Mather, CA Local Area Information

Though most visitors come to the park to play, Yosemite hosts scores of business meetings, conferences, retreats and other professional functions each year. The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Lodge and Tenaya Lodge all have meeting rooms and business staffs that cater to the needs of professionals who are there for work. Relax (or seek nocturnal wildlife) in the evening at the Mountain Room Bar, the Jac... (read more - PDF guide)

Yosemite has a cultural importance on a global scale, in that our nation preserved it as a park before Yellowstone, and it is now one of America's small number of World Heritage Sites. Twenty percent of Yosemite's visitors come from other countries and Yosemite has sister national park relationships with Chile and China. Shop the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center's bookstore for the best selection ... (read more - PDF guide)

Once you've paid your entrance fee, you don't have to spend another dime to have an amazing Yosemite experience. Going on a free ranger walk is always a rewarding thing to do; find out about them at one of the park visitor centers, or in the free Yosemite Guide newspaper. At the Valley Visitor Center you can also catch the free film every half hour. In the evenings, rangers present free evening... (read more - PDF guide)

Yosemite on $150 for a week? It can be done! Bring all your grocieries/supplies, set up in one of 13 campgrounds and enjoy the good life in this mountain preserve. It really is that easy.Some people are put off by the park's $20/car entrance fee, but this is good for a week's entry, is less than 3 people going to the movies or 2 people going out to lunch or buying yourself a new shirt, and is a... (read more - PDF guide)

So few visitors come to this popular national park in the winter, you really can have large portions of it virtually to yourself. It's still accessible and so beautiful. Sporting types will want to head to Badger Pass Ski Area; a free shuttle will get you there from Yosemite Valley or Wawona. Downhill or cross-country skiing are great here, and snowshoeing has mushroomed in popularity. With th... (read more - PDF guide)

Having only one day to see a place as grand as Yosemite could be tragic, except that having any time at all in Yosemite is worth celebrating. If you can come in the winter time, you’re in for a special treat. Though it’s a lot of driving, you can reach Yosemite from as far away as San Francisco for a day trip. Anything further away than Merced, Fresno or Manteca means a 2-hour drive. In ... (read more - PDF guide)

So much to choose from! I had to put Half Dome at the top of my list; it's so unique. For the fit and determined it's just the right amount of challenge with a great reward on top. Key: start up in the dark, drink lots of water. Be aware that for 2010 you need a day use permit for Fri, Sat, Sun, holidays on Half Dome. For an easier jaunt, almost anyone can make the pleasant grade to Mirror Lake fo... (read more - PDF guide)

Almost no one goes to Yosemite Valley's twin sister, Hetch Hetchy, but it's truly worth a visit. On Tioga Road, the trail to May Lake keeps going up, to the summit of Mt. Hoffmann, a viewing platform near the geographic center of the park. South of here is the under-appreciated Cloud's Rest, an easy photo study from Olmsted Point or a long hike to the summit. Further east, Parson's Lodge anchor... (read more - PDF guide)

Most people aren't coming to Yosemite specifically for the food, but that doesn't mean you can't dine well. From the world-class to the startling, you can do much better than John Muir's diet of bread and tea. The Ahwahnee's dining room is high-class, expensive, delicious and a remarkable dramatic setting; few restaurants have so many diners bringing their cameras to their tables. At the opposit... (read more - PDF guide)

This wild national park has a wide range of places to sleep: deluxe comfort to rustic minimalist. The Ahwahnee and Tenaya Lodge are top-end by any standard. The park's backcountry has a limitless supply of solitary places to camp out on the ground. In-between are the beloved Bug Hostel, the great campgrounds at Tuolumne Meadows, Crane Flat and North Pines in Yosemite Valley and the historic lod... (read more - PDF guide)