With its plunging waterfalls, granite peaks, mighty rivers, and alpine lakes, Yosemite National Park is one of the West’s most popular vacation destinations. There's a wealth of lodging options inside Yosemite’s gates and also in charming mountain communities bordering the park. With a little strategizing, you’ll find the perfect home base for exploring Yosemite’s heart-stirring landscapes.
Lodging options inside Yosemite National Park
Many visitors want to spend their vacation days as close as possible to Yosemite’s natural wonders. By booking a room or cabin within the park, you’ll have easy access to hiking trails, sights, and landmarks, plus “first dibs” on Yosemite’s starry night skies, sunrises, and sunsets.
How do you book a hotel in Yosemite National Park
Reservations for in-park lodgings are made through the park concessionaire, Yosemite Hospitality. (Reserve online at travelyosemite.com or phone 888-413-8869.) If you’re planning to visit during the high season from late April to mid-October, or any time during holidays in winter, it’s wise to reserve at least six months in advance. Keep checking back if your preferred dates aren’t available; cancellations happen frequently.
Note that two in-park accommodations are closed until at least 2028 for condition assessments and renovations: the historic Wawona Hotel in the park’s southern reaches and White Wolf Lodge, 25 miles west of Tuolumne Meadows.
Courtesy of Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau / Ahwahnee Resort
Where to stay in Yosemite Valley
Three lodgings in Yosemite Valley are open year-round: the cozy-casual Yosemite Valley Lodge, the more rustic Curry Village, and the marvelously historic The Ahwahnee.
- Yosemite Valley Lodge: Just a few steps from the trailheads for Lower and Upper Yosemite Falls, this lodge offers 245 mid-priced motel-style rooms spread out among a dozen buildings. Guests have access to the Mountain Room restaurant and lounge and an outdoor swimming pool in summer.
- Curry Village: With 18 motel-style rooms, 60 cozy wooden cabins, and a whopping 403 canvas tent cabins, Curry Village boasts a wide array of accommodations on the Valley’s eastern end. The complex has multiple dining options, an outdoor pool in summer, and an ice-skating rink in winter. A stay here puts you close to Happy Isles, the trailhead for the Mist Trail and John Muir Trail.
- The Ahwahnee: Yosemite’s splurge property is a grand architectural gem that is also a National Historic Landmark. It’s decked out in hand-stenciled wood beams, wrought iron chandeliers, sandstone fireplaces, and Turkish kilim rugs. Guests can reserve one of 97 guest rooms or 24 cottages. For the best of the best, book one of the sixth-floor suites (about $2,000 per night).
- Housekeeping Camp: From April to mid-October, this family-friendly “camp” joins the Yosemite Valley lodging lineup. Located on the Merced River, it consists of 266 duplex structures with three concrete walls, a concrete patio with privacy curtains, and a canvas roof. The units have beds and electricity; communal showers and bathrooms are a few steps away. Housekeeping Camp is ideally situated for families hoping to spend summer days on the river’s sandy beaches.
Where to stay in Tuolumne Meadows
- Tuolumne Meadows Lodge: Located in Yosemite’s high country in Tuolumne Meadows, this lodge is a favorite of hikers and anglers who want to spend their days among the lakes, peaks, and domes at 8,700 feet in elevation. The “lodge” is a cluster of 69 canvas tent cabins, each with four twin beds. Solar lanterns provide light, and wood stoves warm the tents on chilly nights. Tuolumne Meadows Lodge is open only from mid-June to mid-September.
Private lodgings near Wawona and Glacier Point
On Yosemite’s south side near Wawona and Glacier Point, two large “inholdings”—privately owned lands—exist inside the park gates. Homeowners in these private neighborhoods rent their properties through a centralized reservation service, not the park concessionaire. In Wawona, The Redwoods in Yosemite manages 130 cabin-style home rentals. Near Glacier Point Road, the Yosemite West subdivision has nearly 100 vacation home rentals, or you can book a stay in a guest room or apartment at Yosemite West High Sierra Bed & Breakfast.
Lodgings near Yosemite National Park entrances
Staying outside the park has advantages, too. Yosemite’s gateway towns offer an expanded array of lodging, dining, and shopping choices. These lodgings are within a short drive of one of Yosemite’s four major entrance stations:
Lodgings near Yosemite’s South entrance (Highway 41)
Approaching Yosemite from the south on Highway 41, you’ll find myriad accommodations in Oakhurst or Fish Camp.
- Waybound Yosemite: Stay in upscale cabins just 3 miles from Yosemite’s South Entrance.
- Tenaya at Yosemite: This resort near the South Entrance in Madera County and offers rooms, suites, and cottages, along with multiple dining options and resort amenities.
- The Inelle: This Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel has 70 stylish, modern guest rooms and an onsite restaurant, Hemlock, near Oakhurst’s shops, breweries, and eateries.
Lodgings near Yosemite’s Arch Rock Entrance (Highway 140)
Yosemite visitors arriving from the west via Highway 140 can choose from lodgings in the Mariposa County towns of El Portal, Midpines, and Mariposa.
- Yosemite Blue Butterfly Inn: This inn, one of the closest options to Yosemite’s Arch Rock Entrance, is known for its gourmet breakfasts and resident hummingbirds.
- Yosemite View Lodge: Set along the Merced River in El Portal, this large lodge puts you just outside the park.
- Cedar Lodge: Another Merced River option, this El Portal property offers easy access to the Arch Rock Entrance.
- AutoCamp Yosemite: Stay in one of 80 modern Airstream trailers or 15 luxury tents at this Midpine glamping property.
- Wildhaven Yosemite: This Mariposa resort has 12 glamping cabins and 30 safari-style tents on a sprawling property with hiking trails and a swimming pool.
Lodgings near Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat Entrance (Highway 120 West)
If you’re traveling to Yosemite via the northern route, Highway 120 West, you’ll find great places to stay in and around Groveland.
- Rush Creek Lodge & Spa: The closest of these properties to the Big Oak Flat Entrance, this 143-room resort has a saltwater pool, spa, restaurant, tavern, and general store.
- Under Canvas Yosemite: Go glamping in safari-style tents at this resort, which also offers onsite dining.
- Firefall Ranch: Choose from sleek cottages and villas at this resort west of the park.
- Blackberry Inn Bed and Breakfast: The country-cozy B&B offers a quieter alternative near Groveland.
- Groveland Hotel: Stay in a historic Victorian-era hotel in the heart of Gold Country.
- Evergreen Lodge : Channel summer camp inside these cozy cabins with ultra fun outdoor amenities like a zip line, playground, and games.
Lodgings near Yosemite’s Tioga Pass Entrance (Highway 120 East)
Visitors arriving from California’s eastern side have direct access to Yosemite only in summer and fall, when Highway 120 East (Tioga Pass Road) is free of snow. At the base of Tioga Pass, the friendly gateway town of Lee Vining—home to famous Mono Lake—has a handful of comfortable, family-owned lodgings.
- El Mono Motel: A small, locally owned spot in Lee Vining.
- Murphey’s Motel: A convenient Lee Vining option with simple rooms (some include a kitchen) for travelers heading to Yosemite or Mono Lake.
- Lake View Lodge: Open year-round, this 1932 lodge offers cozy cottages, cabins, and rooms as well as an onsite café in Lee Vining.
- Yosemite Gateway Motel: Another locally owned option near Mono Lake and the approach to Tioga Pass.
For travelers looking for even more options, the alpine resort town of Mammoth Lakes offers plenty of lodging 30 miles south on U.S. 395.
Camping options in Yosemite National Park
Yosemite has 13 campgrounds within its borders: four in Yosemite Valley, seven on Highway 120 and Tuolumne Meadows, and two in the Wawona/Glacier Point area. Visitors arriving between April and October must have a reservation to camp in the park; all campsites are booked in advance.
From late spring to fall, campsites are also available in national forest lands surrounding the park. Popular options include Summerdale, Sweetwater, and Dimond O, each a short drive from Yosemite. You’ll also find campsites and RV sites at privately run campgrounds like Groveland’s Yosemite Pines RV Park or El Portal’s Indian Flat RV Park.
How do I make a camping reservation in Yosemite?
Make a reservation online at recreation.gov or phone 877/444-6777. During the winter months, most park campgrounds are closed, but three that remain open have first-come, first-served sites. Insider Tip: Campers must call or book online five months in advance. Spots are usually released on the 15th of every month at 7 a.m. Certain high-elevation campsites will release permits two weeks in advance, and Camp 4 releases individual spots one week in advance.
Luxury backpacking in Yosemite National Park
- High Sierra Camps: In summer 2026, Yosemite reopened three of its five High Sierra Camps near Tuolumne Meadows after a four-year closure. Spaced 8 to 10 miles apart by trail, the camps accommodate hikers in tent cabins with comfy steel-frame beds. Meals are served for breakfast and dinner; some camps even have hot showers. Hikers who score a reservation get to enjoy a wilderness backpacking experience without needing to carry heavy gear. Reserve your spot by advance lottery or post-lottery reservation.
- Yosemite Pines RV Park: Located about 22 miles from the park entrance in Groveland, which offers an array of trailers for rent, as well as the 19th-century forefather of the trailer: the covered wagon. The resort’s new Conestoga wagons sleep from 4 to 6 and include a few creature comforts that the pioneers would have appreciated, like a king-size bed, bunk beds (one or two sets), a fridge, microwave, coffee pot, and both heating and A/C. There’s no running water in the wagon, but it’s just a short walk to a restroom and shower house, as well as the onsite swimming pool and volleyball courts.
- AutoCamp: For a slightly more contemporary take on a covered wagon, start planning for a stay in the new Airstream-equipped AutoCamp. The site also offers wood cabins and tent cabins along with retro-cool Airstream trailers. Guests also receive access to a pool, clubhouse, community firepits, and a pond for canoeing.
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