Best sight to see here just make sure you go early and find the right time for the waterfall which…read moreis in spring which is when the snow caps are melting. Hikes can range with difficulties but there are simple trails for kids

I never expected to love Yosemite. I've been fortunate enough to travel to different places and…read morehave seen some truly breathtaking natural wonders. And so when I stepped off the Yosemite Close Up Tours van as Ken (our guide and the tour owner) parked it beside a few rocks to test our climbing/walking ability, I wasn't expecting much. But it's pretty appropriate that this tour group has this name, because Ken gave us a close up and intimate glimpse into the beauty of Yosemite. They say mountaineering is a lonely experience and so it is a very close/tight-knit community. They also say that there is something about Yosemite that brings people together. We were fortunate enough to have Ken bring both these things to us, as he shared his decades of experience scaling Yosemite's mountains and hiking its trails; imparted his knowledge about the delicacy and power of the nature around us; and allowed us to experience his lifelong love story with this national park. In our one day tour on a bright spring day, Ken taught us: - Balance: He started the tour by asking our group of 10 to walk up and down a few rocks, just so he could see what level we were each at. The 5 year olds in our group loved this 'playtime' while the 60+ year olds in our group loved this proactive calibration of how much (or little) help was needed throughout the day. - To look up, out and inward: While Ken was great at picking spots for photo opportunities, I loved it most when he picked spots that were set-ups for stories. He would ask us to look up at specific sections on the mountains and talk about how climbers would tackle this crevice or that ridge. So as we looked up at El Capitan or the Half Dome, we not only saw the beautiful shots seen in pictures and screensavers, but also the solitary suffering and the exhilarating exhaustion of challenging oneself, of being one with that challenge, and of finally and triumphantly scaling the top (and getting down afterwards). - Respect for the danger/risk: Ken lightly but seriously talked about this book he had that detailed different ways people had died in Yosemite (e.g., there's a whole chapter on rivers). It wasn't meant to be morbid or macabre, but matter-of-fact. And it made us aware and respectful about what was around us. - Conservationism without the hard sell: In between the more tour guide-y stories, Ken made sure to drop some geological/biological knowledge on us. For example, he explained what meadows were and how they came to be (which was his thesis if I remember correctly) and talked about the regular volunteer work that climbers do to clean up the park. - The evolution of climbing: Mid-tour, Ken brought out his different hooks and clamps to show us how climbing gear has changed and become more sophisticated over the years. And this may sound like a boring history lesson but it actually helped us appreciate Yosemite's mountains - and the people who dream/do climb them - even more. - Picnics are the best: I'm not sure whether it was because we had been walking a lot, or because Ken's tour provides locally sourced food, but that picnic lunch of sandwich+chips+cookie+apple absolutely hit the spot. Ken ended our tour with a funny/folksy song about 2 climbers at Yosemite. And in a way, I thought that was a kinda perfect way to end the day. Because it was only later on when, through good ol' Google, that we found out Ken was a sort of mountaineering legend, with many initial ascents (i.e., first time anyone ever scales a mountain) credited to him. But at that moment, as he was singing his folksy song to bid us goodbye, he wasn't Ken Bouche, a known mountaineer. He was just another guy who was completely in love, and wanted to playfully share that love with the people he was entrusted with that day. 5 stars. Highly recommended.

Horrible experience. Booked and paid a deposit a year in advance. Was to pay the rest of the amount…read moreon August 2. Heard from no one so contacted the company (if you can call it that- I think it may be a one guy operation) on August 3. Got an email back stating that they could not do the tour due to business operations and had no guide. Very unprofessional. Would give a zero if I could. Warning back out of tours- would not recommend to anyone.

We found Pat serendipitously when there was a error in our Yosemite day pass. As I write this…read morereview, it is August 2020 and Covid is rampant in the United States, so access to Yosemite park was limited. We found Pat and his services and he saved our trip! The experience was great. Pat is knowledgeable about the park and an expert with Photography. He knows exactly the route to take his guests to maximize our time in the park and capture them with ours or his camera. The day we were scheduled with Pat, he had a guide that he was training. They were both very receptive about the feedback about photo composition, lighting etc. At first there was a little sticker shock of $850/day for a family of four. however, if you compare this rate with other companies operating semi private tours, Pat's rate is a bargain! A half a day in a semi private tour will cost you about $700. Pat met us in Oakhurst at 8 AM and our tour ended at 3 PM. It was the highlight of our week. Thank you.

The Black Oak Bed and Breakfast is relaxing, beautiful and the most serene getaway. The owners John…read moreand Kathy are the epitome of hospitality. They are such generous and special people. They have opened up their home to travelers and do an incredible job at making you feel welcome! I would highly suggest stay here if you are going to Yosemite. John makes breakfast every morning and it is delicious! We are so pleased and we can't wait to come back! Thank you so much for hosting us! P.s. their dogs are the cutest

Loved Black Oak! One of the finest and most beautiful places Michele and I have ever stayed, during…read moreour travel visits. The atmosphere is incredibly charming, and the hospitality is a bit on the European side, which is of-course wonderful. The breakfast was divine...he does know his way around he kitchen, chef style at that. John and Kathy are a lovely couple, and we were delighted to spend our time in their welcoming home, while on our Yosemite trip. We are both looking forward to our return visit.

What an amazing day! Even with going into the park on our own twice before we saw more things on…read morethe tour than we ever would have on our own. Dave, our tour guide couldn't have been better, filling our day with fun facts and history that we would never have gotten anywhere else. I would highly recommend this tour group, first class and top notch people!

This was our first visit to Yosemite and we needed an experienced guided tour to give us an…read moreoverview of the park so we could do some exploring later on our own. We booked a tour with Crossroads through Viator and it was a great choice. Our guide Mike was perfect. Low key, patience of a saint( people drive like yahoos even in Yosemite) knowledgeable with lots of history and current news of the park. Mike made sure to show us where the trailheads were for hikes we were thinking of taking at a later date. Our family of 6 took up most of the van and we were lucky to have another couple who were wonderful,to share the experience with us. You will get an early start with this tour but it is well worth it. We saw EVERYTHING! Thank goodness for Mike, he really was the perfect guide for us. I bobbled the booking and they were still happy to accommodate us. Do them a favor and contact them 72 hours in advance of your tour date-even if it is the weekendWe got a nice bagged lunch from Bee's Bakery and Cafe and good quality T-Shirts with the tour. We were tired but very happy that we booked a tour with Crossroads and Mike was our guide by the time we were dropped off at our car in the late afternoon. Traveling all day in a van with people who match your energy is priceless. Thanks for a really great experience Mike!!

What a fantastic find for a family Christmas gathering at Yosemite National Park! We found Yosemite…read moreCountry Cottage on VRBO. It is located in Midpines, CA, 10 miles east of Mariposa, CA, on 140. You'll find many rentals in Mariposa, CA, but Midpines is actually closer to the 140 entrance. it has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full kitchen, washer/dryer, gas fireplace, and outdoor jacuzzi. The cottage sits on a hill, so the view is magnificent from the yard, as you can see from my photo. It has been a rental for less than a year (according to the guest book). Everything is absolutely meticulous. Being the clean freak that I am, I appreciated the gleaming laminate floors in the common areas, tiles in the bathrooms, and the plush the berber carpeting in the bedrooms. Our bare feet and socks never picked up any dirt, unless we dragged it in ourselves. The cottage is equipped with everything you need, such as hair dryer, iron+board, laundry baskets, cleaning supplies, napkins, paper towels, spices, plastic containers+ bags, coffee grinder+maker, satellite tv/dvd player, too many to list. If you need it, you'll probably find it there. Charles, the owner, lives 500 yards on the property, out of view. He's really on the ball with every detail of the rental, so you'll never be confused about directions, access, and even activities in the park. Also, he works as a Yosemite National Park guide...another bonus for first time visitors. Just one warning, though. He has lots of information to offer, so be prepared for lengthy descriptions of sites and activities. Ah, another warning, this one about 140. There is a stretch of 140 close to the park that is only one lane traffic due to the landslide of 2006. I realize our access in and out of park was easy in the off season, but I anticipate the traffic flow and wait times during the high season to be quite different. Our family of four adults spent our Christmas at the cottage...probably one of the best family gatherings ever. The park, of course, is magical, but our lodging really topped our stay.

This perfectly provisioned cottage is truly a castle in the woods. It is close to the entrance for…read moreYosemite as well as Mariposa which can furnish all of your food needs. We saw deer outside our window the first morning and Charles, the owner, gave expert recommendations on when and where to go for the best vacation. This was far better than staying at a hotel!

Recently renovated by the owners. Beautiful house and very cool outdoor patio area to sleep…read moreeveryone comfortably. Walk down to the on-property river for your own little slice of the sierras! Overall awesome place to wind down after a long day in the park. Can't recommend enough if you're looking for a Yosemite base camp for a beautiful vacation.

A cutsy B&B in the middle of no where. Not to far from Yosemite but not in town and late at night…read morecan be asy to miss. Very friendly older people running this place and they are quite accomadating. Did not have a problem gettiing two rooms last minute (had our own bathroom). There were other people there and while there is no curfew they do not give you a key since the door is normally left unlocked but of course the people locked us out and were kind of surprized when we knocked on the door at like 10pm. A nice breakfast where everyone waits for everyone. Joyce introduces everyone and conversation is made at the big table. 8:30 am is a little early for me but it was a good price for a room last minute so we did not complain. (Many B&B's around Yosemite have been closed for a while so do not rely solely on your GPS)

Excellent tour with Grant and worth the $! As Yosemite gets busier, this is really worth your time…read moreand $! You don't have to navigate traffic, you're driven by and given ample time off this small bus to see everything and take tons of photos, lunch and a fantastic history lesson. $220.00 per person. Pick up 7:05 am and dropped back off at 5:00 pm. Lunch is quite good. Sandwiches from Deli Delicious in Oakhurst. Lunch is taken in the middle of the park where you can sit and enjoy it, use the facilities, grab a Starbucks if needed and take a short walk over to one of the waterfalls. You're picked back up after an hour and 1/2 and this wonderful tour continues. You see loads of wildlife, more amazing waterfalls and this famous sites you've seen all over the place in pictures, movies, paintings, etc and if your lucky, so rock climbers on 1/2 Dome or El Capitan. Incredible scenery and so much to learn about this incredible place, the indigenous peoples and tribes that lived here and the incredible amount of history all in one day. Do yourself a favor and take the tour. Hopefully you'll get Grant. He's fun, is an excellent driver, has lots of bottled water and snacks, really takes care of his fares, knows an enormous amount of info from here and makes the tour really fun. There's so much to see and if you don't know where you're going, you can really get turned around and hung up in traffic.

The bus driver's name was Phil and he was awesome. He was so smart informative. They brought…read morelunches for all the people. The food was great. They did a really great job and I am so glad I went.