How long should you stay here? When Tioga and Glacier point roads are closed and the sequoia groves are inaccessible during the winter months, spending one whole day here (that’s two nights - our shortest allowed reservation) is perfect. This allows guests to focus on having an entire day exploring the Valley. But from late spring through November a three night, two whole day visit is the best because in order to not have to rush through all the great sights, it takes two whole days to have enough time an explore the Valley, Glacier point road, the Sequoia groves while possibly still having time to do a short exploration of the high country by cruising the Tioga road.

In the Eastern Sierra near Mammoth Lakes is Hot Creek, the fascinating thermal area shown in this photo.

For a full discovery of this beautiful mountain range you will need to schedule in an additional day, or days, giving you a chance to explore many of the most amazing landscapes in all of California! And if you can add as many as 6 days you will also be able to experience all or part of the awe inspiring Yosemite to Las Vegas tour where you could be hiking in the alpine high country below a 15,000 foot peak, the highest in the contiguous US, in the morning then a few hours later be standing at the lowest spot in North America in Badwater, Death Valley National Park at 282 feet below sea level!

In this case, waking up from the third night of your visit to our inn, you would then take a full day tour of the magnificent Tioga road, driving all the way through the high country to the eastern Sierra. This will make it so you will have with enough time during that drive not only for the many nice stops along the way but also for a nice hike to some alpine lakes or an exploration along a river looking for a cool swimming hole. That forth night would be spent in the Lee Vining area. That next day, check out the abandoned old mining town of Bodie, an awesome hike to Virginia lakes or check out the scenic Mono lake. Next you would drive to and stay the fifth night in the town of Bishop. From there spend the next day exploring the amazing Owens valley where you will see extinct volcanoes, lava flows, and the towering peaks of the Sierra, including the tallest in the contiguous US, Mount Whitney. Also along this route you will pass by the Bristlecone Pine forest (the oldest trees in the world), a thermal area (Hot Creek), the Lone Pine Fish Hatchery (great place for a picnic) and a road that will take you to another great place for a hike or picnic at the base of Mt Whitney: the Mt. Whitney Portal Road (which will also take you through the amazing Alabama Hills). Spending the sixth night in the town of Lone Pine paves the way for a direct route through the heart of Death Valley and on to Vegas. Here is a link detailing the route for the Yosemite to Vegas tour. Feel free to contact us for help with your advance planning - we love to help everyone to get the most out of their visit to this amazing part of California!

In some ways spring is the best time for travel here. Not only are there way fewer visitors, but the weather is cooler, the peaks are still covered in snow, the streams and waterfalls are booming and the large swaths of dry grasses in the lower elevation oak woodlands transform into rolling green pastures rife with wildflowers. Also, spring storms bring amazing weather throughout the area, especially when a storm breaks. The big limitation is that the higher elevations are not easily assessable, meaning many of the parks most amazing destinations are out of reach.

While summer offers access to all of Yosemites expansive and awesome natural landscapes, it is also the busiest with crowds growing on the weekends. That being said, the time before the July 4th holiday during June can have al the attributes of visiting during spring and summer, with smaller crowds, the water features still in full effect with full access to everything the park has to offer. But this is a “crap shoot” since it is dependent on the high country roads being cleared of snow and debris before the 4th. Here is a link to a listing of all the spring opening dates of the Tioga road since 1950s.

Another trick is to plan your trip for when the crowds subside: the period between labor day and mid November. During this time, the water feature may be at thier lowest but. everything else is yours to explore.

Sturdy shoes, preferably hiking boots, with good treads, for hiking.

Hat for sun protection.

Long pants and socks for hiking in brush and where there might be poison oak.

Sunscreen - many areas do not have shade

Sunglasses

Insect repellent

A day pack for gear, an extra shirt or having a picnic while hiking

Binoculars - Even if you don't see any wildlife, watching those crazy rock climbers 1000s of feet up on El Capitan is darn interestin'!

Wildlife guide

For traveling during off season, winter/rain apparel.

Topographic maps and compass - just in case!

Bathing suit in summer

Some people enjoy having a walking stick