Yosemite camping recommendations

[Bigtree]

I'm heading down to Yosemite with a couple of friends next weekend for 10 days. Plan A was to spend our time climbing in the Tuolumne Meadows area. However, the Tioga Road is still closed due to heavy snowpack so the Lee Vinning option is out of the question.

 

Plan B is to spend our time in the valley, but it appears impossible to get a site at Upper or Lower Pines campsites. Camp 4 is an option, but a gamble given demand/limited number of spots.

 

Does anyone have any recommendations based on personal experience with camping options outside the park?

[ivan]

hardin flats, just outside the 120 park entrance, has ample car camping in not totally awful ambiance - skeetery as hell though, and turds in all directions, plus an hour from the valley, which is sorta lame

 

you can always jug the heart ledge fixed lines and camp in grand style on mammoth terraces

 

if you have a sweet climbers van, you can pretty much just park outside the 140 entrance and be only 20 minutes from el cap meadow

[Bigtree]

Thanks, I think.

 

No Honnold van I'm afraid. Just a full size rental car and 3 guys.

[ivan]

yosemite ain't easy for would-be campers who don't plan their thing a year in advance - getting a spot at camp 4 ain't impossible, but you gotta be in line at 4 a.m. to do it you end up blowing much of a day as a result - hardin flats ain't so bad...