Yosemite Campground Reservations 2027: The 15th-of-the-Month Rule + Exact Dates
Yosemite Valley campgrounds release 5 months ahead, on the 15th of each month, at 7am PT. Full arrival-to-release date table, other campgrounds' windows, and a 5-step plan.
Yosemite's valley campgrounds do not release on a rolling window. They release in monthly blocks: five months ahead, on the 15th, at 7 am Pacific. NPS says all non-lottery reservations "sell out within minutes." If you only learn the rule after the 15th has passed, you have lost a month.
This guide is the exact table for Yosemite. For the general Recreation.gov rule and how other parks differ, read Recreation.gov booking windows first.
The Core Facts
Yosemite Camping Release: What You Need to Know
- Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow: released five months in advance on the 15th of each month
- Release time: 7 am Pacific (10 am Eastern / 9 am Central / 8 am Mountain), on Recreation.gov
- Tuolumne Meadows: half the sites two months ahead on the 15th; half on a rolling two-week window
- Two-week campgrounds: Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat
- Limit: two reservations per website visit or phone call
Source: NPS Yosemite camping page, last updated September 11, 2026
The Five-Month Rule, and Why It Is Not a Rolling Window
NPS states: "Reservations for these campgrounds are released five months in advance on the 15th of each month." The page names Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow. (NPS Yosemite: camping)
"On the 15th of each month" is the important part. On each 15th, a whole block of arrival dates opens at once: the 15th of the month five months ahead through the 14th of the month after. You do not get a new day each morning, so there is exactly one chance per block. The table below is date-based, not year-based, so it applies every year.
Arrival date to release date
NPS's table, 7 am PT:
| Arrival date | First day to make reservations |
|---|---|
| January 15 through February 14 | September 15 |
| February 15 through March 14 | October 15 |
| March 15 through April 14 | November 15 |
| April 15 through May 14 | December 15 |
| May 15 through June 14 | January 15 |
| June 15 through July 14 | February 15 |
| July 15 through August 14 | March 15 |
| August 15 through September 14 | April 15 |
| September 15 through October 14 | May 15 |
| October 15 through November 14 | June 15 |
| November 15 through December 14 | July 15 |
| December 15 through January 14 | August 15 |
Example: a trip that arrives June 20 falls in the June 15 to July 14 block, so you book at 7 am PT on February 15. A July 4th weekend arrival is in the same block.
The release hour in US time zones
| Time Zone | Yosemite Release |
|---|---|
| Pacific (PT) | 7:00 AM |
| Mountain (MT) | 8:00 AM |
| Central (CT) | 9:00 AM |
| Eastern (ET) | 10:00 AM |
NPS gives the time only in Pacific. The other rows are straight time-zone arithmetic.
The Other Yosemite Campgrounds
NPS lists a different window for each group. All release at 7 am PT.
| Campground | Window |
|---|---|
| Tuolumne Meadows (half of sites) | Two months in advance, on the 15th of each month |
| Tuolumne Meadows (other half) | Rolling daily window, two weeks in advance |
| Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat | Rolling daily window, two weeks in advance (14 days before arrival) |
| Camp 4 | Rolling daily window, one week in advance (7 days before arrival) |
Some campgrounds change by season. NPS says that in winter Camp 4, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow are first-come, first-served, and that they can fill on holidays and weekends. Camp 4's reservation season dates on the page read as a past year, so check the current dates there before planning around it.
The rolling campgrounds are the fallback if you missed a block: a new date opens every morning, so you can try again tomorrow.
Your Action Plan
- Find your arrival date in the table and write down the release date. Put 7 am Pacific, converted to your own time zone, in your calendar.
- Log in at Recreation.gov before the 15th. NPS says to "log in and be ready to go at Recreation.gov" before 7 am Pacific.
- Set your clock accurately. NPS: "be sure your clock is set accurately."
- Have backups ready. You may only make two reservations per website visit or phone call, so line up a second site or campground in advance.
- If you miss it, keep checking for cancellations (NPS's own advice), and try the two-week and one-week rolling campgrounds.
Related Guides
- Recreation.gov booking windows: the six-month rule and its exceptions -- the general rule across parks
- National Parks: which ones live up to the hype -- how Yosemite compares
- Best time to visit -- pick the season first
- Packing list tool -- build the camping list
Got your site? Let Voyaige plan the rest.
Tell Voyaige your dates and travel style and it builds a day-by-day plan around your campground booking.
Plan Your TripFrequently Asked Questions
When do Yosemite campgrounds open for reservation?
Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow release five months ahead, on the 15th of each month, at 7 am Pacific. Use the table above to find the release date for your arrival.
What time do Yosemite campground reservations open?
7 am Pacific, which is 10 am Eastern. NPS says all non-lottery reservations are released at that time and "sell out within minutes."
How far in advance do I need to book Yosemite camping?
Five months for Upper, Lower and North Pines plus Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow. Two months for half of Tuolumne Meadows. Two weeks for the rolling-window campgrounds, one week for Camp 4.
When can I book Yosemite Upper Pines?
Upper Pines is on the five-month, 15th-of-the-month schedule. For a July 15 to August 14 arrival, the release is March 15 at 7 am Pacific.
Can I book Yosemite campsites on the day I arrive?
NPS describes only advance release windows (five months, two months, two weeks, one week) and, in winter, first-come, first-served at three campgrounds. It does not describe a same-day release for reservation campgrounds.
How many Yosemite campsites can I reserve at once?
NPS says: "You may only make two reservations per website visit or phone call."
Source: NPS Yosemite camping page, last updated September 11, 2026. Rules change; confirm on the NPS page and the campground's Recreation.gov listing before you set an alarm.
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