Yosemite Lodging
 

Initial planning for an early (2nd week) June visit to Yosemite (1st visit). We normally like to stay in the park when we go to NPs and a typical park lodge would be minimal standard (no tents, etc.).

One wrinkle is that we are going to try to go with another family (total of 4 adults and 4 teens). Am I likley to find any VRBO type 4BRs close enough? In what areas should I look? Or is the strong recommendation to stay at the National Park facilities?

We'll be interested in 1/2 and full day hikes. We have a week (coming from Indiana) and will consider King's Canyon and Sequoia as well (or a full week in Yosemite).

Budget? don't know -- I need to see the going rates. It's all relative to me.

Apologies for not doing all my reseach first, but I assume I'm already behind the curve.

Thanks as always.

Hi IndyDad.

Try Yosemite West. These are privately owned condos and houses just inside the park boundaries and are really the only viable alternative for large accommodations.

http://www.yosemitewest.com
https://www.scenicwonders.com

Otherwise for motel type accommodations (if you decide against staying at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls in the Valley) there is Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal.

Anyplace else will be too far and too long a drive.

We like Yosemite Lodge at the Falls because the location is perfect for everything. It is overpriced, but we don't go to Yosemite that often (and the adjoining restaurant is good).

HTtY

Cabin accommodations at Curry Village are also a big step up from tents. Some have bathrooms, some do not so you use a shared camping area bathroom that is ok.

"1/2 day" hikes in Yosemite depend on your fitness & therefore pace.


Here are some typical half day hikes in the valley area.
Halfway up Yosemmite falls.
John Muir or Mist trail

Full day
Glacier point down - i think it's the Panorama trail

Shorter hikes include Bridal Vail, lower yosemite falls (to the base), or walking any part of the valley loop trail, or Mirror Lake.

your pace may vary.

I liked Yosemite View Lodge- easy drive into the park- you can even take the bus into the park from there if you don't want to drive.

It would be a good place for kids- swimming pool, restaurant and a pizza parlor

The rooms have small kitchens so easy to do your own breakfast or make a lunch for the day

Pretty much Yosemite Lodge is the best option, but IndyDad was also asking about self catering accommodations (they lived in the UK for a while so will know what I'm talking about)

By all means -- Yosemite Lodge is THE place to stay, but for a multi bedroom, multi bathroom, self catering house or condo, it would have to be Yosemite West.

Thanks for the input. (hi janisj -- I turned back up after a break!) It gives me a good place to start.

I did have "self catering" in mind but I will also look into the on site options (Yosemite Lodge is already full though).

Any thoughts on how (or if) to split the week between Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia?

W/ all the hiking I know you do I'd probably do 4 full days in YNP and 2 in S/KC . . . W/ the time needed to travel between them 4/2 would pretty much be a full week.

W/ 4 days n Yosemite you'd have approx 2.5 days for the Valley and around, part of one day for Wawona, and a day for some of the high country.

Re Yosemite Lodge it is booked up just about year round. But because folks book months/years ahead they also often have to cancel. Cancellations come up daily. There won't be many cancellations this far out for next June - but as it gets closer to the date more folks have to bail. Your problem is you'll need two family rooms so the chance of getting them on the same dates could end up nail biting time.

If it was me I'd book a condo if it has a liberal cancellation/refund policy, or Yosemite View (which does allow canceling til late) and then about next Feb or March start calling Yosemite Lodge to check for cancellations.

By April I'd call almost daily . . . and you'll likely get in. If not, you'll have the Condo to Yosemite View.

OOps -- went to preview and posted by mistake . .

>>If not, you'll have the Condo or Yosemite View to fall back on.<<

Yosemite View Lodge is not the same as Yosemite Lodge- you probably know that but it is a bit confusing

http://www.stayyosemiteviewlodge.com

We have stayed at Evergreen Lodge. It is outside of the park but it is not a bad drive. It has cabins and houses to rent and lots of things for the kids and family to do when you are not in the park. They also have a nice restaurant. The place is on the road to Hetch Hetchy reservoir and it has a really nice hike with some great views. Oh and thanks for the advice you gave regarding Ireland. We went in May and had a great time! Have fun in Yosemite.

I have to disagree - Evergreen Lodge is 'only' about 35 miles from Yosemite Village -- but that take about 1 hour 20 minutes - a long commute twice a day w/ 8 folks in tow. And it is about 50 miles/2 hours from Wawona.

I just wouldn't. Yosemite West (35-ish minutes), Yosemite View Lodge (30 minutes), and Yosemite Lodge (no minutes), are all MUCH closer.

There appear to be some rentals in Foresta "inside the park" from www.4yosemite.com

Know anything about the location or company?

Eiher Yosemite West or Foresta would be OK. The reason I suggested Yosemite West - it is a bit more central and allows easier access to all parts of the Park. It is a much easier drive to Glacier Point/Wawona etc.

Any suggestions for King's Canyon and/or Sequoia NP? Do those from a single base or is that too much?

Thanks again.

Suggest you concentrate on Yosemite - and the tent cabins in Yosemite have even been upgraded a bit and are just fine.

They also have a very good pizza place in Curry village and a decent cafeteria.

We might tack on a few extra days, hence the Kings Canyon/Sequoia question. Any suggestions?

Since you are going to Yosemite first, see Mariposa Grove in the south end of the park to see Giant Sequoias.
The trees are a little bigger in Kings Canyon/Sequoia but not too much.
For scenery, you can't beat Yosemite IMO. That is unless there is a lot of smoke from forest fires as there was late this summer.

I come to a different conclusion than tomfuller. Assuming that you are going to Sequoia/Kings canyon (SEKI), which I can heartily recommend, then skip the Mariposa grove and head for SEKI. The largest tree in the Mariposa Grove is the 17th largest in the world. The rest are elsewhere, mostly in SEKI, and the General Sherman tree is fully 46% larger than the largest in the Mariposa Grove. See the list on this page.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...giant_sequoias

There is much more to SEKI than just trees. Check the NPS site for what you can experience there.

http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm

After I visited Yosemite and SEKI in succession many years ago, when I got home I realized that that I had (by a small margin) liked SEKI the best. But in fairness, that was in August and the falls in Yosemite were not much more than a trickle.

The park is very nice but I'd have trouble convincing myself to go back. It's just the way they run the park.

It's been about 3 years since I was there. Maybe they made some changes. Maybe not.

Since I'm writing this I'll tell you what I liked and what I didn't.

Always stay in the park. They have (had) a free shuttle but it doesn't go on summer routes until July (not even Father's Day weekend). That means to get to the incoming tunnel from the valley you have to drive. Unfortunately I was there Father's Day weekend. I spent 4 hours trying to get back into the park after spending a good part of the day doing a few hikes along Glacier Road.

If you stay at Yosemite View Falls (very good location), make sure you don't stay in the units right opposite the office. Or ask them if they still have the policy of no parking in "your own" parking lot between 8AM and 8PM (at least) as the parking lot is reserved for tour buses and those with restaurant reservations (maybe they no longer do that). Good luck finding a space in somebody else's parking lot.

If you go down to the Grove, make sure that all of the "free" buses from the parking lot to the Grove are running. They're not so quick to fix a "free" bus as one that is charged. When I was there 3 of the 4 buses were out of service. A lot of pushing (with good reason) by those who waited over an hour and wanted to get there.

If/when you go to Glacier Point either go early in the morning or late in the day. The parking lot is small and the crowds (with good reason) could be large. One big traffic jam. California laws (if any apply) aside, if I was running the park I would build a big parking lot at the junction of the main road and Glacier Road. Then put 4 buses (maybe 2 or 3 would be enough) on the route between the parking lot and Glacier Point. Charge some nominal amount to park (maybe $2 per car) and a nominal amount (maybe $1 per person return) to ride the bus. After a while they'd start making a profit and everybody could get to see the spectacular views.

I took my daughter and granddaughter to Yosemite. The day I went to Glacier Rd to hike they went on a Jr Ranger hike and then took an art class. I have to thank the park for these activities. This part July I took them both to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons. My granddaughter remembered the art class and made sure they brought paint and drawing paper. They spend a few hours at Artist Point in Yellowstone painting. We were lucky enough to get a bench facing the falls and that's where they set up to paint.

One of the evening activities (slight charge) was a star gazing activity kids. We all enjoyed that.

I really enjoyed getting up very early each morning and driving around the valley stopping all over to photograph the scenery.

I can't comment on Tioga Road since we never got there. Partly because it open during the trip and partly because we lost a day due to a flight from "hell" getting there. We got there a day late due to bad weather in Atlanta that cancelled our flight and we had to sleep over there.

You may need to discount a lot of what myer posted. He had a very bad experience in YNP and does post about it frequently. I have been to Yosemite more than 15 times over the years and have never experienced the problems he faced. Plus he is talking about Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, not 'Yosemite View Falls'.

I have stayed at Yosemite lodge at the Falls at least 7 times and have never np been unable to find a parking place.

Lets just say he must have been very unlucky.

I wouldn't discount anything I wrote if I were you. Everything is absolutely true and happened exactly the way I explained.

I also wrote that things may have changed. I also wrote that these are things you should inquire about in the event they haven't changed.

Correct janisj. The name is Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. The one in the park in an excellent location.

The Lodge spreads on either side of the office. Each side has a parking lot in front of it. The largest parking lot by far of the three is the one opposite the office. That's the one that you were not permitted to use between 8AM and at least 8PM. We were also told that rangers would ticket any cars in that lot.

Oh, and I forgot to mention. Yosemite is the most commercial park I have ever visited. Every building you go into has a ticket counter with some event to sell.

Is the park beautiful? Yes. Is it the most beautiful? I don't know as many other are beautiful as well without all of the negatives.

And you may want to discount what janisj wrote. I didn't have a very bad experience. Just many annoying things that I have never experienced at any other park.

I also didn't suggest you don't go there. I just gave you some tips about things you may want to check out in advance of your visit.

Appreciate all the input.

Interesting that we can get a "taste" of the redwoods in Mariposa Grove. That would certainly simplify things. (dbdurand's counterpoint duly noted -- we'll continue to research)

As stated earlier, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls is booked and trying to accommodate 2 families with cancellations seems a little dicey.

The Curry Village tents are not an option for this crew.

Currently researching the Scenic Wonders options. Most seem to be $500-600/nt (split between 2 families). Cancellation fee is not insignificant though so if we go that way, we go that way.

2 rooms at the Yosemite View Lodge would be about $400/nt (for a lot less space) but less upfront commitment.

still searching . . .

"Yosemite is the most commercial park I have ever visited."...Myer.

I have to comment that this was the thing that stood out during my visit to Yosemite. The price of ice was $10. I took pictures of the sign to prove it to my friends when I got home. I just kept thinking, "It's water people!" Same size ice in Yellowstone was around $3-4.

The price of water doesn't make a place 'commercial'. It is just the cost differences in different places. And sorry, water is not just 'water, people' . . . Not when we are in the middle if a 4 year drought and many Californians are facing water rationing.

Rats -- it looks like Mariposa Grove won't be a substitute option while we are there:
<i>
The Mariposa Grove Road will be temporarily closed to vehicle and foot traffic, and the Lower Mariposa Grove will be temporarily closed to all use, tentatively beginning May or June 2015. During this time, trails to the Upper Mariposa Grove may also close periodically, depending on construction or restoration work. The Big Trees Tram Tour will cease operation permanently in November 2014. Shuttle service from Wawona to Mariposa Grove will not operate in 2015 or 2016. The entire Mariposa Grove will tentatively reopen in November 2016.</i>

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/mg.htm

My experience of Yosemite was also that it was the most commercial NP that I've been to, and I've been to a lot of them. In its defense, we were there in late April, so the waterfalls were beautiful, but not any more than some in Hawaii, or Niagra, I guess if you live in drought prone areas you find all waterfalls wonderful. We could not go up to the higher parts of the park, so missed some of what people say is fantastic about it. The crowds were horrible, parking a challenge, busses slow.

I think Grand Canyon South Rim is worse, personally.

Although Camp Curry is "not an option" we prefer it to staying outside the park. There are actually a few ensuite rooms there although nearly impossible to book.

We were not there during your drought, janisj. Several years ago during the spring and the waterfalls were spectacular.

I am not believing the "cost differences in different places" explanation. It is just water, but they have you in their commercial world where you have to buy it from Yosemite or drive way out of your way back to a town where the water is 'cheaper' or so we're to believe. It is why Yosemite lodging is more than the ones that hour outside of the park. It's because they can, so they do. If you don't see that as commercial then their marketing department is doing a great job.

They want to sell you gas, food, and lodging at every opportunity at a premium. That $10 ice profit is going into the pockets of concessionaires, not the NPS.

It is just my opinion, but I feel less gouged at every other park I've visited than I do at Yosemite.

Maybe it just California. I expect to pay more for that part of the country, but that doesn't change the way I feel about the price of ice.

>>It is why Yosemite lodging is more than the ones that hour outside of the park. <<

And hotels an hour outside San Francisco cost 50% less. And an hour outside manhattan cost 75% less. And places in salinas cost pennies compared to Carmel. And hotels an hour from any desirable place are discounted. Because they are less desirable places.

All you Yosemite haters . . . Please stay away, and leave it for those of us who appreciate /love it.

HAHAHA Yeah...we're all haters. That's why we visit.

Everyone vacations differently. Some find time at a premium and will pay for close and convenient. Others love a good deal and don't mind the extra time spent to save money. I fall into the latter.

I would rather spend $75 on a hotel in an adjacent town with a fast food joint where I can pick up a cheap breakfast and then spend 45 minutes driving to the park.
Others would rather spend $200 for lodging and pay high dollar for breakfast in a park restaurant just to be able to have an early start. It just depends on your vacation wants.

I'm young enough to handle the extra 1 1/2 in my day for travel. I can wake up early, stay out late and not tire. Some might want to sleep in, return to their room midday for rest/peace and go back for more sightseeing in the evening.

My view is always the minority when it comes to in-park lodging, but I understand why some choose it. I can't understand why people feel it is the only option. You MUST stay in-park or what kind of vacation will you have??

The OP mentions his budget is depending on the going rates. We are just trying to give our opinions about those rates. I imagine a trip for 8 people will require more planning than one might think to run like a well-oiled machine.

I loved my visit to Yosemite...but I only had to plan for 2. Good luck and enjoy the planning phase. It's rough but it's my favorite part of traveling.

rjasnumberonefan,
Just to give you an idea of why you'd want to stay inpark.

If you were in a park that had some wildlife and if viewing wildlife was one of your priorities you have a choice to get up very early, drive in the dark and risk hitting animals or get up an hour or two later and drive a bit when the sun is beginning to light the landscape.

Same for the evening.

Yes. That's what I'm talking about. In Yellowstone I would stay in park for all the animals or Ranger Porch Talks or Campfire Programs. I would in the Utah Parks if I wanted to split my day and return for a sunset or sunrise. Go see the sun rise and come back for breakfast...hike, nap and see the sun set. In Yosemite, it's the views. No amazing colors like Utah nor wildlife like Montana. (oops better not say no or I'll be labeled a hater. There are some, but not as much as in other parks.) Views can wait an hour to me. They'll still be there at 8 or 9 am. I stayed outside of Glacier and saw so many moose and such on the drive in. Also, I always stay in Jackson Hole Village because I like the Moose Road drive up to Teton in the morning. I was there one year when the balloons lifted from that area. Glorious morning.

I guess it all comes down to options and letting the OP know what's out there, so they have an informed choice. Sometimes I just get frustrated with the 'you must stay in park, you must go during this month, and you must stay one week at each place' kind of mentality. I would be what most here call a drive-by, checklist, been there got the t-shirt vacationeer. hahaha And I wouldn't have it any other way. I do a cross country about every other year and whatever I miss I catch another year. Some here only get to go to these places one in a lifetime, therefore, I understand a slower pace. I just like that we have choices.

Scenic Wonders in Yosemite West worked out great for us. We enjoyed the "self catering" aspect and the location was fine. Sure the Valley would have been a little closer but considerable more hectic.

With 2 families, it's hard to beat a house in Yosemite West.

FYI, we spent our first night in Fresno, 5 nights in Yosemite West and 3 nights in Sequoia (Wuksachi Lodge). Great trip. Thanks for the input.

Glad it worked out. Yes -- for folks who need the space of a condo/house you really can't beat Yosemite West. Other than the Valley floor, the ONLY places I'd ever consider would be El Portal or Yosemite West. No place else is w/i a reasonable drive of the Valley.

Too bad about the Fresno bit though ;)

>)

We arrived around 8:30 PDT (11:30 for our body clocks) so it would have been tough to find our way to the house at night.

It was much cheaper to stay in Fresno and the logistics (i.e. groceries that morning w/ the ability to drop them off) worked out a lot better.

So, roughing for 1 night in Fresno wasn't too bad. :)

Thanks again for the Yosemite West reco.

At least it was dark so you didn't have to 'see' Fresno . . .

we stayed in a lovely, privately owned cabin IN Yosemite. yes, I said IN Yosemite.There were two cabins adjacent to each other. Modern. Great hot tub in the back :)

Yes -- there are many privately owned properties inside the park boundaries.