Published on March 16, 2024

Glamping – “glamorous camping” – is outdoor recreation’s new lodging genre. A hybrid experience, equal parts luxury hotel and camping, glamping is a creative way to stay in a comfortable cocoon of cozy amenities surrounded by nature.

Today, travelers want to authentically experience the most awe-inspiring destinations around the world, with a splash of glamour and the ease of not packing up all of their outdoor gear. There’s a bit of magic in rolling out of a comfortable bed with forest all around. Glamping or RV camping puts you closer to the great outdoors at prime locations both inside and outside of Yosemite National Park.

Here are Yosemite Mariposa County’s leading practitioners of the alternative art of glamping, from A(hhh) to Z(zzz)!

AutoCamp Yosemite

Midpines, CA

airstream trailer at Autocamp
The adventure of camping, with the comforts of home. Find your ideal balance at AutoCamp.

AutoCamp Yosemite is located in foresty Midpines, just 25 miles from Yosemite National Park’s Arch Rock Gate on all-season Highway 140. Renowned for its armada of iconic Airstream travel trailers that have been custom-built as hotel suites, AutoCamp Yosemite also features a pure glamping option: 15 luxury tents, outfitted with high-thread-count luxury linens, bedding, and bathrobes — everything needed for home on the Sierra range.

Covering 35 acres of foresty terrain, the mantra of AutoCamp is to encourage a communal, outdoor experience that honors the spirit and tradition of camping. There are hiking trails nearby and an on-site shuttle stop for easy access to Yosemite National Park, operated by YARTS. AutoCamp Yosemite also provides glampy amenities including individual outdoor firepits, pool, hot tub, and scenic roof deck (perfect for stargazing).

High Sierra Camps

Yosemite National Park

yosemite high sierra camp tent cabin
Backpacking to Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps takes glamping to a whole new level. Stay in comfortable tent cabins (like this one at Sunrise High Sierra Camp), and enjoy breakfast and dinner served up hot by friendly staff.

The wild backcountry of Yosemite National Park might not be the first place that comes to mind when discussing glamping, but stay with us. The High Sierra Camps, located within the spectacular alpine wilderness of Northern Yosemite, offer fully outfitted, shared tent cabins at five locations spaced roughly six to 10 miles apart.

High Sierra Camps – Glen Aulin, May Lake, Sunrise, Merced Lake, and Vogelsang – offer the rewards of backpacking without the need to carry a heavy backpack filled with tents and cooking gear, as each location offers hot dinner and breakfast served family-style. Clothing, personal items, and toiletries are all you need to carry. Each cabin has a wood-burning stove to ward off the chill at elevations ranging from 7,000 to over 10,000 feet, and showers are available at three of the camps. All camps have restrooms and potable drinking water.

Feeling intrepid? Take the Yosemite glamping challenge, and stay at each camp along the 49-mile High Sierra Camp Loop trail! Reservations for High Sierra Camps are “highly” competitive and conducted via a lottery/space available hybrid system.

High Sierra Camp hikers can take advantage of the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge at the start or end of their journey, where canvas tent cabins along the Tuolumne River offer glamping-worthy accommodations.

Indian Flat RV Campground

El Portal, CA

Indian Flat Campground’s new Jupe Glamping Tents are the perfect mix of luxury and natural surroundings. Featuring 12-foot high ceilings, a comfortable queen-size bed, air conditioning, solar panels for USB chargers,  ventilation, electrical outlets, and dimmable LED lighting in every one, you’ll feel right at home while tucked in the middle of nature.

The closest campsite to the Yosemite National Park’s Arch Rock entrance, Indian Flat RV & Campground has many convenient amenities such as warm showers, washrooms, complimentary Wi-Fi, access to an outdoor pool (located at neighboring Yosemite Cedar Lodge) and more.

Here, you’ll find your ultimate destination for experiencing the great outdoors!

Lake McSwain Camping & Recreation Area

Lake McSwain

Park Cabin at Lake McSwain
In addition to more traditional campsites with shaded picnic areas, Lake McSwain campground offers a few Park Cabins near the water – a perfect glamping opportunity.

Lake McSwain is a small “after-bay” of larger Lake McClure, which endows it with two aquatic advantages: the water level remains high throughout the year, and a 10 mph speed limit is enforced to prohibit high-octane water sports.

Lake McSwain Camping and Recreation Area is also a perfect place to practice the art of glamping at Lake McSwain’s six lakefront cabins. Called the “Park Cabins,” the units come in at just under 400 square feet with all the amenities, including bathrooms, showers, kitchens with refrigerators, stove and microwaves, barbecues, fire pits, and covered picnic tables.

Fishing is off the hook at Lake McSwain. Regularly stocked, Lake McSwain is known as a great California fishing destination for trout (rainbow, brown, and brook) with salmon and bass also on the angler’s menu. Water players flip for Splash-N-Dash, Lake McSwain’s popular water park/obstacle course with giant inflatables.

Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park & Campground

Mariposa, CA

RV camping at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds & CA Mining & Mineral Museum
There’s plenty of room to spread out for some relaxing RV camping at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds.

Just south of old town Mariposa off Highway 49, the Mariposa Fairgrounds RV Park & Campground offer year-round camping and RV areas tucked inside a verdant garden of lawns, shade trees, and flowerbeds within its gates.

Tent cabins are available year-round with just a few exceptions when fairs are underway. Electricity, water, restrooms, and shower facilities are complemented by a centrally located picnic area and proximity to the restaurants, shops, museums, and historic buildings of Mariposa, the county seat.

Wildhaven Yosemite Glamping

Wildhaven glamping tent cabin with dog and welcome mat
Experience the best of camping and comfort at Wildhaven Yosemite Glamping

Mariposa, CA

Wildhaven Yosemite Glamping opened in 2024 and is one of the newest glamping options in the region. It is conveniently situated just 45 minutes from the Yosemite Park entrance, and a mile from the restaurants, sights, and services of Mariposa, CA, surrounded by hiking trails, and natural vistas. From here, it’s easy to get to nearby lakes and rivers for boating and swimming and enjoy a meal out in Mariposa’s welcoming restaurants or bars.

Stay in comfortable tent cabins or glamping cabins with heat and electricity as well as access to clean bathrooms, and showers. Wi-Fi is available and an on-site camp store carries the essentials.

Tenaya Lodge Explorer Cabins

Fish Camp, CA

Couple on private deck of an Explorer Cabin at Tenaya Lodge
Leaning toward the glam side of glamping? Consider a stay at one of Tenaya Lodge’s beautiful Explorer Cabins. Not just a comfortable place to stay, you also have access to the deluxe resort amenities at the main lodge nearby. Post-hike massage anyone?

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite is located in Fish Camp, just a few miles from Yosemite’s South Gate entrance and set among 50 wild acres of Sierra National Forest. Renowned as one of California’s premier mountain resorts, Tenaya Lodge recently added two-bedroom Explorer Cabins to its lodging mix.

Taking glamping to a whole new level, Tenaya at Yosemite Explorer Cabins offer guests a unique Yosemite “cabineering” experience that combines the refined comforts of a modern cabin with the perks of a full-service resort — all in a pristine mountain setting.

Cabin guests have exclusive access to the Explorer Clubhouse, a 1,800-square-foot communal retreat with relaxed gathering areas and an expansive deck with picturesque views. A hub of activity, the clubhouse offers easy check-in, convenient grab-and-go daily breakfast, evening wine receptions, and other seasonal events.

Explorers can also take full advantage of Tenaya’s main lodge amenities including several full-service restaurants, indoor and outdoor pools, and hot tubs, the renowned Ascent Spa, and electric car charging including Tesla Supercharger Stations at the Main Lodge and at the Tenaya Cottages.

Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Midpines, CA

Spa tub at the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
Camping with a heated spa tub? Yup. There’s great food at the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort too. Rustic cabins mimic the feel of camping, but the shared amenities are top-notch.

For many a modern Muir, the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort has irresistible appeal. The Bug, as it’s known to devotees, offered glamping before glamping was even a thing with its bohemian, supertramp vibe.

About 30 miles from Yosemite Valley in Midpines, the Bug offers a wide range of lodging options with legit glamping DNA, including an international-style hostel. Tent cabins are right in the glamcamp wheelhouse, wood-framed with rubberized cotton canvas stretched all around. They have electricity for mood lighting and device charging, fans, screen doors, nice-thread-count linens, and view decks. Heated insulated tent cabins have additional interior walls, heaters, and decks. The Bug’s new tiled restroom complex features a full self-service do-it-yourself guest kitchen and dining area, sink bank, laundromat, private showers, and toilets.

Glampers give glowing reviews for the June Bug Cafe, serving up from-scratch metro fare. Next to the main lodge and Cafe is the Yosemite Health Spa, with a staff massage therapist, stainless steel UV/oxygenated spring water hot tub, hot rock sauna, herbal mineral baths, and yoga classes on the menu.

Curry Village Tent Cabins

Yosemite Valley, CA

Curry Village tent cabins
Curry Village’s location right beneath Half Dome in Yosemite Valley makes it a perfect spot to get your glamping on. Tent cabins with shared bathrooms are most abundant, but you can also upgrade to hard-sided cabins at Curry Village with or without private bathrooms.

Curry Village is located in the heart of Yosemite Valley and, while the spartan tent cabins may not quite reach glamcamp standards, they are located in one of the singularly most beautiful locations on the planet.

Yosemite Curry Village tent cabin guests glamp in wood-framed canvas tent cabins with wood floors and electric lighting (but no electrical outlets). Heated tent cabins are available over the winter. Central showers and bathrooms are shared, and guests get clean sheets, wool blankets, pillows, and towels during their stay. Tasty dining options are available at Curry Village.

The posh factor that many associate with glamping may be amiss, but imagine waking up, strolling outside, and saying good morning to Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Glacier Point, and all the majesty of Yosemite Valley. Curry Village delivers on the glamping promise with its plus-location.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Yosemite have glamping?

Yosemite is filled with a range of glamping options from “almost camping” to “delightfully decadent”. See the options above for more details.

Can you stay in a cabin in Yosemite?

In addition to vacation rental cabins available inside the park boundary, you can find glamping cabins that range from tent cabins to rustic hard-sided cabins in many areas both inside and close to Yosemite National Park.

Can you pitch a tent anywhere in Yosemite?

Camping in Yosemite National is not allowed outside of designated campgrounds, and reservations inside the park can be hard to get. Fortunately, there are some great options outside the park for both camping and glamping stays.

Is it safe to stay in a tent in Yosemite?

Thousands of people safely stay in a tent in Yosemite each year, both in designated campgrounds and backpacking in Yosemite’s wilderness. However, if a nylon tent seems flimsy to you, consider a small upgrade to a glamping option. Tent cabins, Airstream camping trailers, and even rustic hard-sided cabins can be a great alternative to sleeping on the ground without sacrificing that surrounded-by-nature feel.

Can you sleep in an RV in Yosemite?

You are not allowed to sleep in an RV inside Yosemite National Park outside of a designated campground. Reservations for a campsite inside the park can be hard to get, but fortunately there are many options outside the park for camping and glamping.

How to book an RV at Yosemite

You can book an RV for a comfortable night’s sleep at Autocamp Yosemite. Enjoy all the amenities of a deluxe Airstram camper (and more), without having to drive it up the winding mountain roads. If you are planning to rent an RV from futher away, or have your own, be sure to review our comprehensive guide to finding RV camping and regulations about traveling with a large RV in Yosemite.

To explore lodging options, things to do and places to eat, visit Yosemite.com, the #1 trip planning site for vacations to Yosemite National Park and historic Mariposa County. To stay up to date, follow @YosemiteNation on social media and subscribe to our newsletter, “The Wanderer”. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for great videos on the people and places of Yosemite Mariposa County.

Categories: Lodging