‘Fantastic’ Yosemite campground named second-best on West Coast. What’s No. 1?
Love to camp? Yosemite National Park has one of the best places on the West Coast to pitch your tent, according to The Dyrt.
The popular camping app recently released its 2025 list of the Best Places to Camp in the Pacific Region — and Yosemite’s Upper Pines Campground came in second place.
The site compiled the ranking to help West Coasters pick acclaimed campgrounds with “stunning natural settings” and “tucked-away dispersed camping gems,” The Dyrt said.
The camping app relied on user reviews and ratings to compile its regional list of the best places to pitch a tent.
California is home to half of the most elite campgrounds in the Pacific, the site said.
These are the ones landed on the list:
What makes Yosemite campground one of the best?
Nestled in the Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park features waterfalls, meadows, giant sequioas and granite cliffs spread across 748,542 stunning acres.
It’s considered one of the best national parks in the nation — and “one of the most sought-after destinations” for campers, The Dryt said.
Upper Pines Campground, the largest of the Yosemite Valley’s three campgrounds, boasts more than 230 campsites with space for tents, recreational vehicles and trailers — each with its own picnic table, fire ring and food storage locker, according to the National Parks Service.
“True to its name, the campground here sits under a towering canopy of pine trees” near Curry Village and the Merced River, The Dryt said.
The Dyrt reviewer Cecil K. called Upper Pines Campground a “wonderful place to camp” with “beautiful” views.
“You are in the middle of these grand rocks, you can hear waterfalls in the background, and you can walk to some fantastic trails,” The Dyrt user Alix F. wrote.
You can reserve a campsite at Recreation.gov.
Depending on the date you plan to visit, you may also need to make a reservation to drive into Yosemite National Park.
Where should I camp in California?
According to The Dyrt, California was home to half of the 10 best places to camp in the Pacific region in 2025.
Alabama Hill Recreation Center near Lone Pine was No. 1 on the camping app’s list due to its “dry, windswept and jaw-dropping landscape.”
“This place is absolutely amazing,” The Dyrt reviewer Fabiola T. wrote, calling the campground in Inyo County “heaven on earth.”
Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park came in fourth place on The Dyrt’s list, while Sawtooth Canyon Campground near Barstow was No. 7.
Rounding out the list was Morro Bay State Park at No. 10.
The coastal campground in San Luis Obispo County boasts access to trails, birdwatching and the “charming beach town” of Morro Bay, The Dyrt said.
The Dyrt user Vanessa C. praised the Morro Bay campground’s “peaceful and gorgeous view.”
Where are top 10 campgrounds on the West Coast?
There were the top 10 campgrounds in the Pacific region, according to The Dyrt:
- Alabama Hill Recreation Area in Lone Pine
- Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite National Park
- Tillicum Beach Campground in Waldport, Oregon
- Jumbo Rocks Campground in Joshua Tree National Park
- White River dispersed camping in Enumclaw, Washington
- Cape Disappointment State Park Campground in Ilwaco, Washington
- Sawtooth Canyon Campground in Barstow
- Fort Stevens State Park Campground in Hammond, Oregon
- Deception Pass State Park Campground in Oak Harbor, Washington
- Morro Bay State Park Campground in Morro Bay
How did The Dyrt create its list?
The camping app called on its “vast community of campers” to choose the best places to camp in the United States by region, the site said.
Each top 10 list was generated based on reviews and ratings gathered from the app, according to The Dyrt.
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘Fantastic’ Yosemite campground named second-best on West Coast. What’s No. 1?."
