[Closed] Staying in Yosemite?

Do want to camp? Or stay in comfort?

it won't be cheap either way. Sadly the rangers (read police) aren't really down with the idea of people camping outside of the designated areas. Quite militant...

If you are camping with family I'd avoid Camp 4 and go to Pines Campground.

Other options are cabins or the semi permanent tents at Currie Village.

I had an impromptu road trip around that area a few years ago. Drove in and camped in the valley..there was a lot of space for camping and well set up for it..probably quiet due to spring time and still snow around, so not sure about booking for summer time...after a couple of days on the way out I parked the van up in a layby..but there were signs saying I shouldn't..again, in summer time I'm sure I wouldn't have got away with it..

Lovely place to camp but I guess not as relaxed as the Lakes for wild camping and impromptu van parking...

eddenvalleyboy pretty much summed it up.

It's a wonderful place, but very busy in summer time.

We're going at the end of March.

Camping is an option, but obviously we can't bring tents/sleeping bags/etc on an airplane.

I stayed in Yosemite last October, renting one of the log cabins at Curry Village. Was comfortable enough and you have everything you need at the village. It was busy at the weekend, even in October, but by Monday it was pretty quiet. I think we got a deal with free meal ticket every night to the big canteen there, but there are other options (including a decent takeaway pizza place next to the bar).

If you're camping, you have to use a bear box for food. If you leave anything smelly in your car then it becomes a bear target, likewise in your tent, etc.

was there earlier this year .

i would stay the hell out the valley floor. So much to see that isnt in the valley with all the peoples.

we got a lovely uninterupted at height view of el capitan from a small trailhead behind the carpark just out of the tunnel and several similar experiances from other small trailhead walks away from the popular loop walks which are largely paved now - which was a big factor in us choosing to get out of the valley floor. - The point to points are not paved though....

We met one other couple the whole time we were out.

The valley floor was just like disney land and the camping fully booked - Certainly wasnt a fun place to be.

so we ended up staying in the wawona hotel - im glad we did , i would not have enjoyed being stuck with that volume of people down there.~*

*disclaimer this was in the july

I stayed at the Tenaya lodge last December, beautiful place. No crowds at that time of year though. Also a bit more expensive in season!

Lovely place to camp but I guess not as relaxed as the Lakes for wild camping and impromptu van parking.

I don't think it's allowed other than if you get a permit for back country camping.

Another yes for Tenaya Lodge with one important piece of advice . We drove in via the Tioga Pass , I wasn't aware just how far the lodge is actually away from the park entrance in that direction . 2 to 3 hours ! I'd already been driving a long time by then thought I was never going to get there !

I stayed in Currie Village at the end of one summer. Wasn't too busy and I was quite happy with it.

I highly recommend Evergreen Lodge in Groveland, if you have a car. There are lots of activities for kids, and it's about a 30 min drive to the vistor centre/valley.

Stayed here a few years back and it was very nice - well situated within the park. Lovely dining room with waterfall on view. Don't know what its like now.

[url= http://www.yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx?utm_source=googlemaps&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=ahwahnee ]Ahwahnee[/url]

Also stayed in a nice cabin just outside of the park (on a lake) for a few more days. Might be an option depending on budget.

Truly beautiful place - trekked through on horses. Would love to go back.

Lodge at the Falls is comfortable if you want to placate the Wife but its not exactly wilderness camping for the Kids!

Whatever you decide make sure you book well in advance if staying at any of the NPS places as they book up really quickly, especially around the US holidays.

I don't think it's allowed other than if you get a permit for back country camping.

Yip, me and a mate turned up one day with our $9 walmart tent and tried to get into one of the campsites only to find it was full (mid summer) so had to wild camp outside the park, but got a space early next morning. Its busy, but doesn't take much to get away from the maddening crowds who tend to stick to the valley floor.

We were way underprepared for the terrain, and amused everybody in the hikers bus by getting on wearing just shorts, t-shirts and flip flops for a hike from the Tioga road to the top of Yosemite falls and down to the valley, didn't see a single person until the top of the falls, which was worrying given our lack of kit and supplies, very fun though as we were within spitting distance of a bear and her cubs at one point.

Second time I went I stayed with the missus in the Curry village tents, this was early October, just as the first snow arrived so pretty cold.

Amazing place, would love to go back!

Prices of places inside the park - even "camping" in Curry village - are pretty eye-watering. I could buy a bike for that!

Next year it's going to be the Peak District, which also has huge waterfalls and dramatic rock formations.

I don't think it's allowed other than if you get a permit for back country camping.

Camp 4 was $6 per person per night, plus the initial park entry fee. Its definitely worth going at least once in your life, its on a whole other scale to anything in the UK!

Camp 4 was $6 per person per night, plus the initial park entry fee.

I was referring to camping out with the official sites. I stayed at Camp 4 on a climbing trip because that's what you do. It's a bit of a noisy zoo and having stayed there once I'd go elsewhere if I went back.

I was referring to camping out with the official sites. I stayed at Camp 4 on a climbing trip because that's what you do. It's a bit of a noisy zoo and having stayed there once I'd go elsewhere if I went back.

Sorry copy and paste error there, was meant to be a response to

Prices of places inside the park - even "camping" in Curry village - are pretty eye-watering. I could buy a bike for that!

Camp 4 is most definitely not back country camping! My earlier response agreed with you, that you needed a permit to camp outside the designated areas, we got round that by wild camping just outside the park for one night.

I stayed at the awahnee a few years back and fantastic views this was in middle of March and the tiioga pass was closed at that time of year due to the snow,we was advised to have snow chains in the car

[url= http://www.evergreenlodge.com/?gclid=CO-a99nUk8kCFUPnwgodmjUHKw ]Evergreen Lodge[/url] in Hetch Hetchy is a much better stay. They have glamping these days as well as log cabins. The breakfasts are legendary. Only a relatively short drive into Yosemite valley. Book early.

Stayed there a couple of times and have also camped in Currie Village.

We hired a campervan in San Fran and then booked into campsites, as others have said check well in advance as even in October we struggled to get camping spaces. It worked out cheaper than the lodges/hotels, have fun 😀

We camped at Crane Flat campsite (best with a campervan if you're there for more than a couple of days as there's no hot water or showers) which was great in terms of pitches being ~50m apart in the trees, plus talks every evening by a Ranger. Then spent a couple of nights in the Yosemite Bug, a hostel type place (individual cabins too), which is a short drive south of the park, really friendly place, decent food and very good beers.

We've found a holiday home just outside the park itself. It means a bit of a trek to see the sights, but there seems to be quite a bit in that area anyway. And the price is quite a bit less eye watering.