Thank you JBC411 and janisj for your wise words. Living in a state at sea level throughout makes it more challenging to appreciate the variability in California with the impact from the mountains. Will pursue lodging IN the park to savor that unique experience. northfloridatraveler

Here is another North Florida Traveler with questions about Yosemite. I have gotten a lot of great info from this thread. Hope you can advise me as well.

We are going to SF the last week of March. We have considered going to Yosemite for 2 nights. Is it crazy to think about going then? I have looked at staying at the Yosemite View Lodge which looks reasonable and has kitchenettes. Is that a good place? I understand that lots of parts of Yosemite will be off limits but is there enough to see and do that it would be worth a trip in March? We are not big hikers.

The answer to this question may also help lynAK. Would it be wise to pay extra and rent a 4WD vehicle for Yosemite in May or would we be fine in a car? March?

LynAK: An explanation is in order here.

Yosemite is a huge place - covering a vast elevation change. Yosemite Valley is a small part in the south western section of the park. When people talk about things being inaccessible they mean the high country - not the Valley. During a short visit to YNP, one isn't likely to even get out of the valley so the high/back country being closed isn't an issue. There is much more to see/do in Yosemite Valley than possible in a 2 day whirlwind visit.

Unless there are some truly extreme situations, Yosemite Valley will be fully accessible.

If you can, stay in the Valley itself instead of at Yosemite View Lodge. "Yosemite View" doesn't have a view of Yosemite - you only get that w/i the valley itself. If everything in the valley is booked up, you could make a cancellable reservation at Yousemite View and then keep checking for cancellations in the Valley.

northfloridatraveler: I didn't see you latest post before I posted.

No you don't really need a 4wd to go to the Valley. But if it makes you more confident in mountain driving, go for it. A 4wd won't get you into the high country because the roads closed.

LOL, Janis. Good point about the Nevada desert. You are always thinking--and thinking well--and are one of my favorite Fodor's posters of all time.

But darn it, Janis, when commenting on my posts, you always reverse the last two of my initials. It's JBC not JCB. Maybe if you remember that I was johncharles from back in San Jose Wierdo days it will help. And thanks for joining me in helping quash his recent reappearance, too.

Sorry for the brief hijack of the thread, other posters. By the way, for all of you, I strongly agree with janis that Yosemite View Lodge should only be considered if one can't find a place in the Valley. And that Yosemite West is also preferable to Yosemite View Lodge, especially for someone like northfloridatraveler who is coming into the park fromm the South and for which Yosemite View is out of the way.

I have always found El Portal, where Yosemite View is located, a pretty charmless little highwayside strip of motels, gas stations and stores. I think secluded, woodsy Yosemite West is a much more appealing environment, as well as being excellently located not only for the Valley but for all park attractions south of it, and for those entering the Park from the South.

But the bottom line is always that anything else is a very poor second to staying in the Valley.

JCB411 -- oops, JBC411: Must be latent dyslexia! :)

In March, April and May you should carry chains into Yosemite. It's actually required. It can snow during these months. The catch 22 is that most rental places don't allow chains!

http://www.nps.gov/yose/now/conditions.htm

Yosemite Valley is great any time of the year. Spring will have great waterfalls!

Utahtea

We stayed at the Yosemite View Lodge in early June last year. We would have preferred to stay in the Valley, but since we couldn't get a room there, this was a good alternative. The rooms are large and have a kitchenette, but the best feature was the private balcony. It's definitely worth it to pay extra for a river view room - I loved sitting and watching the river while I drank my morning coffee, and in the evening sipping a glass of wine and relaxing. It was fascinating and mesmerizing watching the water tumble over the rocks - and we left our sliding door open at night to fall asleep to the sound of the river (which was amazinly loud!).

I highly recommend renting bikes and riding around the valley. You can rent them at the lodge. The paved trails are flat and easy to ride on, and take you away from the noise and traffic of the roads. You can cover a lot of area, but stop whenevr you want to take pictures or just gawk at the spectacular scenery. I think it's the best way to see the valley. The bikes are kind of clunky - onr speed, with coaster brakes - but it's flat enough not to be a problem.

northerfloridatraveler
I think its great to bring in your questions. To add to your questions about lodging I found the following websites helpful: www.scenicwonders.com
www.yosemite.com I booked my cabin through scenic wonders did use them in the past (1997) and I find the prices are ok, I am traveling with 3 others so it is a little cheaper when you devide the expenses, not sure how many in your party. Hope this can help.

I have checked on the Yosemite Lodge in the Park and they have rooms for the nights we would be there in late March. From the advice on this thread I get the impression that I should jump on that rather than going for the slightly cheaper (but with kitchenette) place at the Yosemite View Lodge.

Yes, I'd jump on the Yosemite Lodge option, LynAK. Other than it's location, I have nothing against the Yosemite View Lodge, which sounds like a very pleasant place to stay especially if one gets a river room, but not too much different from many other fine riverside inns in California. The scenery there is nice but not exceptional.

I think you will find there to be something incomparable and indescribable about staying in Yosemite Valley. Even those who have visited the Valley but stayed outside it don't quite get what it is, but I think the great majority of us who have had the experience share the feeling there's no substitute for it.

You may not have a kitchenette at Yosemite Lodge, but you may have your own patio table with a magnificent unobstructed view of Yosemite Falls, as I did last time I was there. It was great to sip after-dinner drinks there and watch the Falls, ghostly reflectling the moonlight, then wake up in the morning and watch then shimmer in the sunlight over our coffee.

In addition to a pretty good semi-pricey restaurant with view of the Falls--the Mountain Room--the Lodge has a cafeteria and grocery store on site for lower-cost food alternatives.

Thanks colombiana. I tried to book Yosemite Lodge on the yosemitepark.com site for our 1st of May dates and it was showing no availability. Searched on Orbitz and Hotel.com for the same dates and they showed availability for one of the nights at Yosemite Lodge, so I snatched it up and have received a confirmation number. Has anyone else experienced this and most importantly, did they have a room upon arrival? Since going to a hotel next door isn't an option if the Lodge is overbooked or there is a mistake, I am wondering if I need to book a back up hotel.

I doubt that the Lodge overbooks because they know there are always people checking for cancellations and they can fill any vacancies quickly.
On the other hand, they may give a certain # of rooms to Orbitz or Hotels to sell, and so those sites could show availablility when yosemitepark does not.

But now since you have booked, the Lodge should have your name. I'd call them, and if they do, I wouldn't worry. But if they don't, I would take it up with the site which gave you the confirmation number.