ccrosner

I have read one too many accounts on Tripadvisor of raccoons actually breaking into guests' rooms at Yosemite Lodge--either when people are sleeping or during the day. It's freaking me out as we are to stay there in late August and I know that my kids (and I) will not sleep if one comes to visit us.

So given that there is no better option for lodging (Ahwahnee too expensive), does anyone have advice for how to keep them away? I know that we will need to leave windows open due to lack of a/c and should not keep any food in our room (or our car). Does anyone have a trick?

Thanks!

janisj

There really is no way to keep racoons, ground squirrels, chipmunks etc out unless you keep your window closed.

At night is will be cool so sleeping w/ the windows shut won't be a problem.

ccrosner

Thanks for the encouragement. glad to hear we may be able to keep the windows closed.

Others have any experience?

dbaker

We have been to Yosemite almost every year for the past 22 years and have never seen a racoon. We have camped in the high country and in the valley and have also stayed at the Yosemite Lodge and Camp Curry. We have seen a fox, many bears, deer, yellow-bellied marmots (high country), etc.

Basically, all the animal would want is a quick meal. Keep your room free of food and there is no reason that any critter will want to visit you.

Most people go to Yosemite either fearing the wildlife or not taking it seriously enough. My advise is to respect it, giving the animals plenty of room, and keep all food away from all animals.

Nothing urks me more than to see someone feeding the squirrels or birds or leaving food out for the bears to steal. The animals become dependent on the food and venture into areas where they shouldn't be, becoming more and more aggressive in their actions. Many are killed.

The racoons, squirrels, etc. won't bother you but don't leave your door open unattended either as they are really quick and can sneak in before you know it!

J_Correa

We have camped at Yosemite a few times - 3-4 nights each time. I have seen 2 raccoons. We were outside around the campfire one night and 2 raccoons tumbled into our campsite. It looked like they were just playing around, wrestling or whatever. They stopped, looked at us, and ran back into the woods. Left us all just cracking up.

FainaAgain

HUH? Now they want you to cook your own dinner?

Bring a burner

ccrosner

Thanks, all. We look forward to our Yosemite/Sequoia trip and share your respect for wildlife. Never could understand why people like to feed squirrels (as we observed at both the Grand Canyon and the Virgin Narrows entrance at Zion).

sunshine7

Two years ago we were at the Yosemite Lodge during a hot spell. We were on the 2nd floor and the first night we kept the door to the balcony open, because we did not have enough air circulation with only the windows open. In the morning we saw evidence of a racoon in our room. We did have some snack food in our room because we knew not to keep any food in our car. Needless to say, the following nights we kept the door completely shut, and we were fine although a little warm.

Looking back we have a funny story to tell, though I plan to never repeat the situation.

crefloors

The animals LIVE there, YOU visit there.

TheWeasel

Sorry crefloors, raccoons do not live in the lodges. They are visitors just as much as the paying human guests. Except they didn't pay, so they really don't belong in the lodges, hence they are unwanted visitors.

PalmettoMelUSA

Just returned from Yosemite. Our first night was at the Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal. Wonderful. It was clean, well-managed and our room was right on the Merced River -- beautiful views! The next two nights we were booked at the Yos. Lodge in the Park. Our room was on the ground floor with the stairwell right there. We heard every single footstep. Also, the room was dingy, dark and in need of renovation. Asked to be moved and they accommodated us. Next room was worse! Also on the ground floor next to the road. We opened the screen for fresh air and the whole door fell off! The room smelled of dirty socks, the wallpaper was torn and it, too needed a major overhaul. We called the front desk and told them this was completely unacceptable and we were going back to El Portal. They graciously offered to pay for our first night back there, which we felt was the right thing for them to do. I would not stay at the Yosemite Lodge. It needs a complete overhaul, not just new comforters! We weren't going to stick around to see if any raccoons came in. Other than this mishap, Yosemite was awesome, in every sense of the word!

dbaker

I believe a nice way to put it is that the lodgings in Yosemite (with the exception of the Awahanee) are "rustic". They are expensive but ours did not have any AC of course and it can get into the 100s in the valley. Thats why we camp and save the money. At least you can control whether your tent's "door" comes off or not!

Stephanie

I'd fear the human animal way more than a smaller critter. You're more likely to be killed by a human animal than anything living in a forest. I've seen a raccoon several times on my front porch and have yelled at it and it scurried away with no resistance.

GoTravel

Yes, the raccoons live there and we are the visitors. The Lodge was built on their turf.

The raccoons will not bother you.

sms73

Just noticed this old post and it reminded me of our trip to Yosemite a few years ago. We were also asleep in a second floor lodge room with the door to the balcony open because of the heat. I woke to hear something in the room and woke my husband. He was next to the light but took few minutes to wake up enough to turn it on. When he did, we saw a huge raccoon leaving through the door. It had been rummaging through my son's backpack, and pulled out a plastic bag filled with colorful Legos, which it was dragging to the door; not sure if it was intended as a present for its little babies back home but it had to leave the bag behind. Our kids slept through the adventure.

MonicaRichards

It's funny to me to think of people being afraid of raccoons. Just don't corner them and you'll be fine. Once when I went camping (not in Yosemite) one of them figured out how to unlock our cooler and was taking our food. I shooed it away twice before I finally figured out to stack the coolers so he couldn't open the one. Then at our house (in the heart of downtown San Jose) they used to get into the laundry room--we'd always know because of the raccoon prints everywhere the next day. Once I heard them and flipped on the light--a whole little family, mom, dad and baby! Thank goodness I didn't open the door. Anyhow, I think they're cute, just don't corner them!

Surfergirl

I often wonder how people find these old posts -- I mean, what criteria do you use?

I don't know that I'd want to have a raccoon in my room, but we like seeing them outside. Never seen one in Yosemite Lodge rooms, but most years we see them at Camp Curry at the pizza deck. They live under the deck and come out at night to grab the scraps.