🏕️ Where to Stay in Yosemite National Park 🏨🌄
#foodandstay
Planning your Yosemite trip? Whether you’re into cozy cabins, canvas tents, or hotels with mountain views, here’s your guide to staying in or near this iconic park 👇
🌿 In-Park Stays: Sleep Among the Granite Giants
🏞️ Yosemite Valley (Best for First-Timers)
📍 Close to: Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome, trailheads
The Ahwahnee – Historic luxury, grand dining room, $$$
Yosemite Valley Lodge – Mid-range, near Yosemite Falls
Curry Village (formerly Half Dome Village) – Cabins, tent cabins, and lodge rooms
Housekeeping Camp – Rustic open-air units w/ electricity (great for families!)
🏔️ Wawona Area
📍 Near the southern entrance (Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias)
Wawona Hotel – Charming Victorian vibes
Quieter alternative to the Valley
🌲 High Country (Tuolumne Meadows – Summer Only)
📍 For alpine lakes and fewer crowds
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge – Tent cabins, remote, only open ~June–Sept
🛣️ Closed in winter due to Tioga Road snow
⛺ Yosemite Campgrounds (Book Early!)
Upper Pines Campground – Most popular in Yosemite Valley
North Pines & Lower Pines – Also in the Valley, great for tent or RV
Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat – Quieter options, short drive to main areas
🏘️ Outside the Park: Great Base Towns
🛎️ El Portal, CA (Closest)
✅ Just 10–15 mins from Yosemite Valley
🛏️ Small town with basic hotels like Yosemite View Lodge (great river views)
🏡 Groveland, CA (West Entrance)
✅ Gateway via Big Oak Flat Entrance
🎯 Cute Gold Rush town, good food, fun vibes
Try Rush Creek Lodge or Groveland Hotel
🏞️ Oakhurst, CA (South Entrance)
✅ Ideal if visiting Mariposa Grove or combining with Sequoia/Kings Canyon
🛏️ Larger town with restaurants, markets, and hotels
🚘 Lee Vining/Mammoth Lakes (East Side – Summer Only)
✅ Only accessible via Tioga Pass Road (open ~June–Oct)
🌄 Stunning views and fewer crowds
Scenic stay for road trippers linking Yosemite to Death Valley or Nevada
🧭 Quick Stay Tips:
✅ Book in-park lodging 6–12 months in advance
✅ Mix it up: one night in the Valley, one night outside for flexibility
✅ Budget traveler? Curry Village tent cabins are affordable + central
✅ Visiting in winter? Yosemite Valley Lodge and Ahwahnee stay open year-round!