It’s not the Wawona Hotel, the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls of even the world famous Awahnee Hotel where you might be lucky to snag a room for only $470 a night.
And it’s not camping outdoors or in the tent cabin city at Curry Village.
That said the Evergreen Lodge on the road to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir just outside the Highway 120 entrance two hours from Manteca is arguably the best respite from the maddening crowds that start flooding Yosemite Valley as the prime tourist season warms up with the weather.
It offers a wilderness experience on the northwestern edge of Yosemite Park with a lot less vehicle traffic. And when you venture out, it is the closest lodging to the Yosemite high country via the continuation of Highway 120 as Tioga Road through the park to Lee Vinning and Highway 395. It is also just under an hour from Yosemite Valley.
From its humble start in the early 1920s, the Evergreen has matured into what has been called “The classic Yosemite experience,” where you can escape to your very own comfy cabin in the woods. Today you’ll find 90 cabins scattered throughout 20 acres of towering pines, each with its own balcony to create a sense of privacy, yet within easy reach of the central plaza, tavern and recreation areas. Wandering through the Evergreen you’ll discover all sorts of diversions for play or relaxation – hammocks, horseshoes, bocce, and zip lines, to name a few. Everything here is thoughtfully maintained to provide a sense of connection to nature, wilderness, and history, while still affording you the modern creature comforts and respecting the surrounding natural resources.
There are one- and two-bedroom cabins and cottages. You can also opt for a custom camping option that may appeal to those who don’t want to lug around all the gear. They provide a fully set-up tent complete with bedding for between $90 and $125 a night to accommodate up to four persons. C cabins and cottages range from $185 to 230 in the off season and $1780 to $300 during peak times and holidays. There is even a multi-family offering dubbed the John Muir House that can accommodate multiple families in 2,400 square feet along with a 1,000-square-foot private deck for $625 to $950 in the offseason and $975 to $1,175 at other times.
The restaurant is highly regarding plus there is a small general store.
There are no televisions in rooms, but they do have satellite radio with iPod audio connectors. There is a coin-operated laundry. Cabins have small refrigerators and coffee makers, but are not set up for cooking.
There is a swimming pool and hot tub. There are kids’ activities, movies and nature talks. The evening “happy hour” at Evergreen Lodge serves S’Mores around the campfire. Massage and guided hikes are available for extra fees.
