Yosemite Southgate Campground *OYBC

Site 4 - Old Yosemite Base Camp (4x4 ONLY)

Great location, easy to find with directions! We had site 1 which was large and level for our big tent. Not much shade but the shade cloth there is nice. We brought an additional screen tent to put over the picnic table which helped with shade and protection from the mosquitos at dusk. The comments about the hike to the porta potties are accurate. The length isn't so bad, it's just really steep! Perfect place to stay to spend time in Yosemite and areas outside the park too.

Kimberly J.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

Tent ·

This camp spot was awesome! We stayed here during our weekend while hiking half dome in Yosemite. The spot was beautiful, comfortable, clean and just a small drive to all the best spots. Would recommend, 10 stars.

Marissa B.

2 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

Tent ·

First time using HipCamp! The instructions and check in, was seamless! Enjoyed my stayed, perfect spot for driving in to Yosemite, I’d recommend this spot 100%. Might be back one day when I’m in town again.

Andres N.

2 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2025

Tent ·

Beautiful area with amazing scenery. Easy to find and not to bad to navigate the camp.

Kai M.

2 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· April 2025

Beautiful stay

Tent ·

The land was beautiful, easy to find and the porta-potties were very clean (my wife was very appreciative). We stayed at site 3, which had a fire pit, table and a cooking grate for the fire. All in very good condition. They aren’t exaggerating when they specify 4WD vehicles to access the sites. Site 3 would have been a back in only site for us (1,000 point turn, on a slope, with a drop-off on the other side) had site 2 been occupied. Tight, but do-able in a full size truck as this is how we accessed the site our first night. We had the “mountain” to ourselves for two out of three nights. Even with a neighbor, it was quiet and we felt secluded. If I were to give any recommendation for someone with a larger vehicle, it would be to grab site 1 (at the top of the hill I think) or site 2, near the base of the hill for ease of access.

Matthew S.

2 reviews

Not recommend

· September 2024

beautiful but beware of pests!

Tent · Group trip ·

overall, this is a great campsite close to the south entrance of the park & very peaceful! unfortunately, we ran into some issues with the local wildlife: black widow spiders, swarms of yellow jackets, scorpions, a tarantula spotting, and even a pesky & bold raccoon who stalked us for an hour before bed! if you’re uncomfortable with fending yourself against nature’s pests, this might not be the spot for you. all of our picnic tables (including our neighbors) were infested with black widows which was pretty unsettling.

Taylor P.

2 reviews

Recommends

· September 2024

Highly recommend

Tent ·

I loved our stay here! It was secluded and quiet. We stayed in Site 3 which was very spacious and had some nice trees and rocks. There was a fire pit and provided grill rack. The view of the stars at night was incredible. The bathrooms were the cleanest porta potties I have ever seen! We did have some problems with ants and wasps.

Marysol E.

10 months on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2024

Tent ·

This is a great spot, I really enjoyed it! I stayed at camp 3 and was the only one staying there which was super nice. There’s a spot right across from 3, so if someone was staying there at the same time you both would be in clear view of each other. Seemed like site 3 has the best shade which was great bc it was so hot. It’s about 20 minutes from the part but an hour and 30 from Yosemite village so keep that in mind. Great spot and really enjoyed it.

Charlotte J.

4 reviews

Mixed feelings

· August 2024

Tent · With kids ·

Great location right off the main road leading into Yosemite from the South Gate (30-40 min drive with no traffic). Best porta potty’s I’ve ever had at a camp site. Super clean. Half the site was a little over run by ants and every time you tried to cook or brought out food you got over run by bees and wasps. We weren’t able to have campfires because of the weather and fire conditions so we couldn’t use smoke to help keep the bees at bay a little. The site had great views and was relatively quiet but with our toddlers it was to chaotic with all the bees. We would wake up each morning with five buzzing between our rainfly and tent and another four flying around inside the vestibule. Once you brought food out there were always 20 or so on you.

Chris K.

2 reviews

Recommends

· July 2024

Would come back

Tent ·

Had the whole place to ourselves. Checked out the other sites and they all looked well kept. Honestly great and convenient place to camp while exploring Yosemite. Surprisingly easy to find as well.

Seth H.

3 reviews

Recommends

· July 2024

Real camping experience !

Tent ·

I loved this area, really close to the downtown, secluded which made my boyfriends and I’s experience romantic! Only downsides are there are no showers on site and closest ones are 20-30 mins away and you have to pay for them. Also, the Porto potty being bottom of the hill is only rough at night! But those were disclosed prior to us coming. Other than that a great camping experience. :) ALSO tip—in the summer the sites do get pretty hot so bring portable fans to cool down..

Nina V.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2024

3 night stay

Tent ·

Great location! There was lots of wildlife, great few of the stars, close to Yosemite, and the town near by is so charming. Hosts were great at getting back to us in a short amount time. Make sure your vehicle is 4x4, it is a steep drive to the campsites.

Natalie W.

2 reviews

Recommends

· June 2024

Tent · Group trip ·

The instructions were very well put together. Enjoyed our stay at Camp 1 which is the highest camp site. Would definitely come back and recommend to my friends who are looking to go camping. Bass lake is only 10 minutes away as well.

Jordan E.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· June 2024

Tent · Group trip ·

Site 4 - Old Yosemite Base Camp (4x4 ONLY)

We had such a great time at this camp. We stayed at site #5 which is all the way up the hill and very spacious. Plenty of space for two tents. The site has several tables in addition to the picnic table, perfect for setting up our cooking gear. The shade cover provided on the site was greatly appreciated because most of the site is fairly exposed. Great view over trees. The porta potties are very clean and convenient. The information we received from Cassidy before the trip was clear, we had no problem accessing the campsite. It's a bit of a drive to Yosemite valley, but doable and we enjoyed being away from the crowds to camp. Highly recommend!

Morgane M.

4 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Tent ·

Site is secluded and quiet. Fire pit was great and has a grate you can easy cook over. Picnic table too. Only downside was the ground was a bit bumpy and on a slope so make sure you have a good sleeping pad under your sleeping bag!

Joel S.

2 reviews

Recommends

· May 2024

Tent · Group trip ·

Site 5 - Old Yosemite Base Camp (4x4 ONLY)

There was a slight problem with my site, but the host reached out to me to help me get a refund. I didn't actually camp here, but 5/5 for customer service.

Porter S.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· May 2024

Tent ·

Loved the location for this site, not too far from Yosemite entrance. The views were beautiful and it was very quiet.

Kennedy R.

3 reviews

Recommends

· October 2023

Great experience!

Tent · Group trip ·

This was such a beautiful site and felt so secluded and safe. It was only about 20 minutes from the south entrance of Yosemite and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Makenna R.

4 reviews

Recommends

· October 2023

Tent ·

This was the perfect place for me to camp just outside of Yosemite. The instructions from the host are great and made for a wonderful overnight stay.

Tyler W.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· October 2023

Great spot!

Tent ·

This was a great spot to stay outside of Yosemite. About an hour and 20 mins to Yosemite valley and a half hour to the south entrance. 10-15 mins away there’s the town of Oakhurst with any store you might need anything from. We stayed at site #1 which is at the top of the hill. 4x4 is definitely needed and there are narrow and right turns to get up there. We have a Toyota Tacoma and had no issues at all getting to our site. Our site had a large picnic table, 2 other wood tables, a fire pit, and an awning for shade. The view was spectacular from our site especially the sunset. Felt very safe camping here.

Jack D.

8 reviews

Recommends

· September 2023

Convenient. Needed a guaranteed place to sleep and didn't need to worry about contending with #vanlife overrun national forest sites.

Brad M.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2023

Tent · Group trip ·

I had an issue with my booking and Cassidy was very accommodating. Site 1 was a nice spot to see the stars. I recommend bringing a canopy for this spot because there isn't much shade. Nice views and pretty surroundings.

Paul F.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· September 2023

Site 3

Tent ·

We recently stayed at OYBC for Labor Day weekend for 2 nights. We booked Site 3 and were very pleased. The campground was easy to get to coming from Bay Area, very clean, and had lots of shade. The downside was we had some trouble finding a flat area to set up our tent and that our site was in the middle of the campground, so you have a little less privacy. Site 1, 2, and 4 were within view. Other than that, there was a bundle of wood waiting for us at the fire pit, two tables (1 with seats and 1 without), and only a 15 minute drive to Bass Lake and 1.5 hr drive to Yosemite valley floor. The bathrooms were clean but were a bit far (located at the front entrance) and you have to walk up and down the treacherous hill. Just bring a portable toilet with privacy tent and you should be good. Trash bin was also located at the front entrance. We didn’t really see wasps, but we did see mosquitoes, ants, and flies. There were not too many, but a screened canopy and traps definitely would help. No sightings of wildlife during our stay. They are not messing around when they say you absolutely need AWD or 4x4 to get in the campground. It’s a fairly steep climb, with lots of gravel, potholes, and uneven terrain. We only wish our site could fit more cars and people so we could bring our friends next time. Perfect camping getaway for singles, couples, or small families!

Mark K.

1 year on Hipcamp

Mixed feelings

· August 2023

Cat fish

Tent · Group trip ·

This place looks nothing like the pictures. It served its purpose but we had to go the extra mile to rent a 4x4 and camp here. Wasn’t worth it tbh. If it was as nice as the pictures show, then I would recommend this place

Josue D.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2023

Tent ·

We were camping here in a 4runner and rooftop tent on campsite #3. Upon arrival we realized this site was too uneven and too much tree cover. Campsite 5 was much flatter and open so we called and were allowed to switch to site 5 as it was open promptly and with no issues. Campsite was great and views were awesome! Great service.

Danielle M.

5 reviews

Mixed feelings

· August 2023

Cool spot. Steep climb.

Tent · Group trip ·

This is a cool camp spot! Very private and quiet. The exceptionally clean porta-potties were much appreciated! The trek down and up to the porta-potties is very steep so be aware if you have any members of your group who struggle physically. Something to know is that you will absolutely need a 4x4 vehicle to camp here, as mentioned in the profile. Just make sure to put it into low should you need to climb to site #2 or #1. We got stuck at site #2, due to taking bit of a wide turn on loose gravel and a soft shoulder (we were trying to gain speed up the hill). Luckily our van rental came with roadside assistance. The hosts were responsive regarding this mishap and provided a wonderful towing service, but did not respond earlier in the week when I had requested a different site. It would have been helpful to have been moved. Additionally, we scrapped the hek out of our rental van due to tree branches hanging in the road to our site. I reported this to the host, as well, but did not hear back. Not sure if we’ll get a charge back for the damage or not. We did leave two days early from this site after getting stuck to “boondock” a bit closer to the park at an area (just outside of the entrance to Yosemite), because we were concerned about the climb to our site. Again, this is a really cool place to camp and we were very happy other than the steepness to the site and the unresponsiveness from the host regarding out concerns.

Stephanie J.

3 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2023

Tent · With kids ·

We stayed two nights at Site 2. We arrived after dark and initially missed the driveway entrance which isn't easy to spot. But the address in the GPS was spot on. The site was easy to access, nice and level, clean and very peaceful. The porta potties were an easy walk down the hill - most convenient from site 2. We had a couple of fellow campers up the hill but they were not easily spotted and we barely heard them. It was a great experience!

Christine R.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· August 2023

Camping for seeing Yosemite

Tent ·

Spot 2 is the absolute best! Perfect area. Nice and flat with a beautiful sunset view. Easy to get to and felt safe. The port-a-potty’s were clean as can be! Only two complaints were that the trash was locked shut so if you have trash you will put it in your car at night. The other complaint is that there are no bear boxes. So if you are sleeping in your car make sure you have room for your food and self! So close to Yosemite and beautiful. We recommend!

Anika K.

1 year on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2023

Great Spot

Tent ·

It was a great night. It was a quick stay but it was everything that was stated. The directions were great and Cassidy was very helpful. A quick drive to Yosemite so it was exactly what we were looking for.

Jason C.

2 years on Hipcamp

Recommends

· July 2023

Amazing Views, site 2

Tent · With kids ·