Locals Tout Extended Autumn Visits as Key to Recovery
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Few places on earth equal the majesty of the Yosemite Valley. The vista of El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Fall, and other landmarks here leaves us speechless, regardless of how many times we’ve visited. When traveling to gaze upon these monoliths and cascades, it’s easy to overlook the local communities.
Yet many people call Yosemite National Park and Mariposa County home, as their families have for generations. They depend on travelers and each other to thrive in this environment, working in tourism but also farming and operating small businesses. Take the time to explore Mariposa Country and you’ll experience a gathering of quaint small towns that provide the perfect tonic for our harried lives.
Experience
Yosemite
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The temporary reservation system to enter the park ends September 30th, so we asked three experts from Tenaya Lodge, The Redwoods in Yosemite, and Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort to share their insights about several of their favorite fall season gems.
Tenaya
Lodge
The redwoods
In Yosemite
Yosemite Bug
Rustic Mountain
Resort
“It’s easy here to get to know the people because they are all so nice.”
Nia Huerta
Tenaya Lodge
“If you can, don’t just stay for two nights,” says Nia Huerta from Tenaya Lodge. “You should plan for three nights and four days, one for Yosemite Valley, one for the High Country, and one to explore Mariposa and other towns and trails in the area. You can’t mountain bike in the park either, but there are awesome mountain bike trails that leave right from Tenaya Lodge.
Nia describes moving to Yosemite as a “dream come true” that was very different than her experience growing up as a “desert rat” in Las Vegas. “It’s easy here to get to know the people because they are all so nice. Many of their families have been here for several generations and their stories, which I’ve found they are eager to share, are amazing. I mean, can you imagine having spent your whole life in this area? It would be amazing.”
Located in Fish Camp, Tenaya Lodge captures this friendly local spirit well, encouraging guests to take the lodge’s convenient shuttle into the park, to consider trails to Bass Lake and elsewhere that are on forest service land outside the park, and to visit Mariposa’s new climbing museum, shops, and restaurants. “Many of these places are owned and managed by people who have always called Yosemite home,” she says. “In fact, every one of our bus driver tour guides grew up here. Seeing Yosemite through their eyes is incredible.”
“Mariposa County is gorgeous in all four seasons.”
Yuli Gotsev
The redwoods In Yosemite
Yuli Gotsev came to the U.S. as a student to work at Yosemite in 1994, a life-changing decision. Today he manages The Redwoods in Yosemite, the largest vacation home rental company in the park and home to the 1876 Victorian-style Wawona Hotel, a National Historic Landmark. Like Nia, Yuli encourages all visitors to expand their visit to include time for exploration outside of the park.
“Mariposa County is gorgeous in all four seasons,” he says. “Fall, winter, and spring when the crowds have left are just as sublime here, as colors change, snowfalls and wildflowers appear. Lodging is discounted and, in winter, you can trek beneath the giant sequoias by snowshoe and cross-country ski, an awesome and brethtaking adventure.”
Yuli says another key reason to visit in the “offseason” is to help sustain the local communities. “You not only support those of us who work in hospitality, but you’re also supporting our schools and local institutions like the library.”
Every one of the gateway communities is loaded with folklore and interesting shops, he says. The front desk staff at The Redwoods is happy to arrange an itinerary based on your specific goals. They’ll also share local secrets about swimming holes, sparsely used trails, and the famous High Country.
“There’s so much to do around 10,000 feet here, like paddle boarding and canoeing on Tenaya Lake, hiking to Cathedral Lakes and Cathedral Peak, walking beside the Tuolumne River to Tuolumne Falls,” says Yuli, who recently hiked (hiked?) the Glen Aulin Trail for a five-hour hike that started in Tuolumne Meadows, home to an exquisite mosaic of wildflowers that blooms straight through autumn.
“We liked the
European feel of
the hostel.”
Doug Shaw
Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
Doug Shaw loves Yosemite and Mariposa County in the fall and winter too.
“I don’t think Californians realize how beautiful and accessible Yosemite is in the offseason,” he says. “People sometimes think our area has Alaska’s weather, but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.”
Doug owns one of the most unique properties in Mariposa County, Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort, aka the Bug. After managing luxury hotels in the Bay Area and elsewhere Doug decided he wanted to own a hostel. A historic WPA camp, the lodging evolved into a children’s camp and then, when Doug bought it, an international style hostel. That was 25-years ago this year.
“We liked the European feel of the hostel,” he says, “Though we’ve added family-style and smaller rooms in recent years. We also have campsites, and tentalows with log furniture, as well as one of the only spas in the area. Everything is very community-oriented and the locals come often to use the spa and eat in our restaurant, where food is always served family-style.”
Doug has spent years exploring the Forest Service and BLM land near The Bug. He believes there is nothing in terms of outdoor recreation that cannot be found here, from mountain biking to river rafting and, of course, climbing and hiking.
“You must also visit the gold rush town of Mariposa,” he says. “There is such great history with the old buildings like the courthouse and the jail. It’s nice to have a town nearby with good food to recommend. Mariposa has really bloomed in recent years.”
Doug recommends cross-country skiing to Ostrander Hut for a couple of nights and skiing to Glacier Point too. “The first time I skied to Ostrander Hut I didn’t really know what I was doing, so I fell a lot. A coyote, figuring I was a flailing animal, started following me. Eventually, he trotted off. I laugh every time I remember that day.”
Yosemite
National Park
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Yosemite National Park has received a large number of visitors this summer. Unbeknownst to many who make a beeline to the valley floor, there is tremendous natural beauty and fascinating cultural sights to see just miles from the park’s entrance. Also, Yosemite National Park is 1161 square miles, taking nearly 4 hours to drive from west to the east in the gorgeous fall scenery. Tioga Pass closes when the snow starts to fall. (Hwy 140, the “All Weather Highway,” is open year-round.) Most tourists only see a small fraction of this vast and impressive park because of a lack of understanding of its enormous size and lack of advance planning. This year, plan a fall or winter trip to Mariposa County to explore Yosemite and its environs. There’s a good chance you’ll return again and again.
Visit yosemite.com to plan your itinerary.
Mariposa Country