Granite peaks sit over the verdant Yosemite valley with gushing waterfalls flowing overhead. This is one of the most iconic places in the entire country. But, choosing where to stay in Yosemite National Park can be an overwhelming decision.
On our first trip to the park, we missed out on campgrounds in Yosemite Valley and didn’t know where to stay. But, now I’ve been to the park over five times and spent weeks exploring. It’s one of my favorite parks in the country. So, I want to help you plan your trip!
I’ve written this guide on Yosemite accommodations and campgrounds, so that you will be set for your trip. Whether you want to stay in the middle of Yosemite or in a cute town outside of it, I’ve got you covered!
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Where to Stay on Your Yosemite Vacation
Where to Stay in Yosemite at a Glance
If you don’t want to read all the details, these are my quick picks on where to stay!
- Best hotel in Yosemite Valley: The Ahwahnee– A historic luxury hotel in the park!
- Best campground: Upper Pines– Central to the Valley & Mist Trail
- For proximity to the park: Yosemite View Lodge– Just outside the entrance
- For history buffs: Mariposa Hotel Inn– It was built in 1901
Understanding Yosemite National Park’s Geography
Yosemite National Park isn’t one of the largest parks in the country, it’s still about 1100 square miles, making travel times between areas significant. Which means, choosing where to stay can be very hard!
The center of the park is known as Yosemite Valley. This area is known for the iconic granite peaks, like Half Dome and El Capitan, and the gorgeous waterfalls. It’s where most visitors want to explore and it sees over 4 million people a year. 😱
Chances are if you are planning a visit to the park, you want to see the Yosemite Valley area.
However, there are other beautiful areas of Yosemite, including the quiet Hetch Hetchy area in the Northwest and Tioga road that runs through the Northern side of the park. These areas are about a 1 hour drive from the valley.
Just outside of the park’s boundaries you will find a few great towns.
El Portal and West Yosemite are the closest towns to Yosemite, they’re about 30 minutes from the valley. While Mariposa on the West side is about an hour from the valley, and Lee Vining on the East is just off Tioga Pass, but 2 hours from the Valley.
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley was carved by glaciers thousands of years ago and is one of the most iconic landscapes in the country. Gushing waterfalls cascade over granite cliffs to a verdant valley below.
It’s home to some of the best hiking, biking, and rock climbing 🧗 in the park and attracts 4 million visitors to the park a year.
There are a number of wonderful lodges and campgrounds to stay in the valley itself. If you want to be close to the action, then there’s truly no better place to stay. That being said, lodging and campgrounds sell out very early, so you’ll need to plan ahead!
Because this area gets so crowded, there are also free shuttles that run throughout it and can take you from your campsite or hotel to a trailhead.
I have stayed in the valley before and it was truly unparalleled. Mountains surrounded you and it only took minutes to get to a breathtaking view or great hike.
Lodging in Yosemite Valley
Luckily, there are many fantastic lodging options right within the Valley. These are the best hotels in Yosemite Valley:
The Ahwahnee is the crown jewel of Yosemite and is the only luxury hotel in the park. This hotel was originally built in the 1920s and has been home to presidents and royalty. It’s perfect for travelers that want history and luxurious accommodations in the park. 🙌🏻
👉 Book your stay at The Ahwahnee here!
Yosemite Valley Lodge is a typical National park lodge, it has great rooms and is conveniently located in the park.
If you still want to stay in lodging, but want it to be a bit more rustic you can choose Curry Village or Housekeeping Camp. Curry Village has cabins and canvas sided tents, while Housekeeping Camp has open air units with bunk beds.
Staying at any of these options will get you right in the center of it all!
Campgrounds in Yosemite Valley
Now, if you’re traveling by RV, camper van, or you just want to tent camp there are a bunch of wonderful options for you!
There are four campgrounds in Yosemite Valley: Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, and Camp 4. In my opinion, they’re the best campsites in Yosemite. ⛺️
Campground reservations are required for these campgrounds, reservations for the Pines ones are released in January or February, and they usually sell out immediately! 😳 My friends and I had four people online trying to get reservations and not a single one of us snagged one in the valley.
Camp 4 is known as the campground for rock climbers and reservations release a week in advance here.
Plus, if you are going in April or May more sites at North and Lower Pines may be released closer to the date, depending on flooding. We were able to snag a campground at North Pines just a couple days in advance when we went in May.
So, you will need to plan ahead if you want to camp!
These campgrounds all have vault toilets and there are even showers at Camp 4. Although it’s competitive to get a spot, there’s no better place to be than in the valley.
Other Yosemite Lodging, Outside of the Valley
If you miss out on lodging in the valley or want somewhere quieter, there are still a number of places to stay in the park.
You can stay close to the high sierra mountains or in peaceful areas like Tuolumne Meadows.
All of these lodges are in beautiful settings and have wonderful access to outdoor activities. You truly can’t go wrong.
Lodges in Yosemite:
- White Wolf Lodge – This lodge provides amazing access to the high sierras with options between cabins and canvas-sided tents.
- Tuolumne Meadows Lodge – A beautiful lodge in the meadows with 50 canvas-sided tents.
- Wawona Hotel– This beautiful and historic hotel is one of the most popular in the park. This hotel is currently temporarily closed indefinitely for repairs.
Campgrounds in Yosemite
Although the campgrounds in Yosemite Valley are the most popular, there are still 9 other campgrounds to choose from within the park. So, you can sleep under the stars and enjoy the serenity of nature.
Before you choose your campground, you may just want to look at where it’s located. We stayed at Hogdon Meadows on my second visit to the park.
It was a gorgeous campground, but it was also about a 40 minute drive from Yosemite Valley, so we did a lot of driving on that trip. 🚗
Yosemite Campgrounds:
- South of the Valley:
- North of the Valley:
Yosemite Lodging Outside the Park (Towns Nearby)
If you’d rather stay outside of the park in a town, then there are a number of great hotels outside Yosemite to choose from. The towns outside of the park all have wonderful vibes and would be fantastic places to stay for your trip. Below I’ve detailed the very best places to stay near Yosemite!
El Portal – For Proximity & River Activities
El Portal is just outside of Yosemite National Park and has a beautiful stone entrance into the park itself. While many people pass through this town, it’s a great jump off point for adventures and fun!
People used to ride the train to El Portal and disembark in this town for their journey into the park. Sadly, this train no longer runs.
That being said, this quiet town sits next to the gorgeous Merced River, has wonderful restaurants, and great family friendly hotels to choose from! There’s also tons of opportunities for rafting or floating on the river. 🛶
👉 Book your stay in El Portal here!
Best Hotels in El Portal:
- Yosemite View Lodge – Choose this hotel right on the Merced River and just 8 miles from Yosemite with a pool, hot tub, and great restaurant!
- Cedar Lodge – Another great hotel with a pool for the whole family to enjoy!
- Blue Butterfly Inn – A family run Bed & Breakfast that is located on the Merced River and has a wonderful ambiance.
Yosemite West- For Solitude & Nature
Yosemite West is technically within the gates of the park, but it feels like your away from the hustle and bustle of it all.
Here, you’ll find yourself surrounded by nature without any restaurants or shops around. There residential homes set in the forest. So it’s a great place to get a rental with friends or family. You’ll find a quiet retreat from it all.
But, you’ll also be just a short drive from all of the best Yosemite views, hikes and activities. So, you truly get the best of both worlds.
🏠 Book a Yosemite West getaway here!
Mariposa – For the History Lover
Stay in one of the most well preserved Gold Rush Towns in this area, the beautiful Mariposa.
Many of the buildings in the Mariposa area were originally constructed in the 1850s and are still in use today. This town has wonderful museums to explore and hikes to take around the town.
It’s also just an hour from Yosemite Valley. So, it’s the perfect place to transport back in time and enjoy the history of the area.
🦋 Book your stay in Mariposa here!
Best Hotels in Mariposa:
- Mariposa Hotel Inn – An authentic historic Western hotel that dates back to the Gold Rush. This hotel sells out quickly, so grab a room while you can!
- River Rock Inn – Mariposa’s oldest motel in the area, this was constructed in the late 1800s and is a wonderful spot for couples to stay.
- Best Western Plus Yosemite Way Station – A standard Best Western with a pool and lots of rooms to choose from!
Lee Vining- For A Cute Mountain Town
Lee Vining is a wonderful historic town on the Eastern side of Yosemite. It’s a gateway between Yosemite and the rest of the Sierra Nevada, sitting just North of the Mammoth Lakes area.
However, you will only want to stay here once the road to Tioga Pass is open in the summer, so that you can have direct access from Lee Vining to Yosemite.
This town is on the shores of Mono Lake and has wonderful access to trails and lakes in the area. It’s a wonderful place to stay if you want to stay outside of the park and get even further into the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
➡️ Book your stay in Lee Vining here.
Best Lodging in Lee Vining:
- Lake View Lodge – A gorgeous lodge right off of Tioga Pass and Mono Lake with beautiful gardens and a wonderful coffee house.
- Tioga Lodge at Mono Lake – This historic mining town lodge is located right on the banks of Mono Lake in a stunning setting.
Final Tips for Choosing Your Lodging in Yosemite National Park
Choosing where to stay in Yosemite can be a bit overwhelming, so I hope that this guide helped you with your decisions.
My biggest tip for planning your trip is to book things early! If you are planning on going to the park in peak season, than lodging sells out very quickly. So, you’ll want to be on it.
I hope you have a fantastic trip to Yosemite! 🤗
Let me know if you enjoyed this guide in the comments!
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