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Yosemite offers numerous accommodation options, convenient as it is far from town. From camping to luxury lodges, there’s something for everyone inside the park.
Places to Stay
Yosemite offers far more options for accommodation than the average National Park. And that’s very convenient, because it isn’t exactly close to town. Whether you’re up for roughing it or want a feather bed at the end of the day, there’s lodging to suit you inside the park.
Lodges
The Ahwahnee was specifically designed to highlight its natural surroundings, featuring Yosemite Falls, Half Dome and Glacier Point.
If you like to wind down from adventuring with a little civilization, Yosemite has several lodges and hotels conveniently located in the Valley. The most upscale are the Ahwanee and the Yosemite Valley Lodge. You’ll get to experience all the charms of the valley, plus a bed and a shower when you’re done sightseeing. Further south, you can also stay at the Mariposa Lodge, conveniently close to Mariposa Grove.
On the cheaper end, you can rent a cabin or tent cabin at the White Wolf Lodge or Curry Village. On the Tioga Road, there’s the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, the highest elevation accommodation in the park. Lodging tends to fill up completely in the summer in Yosemite. So if you want to experience the park with a little luxury, be sure to make reservations far in advance.
Rent A Cabin or House with VRBO
When hotels are booked, your next best option is VRBO. If you don’t know already, VRBO is a service that lets homeowners rent out their properties for tourists to use seasonally. So, particularly if you plan on coming to Yosemite in the off-season, you can find some killer lodging just outside the valley for cheap! We dug up a few that would make for prime real estate for a backcountry ski trip or off-season climbing adventure.
Peace of Mine is a comfortable and family friendly (pups welcome too!) cabin located inside Yosemite National Park. Photo by VRBO.
This incredible log cabin called Peace of Mine is located inside the park, is pet friendly, and houses up to seven people.
Lupin Cabin – Beautiful one-bedroom cabin just minutes from Yosemite Valley. Photo by VRBO.
Perched on a hilltop, this cabin [ ] features a cozy living space and patio for lounging and grilling.
Wawona Cabin at The Redwoods In Yosemite. Photo by VRBO.
If you need space for more happy campers, this cabin in the Wawona area can sleep up to eight. It’s a gorgeous property with a jetted bath tub, pleasantly secluded in the woods.
Camping
Camping in Yosemite National Park
Of course, outdoor purists will always choose sleeping out under the stars over an air conditioned hotel room. And as always, Yosemite provides. There are a total of 13 campgrounds throughout the park.
In the Yosemite Valley, Upper Pines is the main year-round, high-capacity campground with 238 total sites. Lower Pines and North Pines (open during the busy season) are situated adjacent, with 60 and 81 sites each. All have good access to the river, lovely shade trees, and fantastic views of the overhanging domes. The other option in the Valley is Camp 4, a hike-in camp typically used by climbers who want to get a little further off the grid while camping in the park.
South of the Valley, you’ll find Wawona and Bridalveil Creek Campgrounds. Wawona is a solid access point for Mariposa grove, with 93 sites. Bridalveil Creek is located much higher up in the mountains, at around 7200 feet elevation. It has 110 sites, and is less often visited by campers. Either of these options are perfect if you want to see a different part of the park from most people.
Along the Tioga Road, there are seven additional campgrounds. They proceed up in elevation as you go along, topping out at Tuolumne Meadows campground. This might be the most panoramic campground in the park, sitting at 8600 feet. You’ll be dead center in the park’s high country, surrounded by rocky peaks and alpine meadows crisscrossed with babbling creeks.
Along the Tioga Road, campground sizes vary a lot. On the low end, Porcupine Flat has just 52 sites, whereas Tuolumne Meadows has 304 in total. Being on top of the Valley gives you lots of different options for activities, hikes, and sights. If you camp along the Tioga Road, take in the unique scenery of the high country and enjoy the lack of crowds found in the Valley proper.
