Yosemite 1st week in May
 

Just returning from a fabulous trip to Glacier NP--thanks for many of your suggestions and advice---will post trip rpt. soon----I'm already planning our next trip to Yosemite next May. What are your thoughts on going 1st week in May? I want to definitely stay at Yosemite Falls lodge--for 2 - 3 nights. My first choice would be end of May but rooms not available there--except for memorial day weekend and i've heard its crazy busy. Is there enough to do without Tioga pass and Toulome meadows? Are 2 or 3 nights enough to stay there? I'm going to book VRBO a property near Mariposa for 2 - 3 nights after the valley.

>>What are your thoughts on going 1st week in May?<<

Fabulous time to visit!

>> Is there enough to do without Tioga pass and Toulome meadows? Are 2 or 3 nights enough to stay there?<<

More than enough. 2 nights is good, 3 nights is better, 4 nights even better.

Not quite sure what you plan for the extra nights in Mariposa? If as a base to tour the gold rush/hwy 49 area Mariposa is too far south. Sonora, Angels Camp etc would be better.

Or if you mean it as a base for more time in YNP it is too far - about 90 minutes into Yosemite Village.

A heavy snow year and Glacier Point Road and the road that lead to Maripossa will be closed. But, if a regular snow year, then would most likely be open. Ine the event the road is closed, You could still get to Maripossa Grove, but it is a 4 or 5 mile hike and then another 1-3 miles in the grove itself(depending on how much of it you want to see-I think the entire grove is worth doing).
We were there May 16, 2010 and it snowed on us a bit while we were there. We didn't get to see Glacier Point as the road was closed. The road to Maripossa opened the day before we got there.

Spirobulldog and any one else who might know the area:----Please take a look at this site:
http://www.vrbo.com/84347---I found it on VRBO and have had this yearning to stay here since I found it last year. I looks so beautiful and peaceful---dont even know if we'd go back into the park from here---also don't know if there would be much to do FROM here----thought it would be a place to go AFTER doing most of the park. But....it would be a disaster if we made reservations, then couldnt get to it because of being snowed in. When looking at their calendar, this year, they were booked all spring long, but again, I don't know the area. I wanted to do this trip later in May, but Yosemite Falls lodge, where I know I want to stay only has single days.

You won't be snowed in in May

Here is a link that works http://www.vrbo.com/84347
and here is the actual website http://www.indianpeakranch.com

That property looks nice - but it is a place you'd pretty much sit and chill/enjoy. It s nearly 2 hours from Yosemite Valley and 90 minutes from Wawona.

Re booking in Yosemite Lodge - they get VERY frequent cancellations. Because folks book so far ahead it is often that plans change/trips get cancelled. Keep trying. Even next as late as next Spring you'll probably be successful.

You are pretty much guaranteed that you could see "The Valley", which is what most consider the main area.

Tioga Rd would be very much iffy.

Glacier Point Road kinda iffy

Maripossa Road only slightly iffy

I would try for "in park" lodging myself.

thanks for the input---yes i definitely want to find in the park lodging for 3 - 4 days --- then maybe off to the other property---thanks janis for reassuring that the area where this property is would most likely not be snowed in---I think there will be enough to keep us busy while we're still in the park----if we can only get YFalls for 2 - 3 days----where else in the park would be a good spot? Tenaya lodge---or is that so close to Yosemite Falls that it wouldnt make sense. I am barely at the beginning planning stages, but realize that in the park lodging has to start now.

Personally, I like to stay 2-3 days in The Valley. Which your choices would be Yosemite Falls, The Awahanee, Curry Village(tent cabins and regular cabins), and

Then stay 1 night at Wawonna Lodge> You could stay at Tenya, which is fairly close to Wawona.

To give me a frame of reference, isn't Wawonna lodge jst an hr. or so away from Yosemite Falls? (i did a mapquest) What attractions would be closer to Wawonna? We do hate all of the driving, so if moving for a night would eliminate lots of driving back and forth, that would be a good reason to move.

Don't move.

I would not spend those extra days afterwards near Mariposa. Not enough to do. Depending where you are headed after that would determine where to go next.

Would you say that 4 days at Yosemite Falls lodge would be too long? Will there be enough to do with Tioga Pass not being open yet?

>>Would you say that 4 days at Yosemite Falls lodge would be too long?<<

No. Not for me anyway. Especially if you use one day to visit Wawona/the Redwood grove. But then I could spend hours just sitting on the balcony of my Lodge room drinking a nice wine, reading and enjoying the views.

If you want to squeeze in a lot of 'sites' and such - then 3 days would probably be enough.

I too could easily enjoy sitting on the balcony drinking a nice wine. Do the lodge rooms all have balconies?

Mariposa Grove is right by Wawonna. I probably wouldn't move, but if you having a hard time getting reservations and could get a day there, then it wouldn't be a bad move for 3 nights in the valley and 1 at Wawonna. There is a hike to a nice waterfall there and then you would probably want to spend 1/2 day in Maripossa Grove.

Mariposa Grove is where the Giant Sequoia's are. If you have never been to Yosemite, Sequoia, or the Redwoods you will be super impressed.

Not sure if <i>every </i> lodge room has a balcony/patio but I've stayed at the Lodge 5 or 6 times and each room had a balcony.

. . . Just looked at the website. What they call 'Yosemite Lodge Rooms' have balconies and apparently 'Standard Rooms' don't. . . .

After 4 days in YOsemite---are there any other places/towns that you would go to for a few days on way back to SFO for 3 - 4 days (deciding if we want to go to the VRBO listed above or somewhere else) A friend suggested Santa Cruz. We've already spent a weekend in SF and also LakeTahoe. Mammoth Lakes? or would that be way out of way? We could also fly in or out of another airport from CHicago.

I'd go to the coast - Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur/Santa Cruz. Can't be beat for scenery, food, outdoor activities.

Or - the hwy 49 corridor between Yosemite and Placerville/Auburn. Sonora, Sutter Creek, PLymouth, Somewhere in there or farther north. May is a pretty time in these foothills. There are small Gold Rush towns/villages, lots (LOTS) of vineyards/wineries, Columbia State Park, etc

Since you have been to Lake Tahoe, go to the coast as Janis suggested. Monterey, Carmel, Big Sur are beautiful and handier to SFO. Mammoth is on the other side of Tioga Pass, so maybe next time!

The coast might work for us. If you had a choice between Monterey and Santa Cruz to stay, which would you choose? We like to be on the go---and beach would be nice, too