Insider’s Guide to Yosemite
Everything you need to know about the park
The majestic peaks and snow-dusted landscapes of Yosemite National Park never fail to inspire wonder. The park in the fall and winter opens its gates to the Adventurous at heart. The beauty of the changing seasons is magnificent whether you are sitting by a crackling fire in the grand Ahwahnee-era fireplaces of the The Ahwahnee hotel or by hiking to the many sites that inspired Ansel Adams.
If you’re drawn by the sequoias of Mariposa Grove, which reopened last summer after a three-year environmental rehabilitation project, head for the park’s South Entrance... like Arch Rock, it’s roughly 180 miles from the Bay Area, and the gateway towns at that end of the park.
Mariposa is known for its friendly citizens who greet and play host to the large number of visitors who come from around the world to enjoy festivals and fun community events. It’s a great place to call home when visiting Yosemite. Charming Mariposa is conveniently near the South Entrance, with inviting covered sidewalks, Gold Rush-era buildings and terrific restaurants.
Park admission is $35 per car for a weeklong pass. (Hang on to that receipt. You’ll have to show it again every time you enter or exit the park.) An annual pass is $70, but if you’re going that route, go all in and get the $80 America the Beautiful pass which grants you a year’s admission to all the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands.
Plan your visit soon and you’ll be content with the utter splendor of Yosemite in fall and winter. Carry snow chains. Check road conditions and park alerts at www.nps.gov/yose. And bring your sense of wonder.
Jackie Burrell is the editor and senior writer for the Mercury News and East Bay Times’ Eat Drink Play section, which explores the West Coast’s food, wine, cocktail and travel scene each week. An award-winning writer, Burrell joined the Bay Area News Group staff in 2000.