THE EARNEST TRAVELER
The Wawona Hotel has been closed since December 2, 2024 with no anticipated reopening date. Any guide still listing it as a mid-range option is out of date.
The middle of Yosemite is a real room on the shuttle line and a hike that earns its distance. It is also where the most out-of-date advice on the internet lives.
Closed since December 2, 2024, after a roof replacement uncovered the need for a full condition assessment. The concessioner states plainly: "At this time, there is no anticipated reopening date." The dining room is closed too.
If you booked one based on older advice, check it.
Yosemite Valley Lodge
Open year-round · Walking distance to Lower Yosemite Fall
The practical Valley choice — a real room, on the shuttle line, close to the falls. Booked through the park concessioner at travelyosemite.com.
Curry Village
Open year-round · Tent cabins, cabins and motel rooms
The middle ground between camping and a hotel, sitting under Glacier Point. Tent cabins are canvas over a wooden frame — cheap, cold, and genuinely in the Valley.
Gateway towns
El Portal, Mariposa, Midpines, Fish Camp, Oakhurst, Groveland
Cheaper than in-park lodging and often the only thing available at short notice. The trade-off is the drive in each morning, straight into the parking problem. Regional information from Yosemite Mariposa County and Visit Tuolumne County.
The Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls
Both falls run year-round · Peak flow late May or June
The best waterfall hike in the park, and the right answer for a summer visit when Yosemite Falls has gone quiet. Full detail on the Mist Trail page — including the weekday restriction that runs through October 2026.
On prices
Neither the National Park Service nor the concessioner publishes nightly rates for any in-park property. Pricing is dynamic and only appears once you run a dated availability search. Rather than print a number that would be wrong by the time you read it: check the live rate at travelyosemite.com, the only official booking channel. Reservations open 366 days ahead.
A real bed, a long day hike, and 4,000 feet of altitude.