“My family (husband, 19 and 23 year old kids, and I) had a wonderful and relaxing week at this Yosemite West property. I would totally recommend this property to friends and relatives who are interested in experiencing Yosemite. The owners’ description and photos were 100% accurate, and the property was clean and well-maintained. I spoke with the owner-Annie- on the phone and via email several times and she was extremely friendly and helpful (in terms of what to see/do before, during, and after our visit to Yosemite). The house location is ideal – especially for the west end of the park – including Glacier Point (an especially awesome area to hike and star gaze). The neighborhood is very quiet and easily accessible. The kitchen had everything we needed, so we never ended up eating out. The grill worked very well – something we have had little luck with in other places we have stayed. While we brought in all of our groceries from several hours away, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Village store in Yosemite Valley fully stocked and not crazy over the top expensive (though you would not want to do the bulk of your shopping there). It’s great for picking up odds and ends and highly perishable products like milk and cheese. Our plan was to hike every day – and this we did. There are hikes for everyone, but I would highly recommend the North Dome trail and Cathedral Lake trail in the Tuolumne area, the trails to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point in Glacier Point, and the Valley Floor trail in Yosemite Valley. We also enjoyed cooling off in the Merced River at Cathedral Beach near the base of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley and at Tenaya Lake in the Tuolumne area. We used the travel guides we brought with us plus the several that were already at the house to plan our days and learn many good facts about the park. The tours that are available through the park are very expensive and crowded, and with a good book about Yosemite you can do your own tour at your own pace and learn just as much. We did use the free shuttle system in the Valley – which at first is really confusing – until you realize that there are three different shuttles that run on essentially the same roadways – so you just have to know the exact bus you need to get on and how often they run. Half-way through our week-long stay we realized that we would have to come back there is so much to do! This trip was one of the best experiences we have ever had-and we travel a great deal!”———-Amy from White Hall
“It was wonderful to have so much space, the terrific view off the deck and the amenities, although this is an older home. Tips for travelers: read rental car instructions so you know how to downshift BEFORE driving in the mountains. If coming from San Francisco, we highly recommend the last full service grocery, Raley’s in Oakdale, CA which has coolers, a café for lunch and a Valero gas next door. The Village Store in the Valley has most options but at a much higher price, as is the gas at Wawona ($4.989 vs. $3.899 at Valero). There is a large stock of laundry, dish detergent and dishwasher soap on hand as of June 28, 2014 and the toilet paper is SINGLE ply due to septic. Two of the three bears we saw were in the subdivision so heed instructions. Our favorite trip was the hike to Sentinal Dome (two 60+ couch potatoes made it by taking our time), but wading in the South Fork of the Merced at Wawona Swinging Bridge was so much fun that we did it twice. Our daughters highly recommend Mountaineering School instructor Mark for the Anchors class and thought that a private instructor for Crag class would have been worth the extra if you are somewhat experienced. The hike to lower Vernal Falls is definitely moderate, NOT easy, as it is a non-stop 40 degree climb. Once again the couch potatoes made it by taking our time. All in all, a trip of a lifetime and we so enjoyed retreating from the noise and crowds of the Valley to this house each evening.”———- Janet from Richmond, Vermont
“A group of friends and I stayed here for two nights. It is VERY close to glacier point, we had a surprise snow and they closed the road down though. However the snow view from the deck was beautiful and Tunnel View was like 10 minutes away. Plenty of towels, soap and a very stocked kitchen. Loved the smell of the wood in the home and there was lots of room for sleeping. We fit 7 people with plenty of space left. The huge kitchen table was awesome, we made a big dinner and it was so nice to have everyone sitting around a table together. The next day was sunny and sipping on coffee and enjoying the view of the mountains was marvelous. Highly recommend this place. Was happy the wifi was not working :)” ———–Jeff Miller