SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY RESIDENTS LOOKING TO ENJOY A WINTER GETAWAY IN THE SNOW

For many years, San Joaquin Valley residents have used Yosemite Lakes RV Resort as a base camp for summer trips into Yosemite National Park. But now the resort is making several improvements that it hopes will entice more visitors during the winter season as well.
These improvements include new heaters in its furnished yurts, which sleep up to six, and expanding the camp store’s product line to include snow discs and other snow play equipment.
Park guests, for the first time, can also receive discounts on cross country and downhill skis, snowshoes and mountain bike rentals from a nearby rental company. Park staff are also compiling detailed information for guests on several snow play areas close to the campground.

The campground already has 49 furnished cabins and yurts that are available year round, but the park plans to keep more of its RV sites available during the winter months.

“Yosemite Lakes is a great campground to use as a base camp for all kinds of winter activities in and around Yosemite National Park,” said park manager Miguel Ortiz, who is leading efforts to increase business levels during the winter months.

“There are great areas for cross country skiing within 30 minutes of our campground and several snow play areas that are even closer than that.”

Yosemite Lakes is also only a little over an hour’s drive from Badger Pass Ski Resort in Yosemite, while Dodge Ridge Ski Resort is about about an hour and 40 minutes away.

There are also more than 15 fishing lakes within an hour’s drive of Yosemite Lakes, including Don Pedro Reservoir, Cherry Lake and Hetch Hetchy Reservoir in Yosemite National Park.

Ortiz said Yosemite Lakes is typically busy between Christmas and New Year’s, but usually has vacancy during the remaining winter months.

“Once they get a decent amount of snow in Yosemite Valley, the accommodations there will be full, so Yosemite Lakes offers a useful alternative, plus we’re closer to the San Joaquin Valley,” Ortiz said.

He added that Yosemite Lakes offers cozy cabins and yurts in a scenic setting near the South Fork of the Tuolumne River.

Its family friendly cabins, which sleep up to six, include bathrooms with showers, flat screen TVs and kitchens that are fully stocked with cooking and eating utensils, so guests can cook their own meals. The yurts also sleep up to the six and include microwave ovens, hot plates, cooking and eating utensils, flat screen TVs and bathrooms with showers.