Beginning to "think" about planning this trip. Will fly into Reno, go to Lake Tahoe and then Yosemite. Would we be entering at the East Gate Tioga Pass Entrance? If I can get reservations at the Yosemite Lodge, should we just stay there or look at different places in the park, altho we will have no camping equipment? Should we do any side trips to Mariposa, Oakhurt???

Your best route from Tahoe would be via Hwy. 395 (possibly starting over Hwy. 89 and Monitor Pass). This will take you to the Tioga Pass entrance. Depending on how much time you have, you might like to spend one night in the high country before you drive down to the Valley. Tuolumne Meadows Lodge has tent cabins (bedding is provided) for $78. Or you can stay just outside the park entrance at Tioga pass Resort, where motel room units are $115. In the Valley, Yosemite Lodge is a great choice if you can get it. Curry Village has tent cabins if you want to save money. We spent one night there last summer and found it noisy, but the cabin was clean and comfortable enough for one night's sleep.

Camping euqipment is not needed for any of these tent cabins.

OK, I've booked the lodge for Tues and Wed of the Sept week we are planning and the Wawona Hotel for Thurs night. Just need help planning what to do Friday before heading back up to Reno for Sunday departure. Mariposa, Fish Camp, El Portal worth visiting? Also easiest route to get back on 395?

There is only one route to 395 - back through the way you came over tioga Pass.

If it were me - I would change the booking if possible to all three nights in the Valley at Yosemite Lodge.

Use the Lodge as your base for all your touring around the Park instead of having to backtrack from Wawona through the Valley and up over Tioga Pass.

You will enter the park from 395 from Reno, right? Then driving Tioga Pass to the Yosemite Lodge in the Valley. After 2 nights there you will drive south to Wawona for 1 night. You will be close to Fish Camp at that time so if you want to visit that area outside the park you could do that. There isn’t anything specific to visit in Fish Camp itself. There is the Mariposa Groive of Redwoods which you’ll want to see.

From Wawona you will be quite far from the exit to 395 via Tioga Pass.