The list of great places to rest your head near Yosemite National Park in California just keeps getting longer. If you’re open to staying at a place that breaks the traditional hotel mold, newcomer Wildhaven Yosemite is worth a look.
Located a mile from the gateway town of Mariposa, the glampsite opened in spring of 2024; it features 30 platform tents and a dozen cabins spread across its 36-acre property.
Glamping Tents
Wildhaven’s glamping tents offer all the fun of camping without getting dirt under your fingernails. Spacious safari-style tents come in a variety of sleep configurations including one or two queen beds, and a family-friendly option with a queen bed and two sets of bunk beds, that’s bookable for one or two adults and up to four children.
All tents come with USB outlets and electric plugs to charge travel necessities like camera batteries, cell phones, and laptops, however, hair dryers are not allowed. Beds in premium tents are outfitted with heated mattress pads that come in handy on chilly nights.
A common bathhouse features toilets, sinks, and showers. There’s also a communal cooking area with a handful of gas barbecue grills and picnic tables; sinks to wash dishes are a short walk away. (Guests must bring their own cookware.)
Cozy Cabins
More tiny home-esque than rustic cabin, studio cabins feature a queen bed and two twins in a loft. (A third twin mattress can be added for a nightly fee of $30.) Larger one bedroom cabins offer a dedicated bedroom with queen bed and a futon sofa that converts into a full-size bed and can sleep an additional adult, or up to two children.
All cabins have kitchenettes, bathrooms, electricity, heat, air conditioning, and an outdoor patio with fire pit, and picnic table.
Most guests spend their days exploring Yosemite National Park and the surrounding area, but the property does offer a short hiking trail, a pergola ideal for lounging in the evening, and a communal fire pit. Reception offers morning coffee, tea, and hot chocolate; guests can also purchase s’mores kits, snacks, drinks, candy, and a small selection of frozen foods.
On select days during the summer season, (mostly weekends) Wildhaven Yosemite hosts live music and guided yoga practice.
Getting to Yosemite
Wildhaven Yosemite is 33 miles from the Arch Rock Entrance to Yosemite National Park. Without traffic plan on about an hour to cover the distance, but during peak season know there can be delays to enter the park. On select dates, Yosemite National Park requires entrance reservations. Information regarding the reservation system can be found here.
The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, better known as YARTS, runs shuttles into the national park from downtown Mariposa. There is a fee, but shuttle riders do not need a reservation to enter Yosemite. Mariposa also features a grocery store, restaurants, shops, and wine tasting.
Starting rates for glamping tents is $99; cabin rates begin at $199. Glamping tents and cabins in preferred locations with better views typically command a higher starting rate. You can compare rates on Expedia. Tents and cabins are dog-friendly. Dogs must remain on-leash. Up to two dogs are allowed per accommodation for an extra fee of $30 per pet, per night.
Review and photos by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by Wildhaven Yosemite, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
