Hotels

There is no lack of choices for accommodations in and near Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Valley is the hub for lodging, dining, and other services within the park, and is usually quite crowded in summer, but it offers the best location -- close to Yosemite's main attractions and with easy access to the park's shuttle-bus system.

A more narrow scope of choices is available outside the valley, but still within the park: You can camp at Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows, White Wolf, and a host of other campsites; and there are privately owned cabins. In addition, there are some delightful (and generally less-expensive) accommodations, campgrounds, and restaurants outside the park in the gateway communities of El Portal, Mariposa, Oakhurst, Lee Vining, and Groveland.

Inside the Park

Lodging in the park is under the auspices of DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite. Rooms can be reserved up to 366 days in advance (tel. 559/252-4848; TTY 209/255-8345). You can make reservation requests online at www.yosemitepark.com. Reservations are also accepted by mail at Yosemite Reservations, 6771 N. Palm Ave., Fresno, CA 93704.

In addition, more than 130 private homes in the park can be rented through the Redwoods in Yosemite, P.O. Box 2085, Wawona Station, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (tel. 209/375-6666; www.redwoodsinyosemite.com). Offerings range from rustic cabins to luxurious vacation homes, and all are fully furnished and equipped with linens, cookware, and dishes. Rates range from $170 a night for a one-bedroom cabin to $500 a night or more for a five-bedroom spread; there are usually 3-night minimum stays in summer, and 2-night minimums the rest of the year.

Outside The Park

If you choose to stay outside the park, you'll find a plethora of choices, many of which are less expensive than lodging in the park.

Along California 120 (West of the Park) -- Yosemite Lodgings is a group of a dozen inns, cabin resorts, and historic hotels near the Big Oak Entrance. Its website is www.staynearyosemite.com.