Yosemite Valley)

Overview

A short hike beyond the top of Nevada Falls, Little Yosemite Valley Backpackers Campground is a minimally developed wilderness hub along the Merced River. It’s first-come within the campground area (no check-in), reserved implicitly by your wilderness permit, and beloved as a staging spot for Half Dome and trips toward Merced Lake. Expect a social, backpacker-centric vibe in peak season and a quiet forested feel after dark.

What You'll Find

• Communal, latchable bear-food lockers scattered around camp.
• One composting toilet near the campground.
• Two communal fire rings just outside the campground (use only small, dead-and-downed wood; never burn trash).
• No potable water: the Merced River is your source—filter, boil, or chemically treat it. Do all washing 100+ feet from water and never use soap in the river. Pack out all trash.
• You may leave your tent pitched while you day-hike.

Permits and Who Can Stay

This is a wilderness campground—no separate reservation or fee beyond your wilderness permit. If your permit entry is “Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley” or “Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley,” you’re required to spend your first night here; other trailheads may stay here on later nights of a trip.

Getting There

Reach LYV via the Mist Trail or the John Muir Trail, climbing past Vernal and Nevada Falls. Once you top Nevada Falls, it’s a short walk to the campground along the Merced.

Wildlife & Camp Etiquette

Black bears are active here—be meticulous about using the lockers for all food and smellables and keep a clean camp. Rattlesnakes are possible in warm months. Rangers do check permits. Keep voices low after dark; think hiker-midnight courtesy.

Why Camp Here

If Half Dome is on your itinerary, camping at LYV lets you drop the heavy pack and go lighter on your summit day. Even if you’re continuing deeper into the wilderness, the river access, flat tent spots, and simple facilities make it a convenient first-night stop from the Valley.

Don’t Confuse It With the Valley Backpackers Campground

Yosemite also runs a separate, frontcountry Backpackers Campground behind North Pines in Yosemite Valley for the night before/after permitted trips. LYV is different: it’s in the wilderness and tied to your backcountry itinerary.

Best Time to Visit

• Weeknights and shoulder seasons see fewer people; peak summer weekends are busy.
• Arrive earlier in the day to find a flat spot and organize bear-box space.
• For Half Dome, plan a pre-dawn start from camp to beat crowds and heat.