Yosemite Mariposa County Turns “Sheltering in Place” On Its Head
Get lost in the bounty of nature. Any activity is sure to bring joy and peace.
Listen to nature and embrace the escape. Rushing water will clear your mind.
Bask in the beauty of all that Yosemite Mariposa County has to offer.
Whether you spend your morning lightly treading on a riverside trail or pause to gaze upon a 200-foot waterfall as it cascades toward the valley below, our natural world provides equal parts relaxation, meditation, and enthusiasm for life. Nature’s allure invites us to take advantage of remote work and schooling and encamp somewhere we’d only previously dreamed about living. Yosemite Mariposa County is one such destination, a glorious temporary home where online work and school is supplemented with hikes and other outside activities in one of the world's most sublime environments. Whoever thought remaining in our bubble could lead to life within the shadow of El Capitan, Half Dome, and at play in the snow-dusted elevations of Glacier Point and Badger Pass?
As parents, we would never choose to have our children educated via computer screens, but how they spend their day away from "class" has never been more important. Imagine a school day supplemented with fresh air, exercise, and discovery and you can quickly see how an extended holiday in Yosemite transforms the mundane into the magical. Perhaps the family will remember this year as that time they fell in love with snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, witnessed the first wildflowers emerge in the alpine, or watched the snowfall embrace the high country meadows along Glacier Point Road. Memories of "the year that wasn't" will swiftly be replaced with "the amazing time that was."
Immerse yourself in nature and the concerns of the world seem to disappear.
Rental Cabins
Make yourself at home at any of the plentiful vacation rentals.
Bed and Breakfasts
Experience a quaint and intimate vacation at your home away from home.
Campsites
Explore what nature has to offer by way of campsite. Be sure to book your reservation early!
Hotels
Affordable and luxury options abound. Surely a fit for every need.
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The opportunity to combine work with vacation sounds idyllic for obvious reasons, but what does it take to achieve this lifestyle alchemy in somewhere like Yosemite-Mariposa County? As mentioned, there are hundreds of different accommodations ranging from isolated rustic outposts to 5-star lodging. Most of the restaurants have remained open too, providing culinary options like the 1850 Brewing Company and the Sugar Pine Café, dining options rarely seen on the outskirts of a national park. As a vibrant, independent community, Mariposa’s retail ranges from essentials like pharmacies and grocery stores to regionally-inspired boutiques and galleries. In short, Yosemite Mariposa County possesses all the amenities required for a weekend getaway or a vacation immersion in the community.
Fun is the best kind of release. Fun exists in Yosemite Marisposa County to bring one's family, friends, or even strangers closer together and to nature.
Challenge your body and mind to let go and relax. Nature is such a calming interaction.
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Nature’s power to soothe remains strong, regardless of whether we gather a couple of long weekends to explore or settle in for a month or more. Encompassing over 60% of Yosemite and surrounding wilderness, Yosemite Mariposa County offers endless opportunities to work, rest and play throughout this visit. The region’s campus is unlike any outdoor space in the world. Every sojourn is filled with natural educational opportunities from Native American history to finding animal tracks and compiling a list of observed bird species. The Yosemite reading list has few equals in nature-based literature, whether we marvel at John Muir’s decision to experience wind storms while grasping the top of a ponderosa pine or poring through journals of climbers who pioneered first ascents up the park’s fabled edifices. Mariposa’s new Yosemite Climbing Association’s Gallery and Museum as well as the Mariposa Museum and History Center provide perfect hands-on supplements too.
Parent-child bonding happens easily in the wilderness where everyone gets low to look for interesting insects or joins together to create recordings of western meadowlark songs and Bridalveil waterfall tones. However, parenting is hardly a prerequisite for making a mission to Yosemite Mariposa County. Adults can take a Plein-air painting class, develop outdoor photography skills, and add pen to journal to capture thoughts and meditations on a valley sunrise. You won’t have to look far in Mariposa to inspire this artistry. The Ansel Adams Gallery was founded in 1902. The Mariposa Arts Council runs the Treetop Gallery featuring local artists, the Sierra Artists’ Gallery and RummStudio both display aesthetic interpretations of the region.
The work cubicle may be a thing of the now distant past, but this doesn’t mean you can’t conference call from Mariposa just as easily as from your home broom closet with personal office. While it’s true that Mariposa, sitting at almost 2,000-feet above sea level, is closer to the clouds than most places, accommodations offer universal WIFI connections for keeping in touch with the office, friends, and family members. The region boasts more than 700 lodging options from cabins to hotel rooms to vacation rentals. The ability to get online with high-speed connections and go way offline among the wilds of Yosemite Mariposa County makes the area a perfect base for a vacation with benefits. There are also only 18,000 people within 1,500-square miles, providing plenty of space for hikes and hanging out.
Research suggests that it isn’t just family relationships that benefit from time in nature. A recent article in Greater Good Magazine from UC Berkeley refers to various studies that suggest time spent outside in the wilderness decreases stress, makes us happier, relieves attention fatigue, and increases our creativity. These virtues not only improve our daily perspective and moods, they actually engender better problem-solving skills and work production. Of course, the power of nature to improve focus and efficiency doesn’t solely pertain to our employment, the article states we become more generous towards others, feel more connected to our world, and feel more alive. For all its nurturing of our intelligence, the Berkeley article suggests getting out in nature is a no-brainer.
Releasing our travel yearn is one of several sacrifices we’ve made over these past months. We’ve also found ourselves cooped up inside far from social interactions and time outdoors be it commuting or recreating. There’s another way to live, however. Many of us have turned ‘stay at home’ mandates into rare opportunities by reimagining where home is and temporarily relocating elsewhere. By choosing a wide-open destination like Yosemite Mariposa County, be it for a few days, a month, or more, we have the opportunity to replace our four walls with forests and city sidewalks with trailheads. Visit the Yosemite Mariposa County website to begin your journey back to nature and wellness.
History and culture is evident throughout Mariposa County, whether you’re visiting the oldest superior courthouse west of the Mississippi (still used today!) or strolling through downtown Mariposa shops and restaurants.