Camp 4

Camp 4 is a tent-only campground below Yosemite Valley's granite cliffs, near Yosemite Falls. Its 61 walk-in sites are shared by up to six people, making this a communal place to stay rather than a quiet, private campsite. It's a practical base for Valley trails, the free shuttle, and food and groceries near Yosemite Valley Lodge and Yosemite Village. Choose it if you like a social campground and want to sleep in the middle of Yosemite's climbing history; pick another campground if privacy and quiet matter most.

Parking is beside the campground, with a short walk to the tents, so expect to carry your gear. Camp 4 has no RV or trailer sites. Its reservation setup changes by season, so check current availability before counting on a walk-in spot. Sites 50 and 51 have accessible parking, a path and restrooms nearby; the other campground routes are rough dirt and can be difficult to navigate.

Each site has a fire pit (no grill), picnic table and four shared food lockers. Nearby bathrooms have year-round flush toilets and drinking water. There are no showers at Camp 4; the nearest showers are at Curry Village. There isn't a camp store, but food and groceries are within walking or biking distance at Yosemite Valley Lodge and Yosemite Village.

After World War II, Camp 4 became a gathering place for Yosemite climbers to train, trade ideas and prepare for ascents of Half Dome and El Capitan. Yvon Chouinard worked on climbing gear here using an old anvil, then sold it from the nearby parking lot. Camp 4 joined the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 for its nationally significant role in rock-climbing history.

Columbia Boulder is home to Midnight Lightning, a famous bouldering problem first climbed by Ron Kauk in 1978. The white lightning bolt painted on the rock is its familiar marker, and a good reminder that climbing is still part of Camp 4's identity.