Any recommendations for hotels while we visit Yosemite in the beginning of June? Want to be close to the sites, and prefer a nice, modern hotel.

Everything in the central valley floor is most likely booked for June already. Would suggest looking in El Portal which is the closest "town" just outside the gate to Yosemite. Yosemite View and Cedar Lodge are two to start with. Know that the "south gate" to Yosemite park is a long, long drive to the center of the valley floor. Start looking right now.

Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal is the closest to the park. It's actually closer to Yosemite Valley than some of the facilities within the park.

I found Tenaya Lodge help snotty

To be closest to the sites you will want to stay in Yosemite Valley. Your choices will be the Ahwahnee or Yosemite Lodge if you want modern & nice. Here's a link to the prices.

http://www.yosemitepark.com/html/accom_rate.html#2

Click on reservations and you can check availablity for the dates you want.

They are more than likely booked for June, but I would also call often to see if there were any cancellations. It happens.

Utahtea

We will be visiting Yosemite in July. I made the travel plans through an agency. They had us staying at the Yosemite View Lodge because the Yosemite Lodge inside the park was booked. We wanted to be inside the park, because all the tours start from the Yosemite Lodge. Transportation is provided from hotels to the Park. There is a limited number of cars allowed in the park. All tours are provided by Bus or Tram.

I checked the Yosemite View Lodge website and it is the closest to the Entrance. It looked like a nice hotel. But like I said we wanted to be in the Park for the early morning tour departures.

I asked them to call the Lodge again and gave our credit card #. I received a call the next day and we were booked for the 2 rooms for 3 nights that we wanted. Maybe if you call Yosemite Lodge you may find there is a cancellation. If not, the Yosemite View Lodge seems to be the Hotel you may want.

Sheila

Sheila when did they start limiting cars in the valley? I've heard of talk of this for years but hadn't yet heard that they implemented it. Anybody with difinitive answer?

There have not limited the number of vehicles into Yosemite...yet.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/trip/travel.htm

On a few rare occasions like Memorial Day and July 4th they have had to stop vehicles from going into the valley. I haven't even heard of them doing that in the last couple of years.

Utahtea

We stayed at Yosemite View Lodge about three years ago. It was fairly clean and the room/suite with a kitchenette was large. The decor is very 70's but it was close to Yosemite and it met our needs. We passed the Tenaya Lodge on the way out of Yosemite, after visiting the Maripose Grove of tall trees. It is way to far from the valley floor.

Tox
On the Yosemite National Park website,
it reads that cars have limited access.

It does mention that cars may be parked inside the park, after all how do most people arrive.

It also reads that, all tours will be in buses or trams, but those with a disability may follow the tours bus or tram in their car.

Maybe I misunderstood. When I read the information, that is what I reasoned.

Perhaps there is someone that just returned from Yosemite, and can give us the information.

I've been to Yosemite many times since I live in Northern CA. I know there is talk about limiting cars in the valley to reduce pollution etc but it hasn't happened. The stuff on the web site may be just to let people know it can happen that they close the park to cars but early June should be fine.

Tox

So, we could have driven a car to take our own tour through the Park? We don't have to take the organized Park Tours?

I knew I should have checked this Travel site first. Oh well, our plans are made already.

Sheila

Oh my, Sheila did someone sell you a tour on the basis that you may be turned away in your own vehicle. Not nice, not honest. As you say, plans are made. Hope you enjoy your visit. Yes do check here first next time. We'll try not to lead you astray.

This is a quote from the web site I gave in a previous post above.

"Yosemite National Park is accessible by automobile all year, 24 hours per day."

There are a few roads that only shuttle buses can go on but that's the only limitation I know of. I also live in N. California and if anything happens in Yosemite...we hear about it.

I also don't really want to make this worse for you but there is YART's which are buses that run from Merced, Mariposa, El Portal into the Park for a small fee and then you can ride the free shuttles in Yosemite Valley.

http://www.yarts.com/docs/140fall801.pdf

http://www.yarts.com/index.html

Utahtea

Tox and Utahtea,

This is the scenario...We are travelling by train from our home state. We thought about renting a car in Sacramento and driving to Yosemite. Instead we are taking another train(that is our choice) to Merced, then a Bus to Yosemite Park. We were under the impression that we could not tour in our own car because of the traffic congestion. We weren't actually led astray, but then again we weren't fully informed. I guess I didn't ask the right questions. We will still have a great time!! Thanks for all the info.

I really didn't mean to take the lead from the original poster, but now she/he will have the right info.

Sheila

We just stayed at the Bug Hostel in Midpines. Nice, friendly, inexpensive. They have a bus stop at the entrance that will take you into the park, although we had our own car.

Sheila,

Your trip sounds like fun. No matter how you get to Yosemite, you will enjoy your trip!

Have a good one!

Utahtea