How to Visit Yosemite National Park on a Budget

50 Campfires

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular natural spaces in America, the cornerstone of America’s National Parks system and a great trip for friends and family. Getting campsites is competitive business, so you’ve got to plan ahead. If you manage to get one, suddenly you’ve got a whole lot more planning on your plate. Entry fees come into play, camping fees, food costs, fuel, then you have to pay for a shower? It can add up quickly. Here are some tips to help you save money in Yosemite.

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Bring Your Own Food

Yosemite Save Money — *Photo by Tom King*

Much like an amusement park or airport, once you’re inside Yosemite, they know they’ve got you as a customer. If you’re constantly heading to Yosemite’s cafeterias and restaurants, those costs will put you in the red before you know it. Even though you have access to that food, you should do your best to avoid it if you’re on a budget.

Pull out your favorite camping recipes and get cooking. A little work on the front end like shopping for familiar, budget-friendly foods can save you a lot of cash in the long-term. Cooking up some meals that you’ll just need to reheat when you get there makes your stay cheaper while still being convenient and easy. If you’re going as a group, splitting the work and having everybody bring a meal or two can be a great way to split the cost and the work.

Yosemite Camping Over Lodging, Every Time

Frankly, the fastest way to blow your budget is to drop hundreds of dollars a night on Yosemite’s lodging. The planning and luck required to reserve a campground is worth every penny. Besides, spending some time outdoors is the whole point of coming to Yosemite Valley. If you save your Yosemite money on lodging, you can pay it forward to other parts of the experience. Even the cheapest lodging options will be easily beat out by camping with a group.

Save Money with Friends, New or Old

If you already know that you’re going with a group of friends or family, you’ve got this part covered. If you’re an individual, though, or a smaller group, it’s worth getting those numbers up. Here’s the pro-tip: Up to six people can stay at each campsite. Your two best options, then, are to find five friends to go with you or to combine your group of three with another. Online forums or Facebook groups could be a great way to make this connection ahead of time.

As a backpacker passing through, I saved money in Yosemite by staying several nights with folks who had extra room on their campsite tickets. That’s probably a little last-minute and too stressful for most, even though it worked out great for me. One kind man’s sister had canceled last-minute on their joint trip, so he was happy to lend my friends and I his spare campsite for those nights. If you’re just hiking through Yosemite, counting on making some new friends is a viable option.

Take Advantage of Yosemite’s Free Entry Days

A few times a year, Yosemite will waive the entry fee on public holidays. These days might be a bit crowded, but you can save a few bucks by planning with these rare occasions in mind. If you’re just coming through for a day hike or a single night, this is a great opportunity to take advantage of. Here are the dates in question:

Make Good Use of the Backpackers Campground

If you’re a backpacker, you can make great use of Yosemite’s Backpackers Campground. It’s only $8 a night, and you can stay there one night before your trip and one night after. You’ll find the Yosemite Valley Backpackers Campground right behind the North Pines Campground, where you’ll also collect your water while you stay. You’ll want to download the Recreation.gov app and pay ahead of time as you plan your trip.

If you structure your visit around Yosemite’s wilderness permits and this backpacker’s campground, you’ll be paying less each night than almost everybody else in the valley. All you need to figure out is transport, your gear list, and whatever backpacking food you love most. Save money in Yosemite by having the backpacking trip of your dreams.

Don’t Let the Wallet Stop You

John Muir loved Yosemite so much that he convinced the president to come out and see it, so it’s definitely worth your time and cash. Gas is expensive enough, so driving there, even as a group venture, will always run you some money. Following some of the above practices will hopefully keep you from breaking the bank. It takes work, money, and time to make space in your life for an adventure like this, but it’s also what life is about.