Hotels in Yosemite National Park
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 sites; there are privately owned cabins as well.
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
In the parks, your options are fairly limited; the finite number of rooms and seemingly limitless number of peak-season visitors make for high occupancy and rates. And the fact that many of the parks' hostelries have historic designations means they might not fit some visitors' modern tastes.
For information on much of the lodging within Yosemite National Park, contact DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, P.O. Box 578, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (tel. 801/559-5000; www.yosemitepark.com). For lodging information and reservations at Wuksachi Lodge in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, call tel. 866/807-3598 or 801/559-4930, or visit www.visitsequoia.com. For information on Grant Grove, John Muir, or Cedar Grove lodges in Kings Canyon National Park, call tel. 866/522-6966 or 559/335-5500, or visit www.sequoia-kingscanyon.com.
In the gateway cities, there is more variety, from dorm-style hostels to luxury ski resorts. House-swapping is a possibility in many of the gateway cities, especially Visalia and Oakhurst.
In addition, more than 130 private homes in the park can be rented through Redwoods in Yosemite, P.O. Box 2085, Wawona Station, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389 (tel. 888/225-6666; www.redwoodsinyosemite.com). Offerings range from cabins to vacation homes, all furnished and equipped with linens, cookware, and dishes. Summer rates range from $250 a night for a one-bedroom cabin to $800 or more for a six-bedroom spread; there are usually 3-night minimum stays in summer, 2-night minimums the rest of the year. You'll find a similar operation at Yosemite West Lodging (tel. 559/642-2211; www.yosemitewestreservations.com), which rents private homes, cottages, and condo units in a forested area in the park about 10 miles from Yosemite Valley and 8 miles from Badger Pass. Nightly rates range from $95 to $495 in summer.
Outside the Park
Outside the park you'll find a plethora of choices, many of which are less expensive than lodging within the park.
Along California 120 & Groveland (West of the Park) -- Charming little Groveland oozes historic character, but our favorite lodgings here are closer to the entrance to Yosemite off California 41. Yosemite Lodgings (www.staynearyosemite.com) is a group of a dozen inns, cabin resorts, and historic hotels near the Big Oak Flat Entrance.
Along California 140 & Mariposa -- Mariposa is a small town with plenty of Western character. It makes for a good base but requires a bit of driving to get in and out of Yosemite proper.
Along California 41 & Oakhurst -- Something of a bedroom community for Fresno, Oakhurst is a modern city that lacks the Western charm of Mariposa and Groveland. It is difficult to find a room here under $150 in peak summer season; bargain hunters should best look to stay in Fresno or Madera en route to Yosemite.
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12 Results
- Hotel
Curry Village
Since 1899, this has been the budget option in Yosemite Valley. The majority of the 500 units are bare-bones canvas tent-cabins that share a communal bathhouse, but there are wooden cabins (with and without private bathrooms) and a few motel-style units. Curry Village is convenient,…$$ - Hotel
El Mono Motel
Off-beat and fun, this renovated 1920s motel hits all of the right notes for budget travelers, from the warm and colorful guestrooms (love the 60s vibe comforters) to the resident coffeehouse, Latte Da, which serves excellent java and a raft of organic baked items. The place has a…$Near The Park
- Hotel
Evergreen Lodge
This complex dates back to the 1930s, and was completely reinvented in 2004 as an upscale, family-oriented resort well off of the beaten path on the road to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. Today it is one of the best places to stay in the Yosemite area, with a great slate of recreational…$$$Near The Park - Hotel
Housekeeping Camp
A smaller version of Curry Village, and here all of the units are canvas tent-cabins with shared bathrooms and no electricity. Onsite is a basic camp store and laundry machines. The prices are right, but if you’re hooked on modern conveniences, you may want to look elsewhere.$ - Hotel
Lake View Lodge
This is a good mom-and-pop motel on the south side of Lee Vining with large, lush lawns that are perfect for kids with excess energy. Rooms are functional and nicely maintained, and there are larger family units and some nice standalone cottages. True budgeters take the camping…$$Near The Park - Hotel
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
You'd be forgiven for assuming that this lodge is part of the National Park System. It's not. But it has all the hallmarks of one of those great in-park venues (think of the Old Faithful Inn in Yosemite): a soaring lobby space with a massive stone fireplace and lots of…$$$Near The Park - Hotel
The Ahwahnee
Steve Jobs, Queen Elizabeth II, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and the Shah of Iran all stayed at the Ahwahnee over the years, and we’re guessing they felt it was one of the most magnificent places they’d ever bunked. A masterpiece of “parkitechture,” opened in…$$$ - Hotel
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
Not unlike Housekeeping Camp or White Wolf Lodge, this is a collection of seasonal canvas tent-cabins that can accommodate up to four guests. You don't get private bathrooms or electricity, but this does offer a much more secluded atmosphere compared to Curry Village in Yosemite…$$ - Hotel
Wawona Hotel
The Wawona Hotel was built in 1879 before the area was part of the national park, and its as gracious and inviting as it ever was. Today a National Historic Landmark, it showcases the Yosemite history better than any of its in-park peers, thanks to its décor of authentic and…$$ - Hotel
White Wolf Lodge
This is as off the beaten path as lodging in Yosemite gets, and my favorite of all the tent-cabin complexes in the park. The cabins have woodburning stoves and the area is rich on the atmosphere as the lodge is set in a subalpine meadow (prime wildflower territory) bordered by…$$ - Hotel
Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
This funky mountain resort is my favorite lodging in the Yosemite area, with a big personality that captures the soul of the Sierra Nevada. Douglas Shaw and Caroline McGrath started the Bug as a hostel in 1997, and the property has snowballed into a true destination in the years…$Near The Park - Hotel
Yosemite Lodge at the Falls
This is the most modern lodging in Yosemite, and it also has the best views of Yosemite Falls, which splashes down to the valley floor right across the road. Guestrooms have a contemporary mountain feel with sturdy wooden furnishings and a good amount of light; a handful of larger…$$$
