Where to stay in Yosemite this winter
Winter lodging options abound around snowdusted Yosemite National Park, from ski chalets to historic lodges, grand hotels and cozy B&Bs. Here’s just a sampling to get you started: Yosemite National
Park: The National Park’s most famous hotel is, of course, the landmark Majestic Yosemite Hotel — the hotel formerly known as the Ahwahnee — but those pricey rooms tend to book up well in advance. Within the park, you might try the Yosemite Valley Lodge (formerly Yosemite Lodge at the Falls), which offers clean, comfortable and pocketbook-friendly rooms in the valley, conveniently located on the park’s shuttle route. Like roughing it? Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village) offers heated cabins and tent cabins in the shadow of Half Dome. The atmospheric Victorian Big Trees Lodge (formerly the Wawona) is closed for the winter season, but will reopen on March 31. Find more information and make reservations at www. travelyosemite.com.
Looking for more spacious digs? Check out The Redwoods in Yosemite (www.redwoodsinyosemite.com), with 130 cabins — from cozy to palatial — and vacation rentals near the Big Trees Lodge. Try Yosemite West vacation rentals (www. yosemitewest.com) for condos or cabins just minutes from Badger Pass ski area, or Yosemite Vacation Homes (www.4yosemite.com), which offers cabins, cottages and chalets in Foresta, within the national park gates, just seven miles from the valley.
Mariposa: Yosemite gateway towns, such as Mariposa, Fish Camp and Groveland, host a number of lodges, B&Bs and vacation rentals. Mariposa’s offerings include a Best Western, a Comfort Inn and several Mariposa hotels and motels we’ve personally checked out. The unpretentious, comfortable Mariposa Lodge (www. mariposalodge.com), for example, is a budget-friendly spot within walking distance of some of our favorite Mariposa eateries, including the Sugar Pine Cafe, the 1850 and Savoury’s.
On the main drag, the historic Mariposa Hotel Inn (mariposahotelinn.com) dates back to 1901. Its six rooms — all reached via a steep staircase best not attempted with giant rolling suitcases — overflow with antiques, flea market finds and more than a little quirkiness. Our room had a unicorn. A block away, you’ll find Mariposa’s oldest motel, the recently repainted, not too
spendy River Rock Inn (www.facebook.com/riverrockyosemite), which offers eight clean, basic rooms and a complimentary continental breakfast. (We’re sorry to report that the inn’s adorable deli closed shop last summer.)
The quirky Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort (www.yosemitebug.com) and its private rooms, cabins, tent cabins and hostel rooms are just minutes away in Midpines.
More gateway towns: Fish Camp, the small town near the southern entrance to the park, offers a handful of bed-and-breakfasts, including the Tin Lizzie Inn (tinlizzieinn.com), where your room rate includes a tour of Fish Camp in an antique Model T, when weather permits. (Apparently, Model Ts are not known for their four-wheel drive capabilities.) The inn is across from the Tenaya Lodge (www.tenayalodge.com), a grand, recently remodeled luxury resort.
At the north end of the park, the ever-popular, 1920s-era Evergreen Lodge (www.evergreenlodge.com) has a new sister property. The rustic-chic Rush Creek Lodge (www. rushcreeklodge.com), the first Yosemite region resort to open in more than 25 years, offers plenty of modern-day amenities, including a poolside bar and hot tub. You’ll find more lodging possibilities in Groveland itself, including the cozy Hotel Charlotte (www.hotelcharlotte.com) and the Groveland Hotel (www.groveland.com).
Still more: Search www.tripping.com for vacation rentals in Yosemite Village, Mariposa and Wawona and www.yosemiteexperience.com/places-stay for Coulterville, Groveland, El Portal and Mariposa.