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Midpines, California

Location: 28 miles (45 km) from Yosemite entrance; 36 miles (58 km) from Yosemite Valley; via Highway 140 (map)

Population 431; elevation 2,405 feet (733 meters)

Midpines is a scattering of buildings cut out of the woods between Mariposa and El Portal, just before Highway 140 begins descending into the Merced River Canyon. It has more hotels & miscellaneous lodging options, including a variety of options for low-budget travelers, than it does all other sorts of business put together.

Pro: It's a reasonable drive to Yosemite Valley via Highway 140, which is the least snow-encumbered route in the winter and has excellent wildflower displays in the Merced River Canyon during the spring.

Con: The above photo shows off the heart of downtown Midpines, including its primary retail outlet. You'll probably want to stock up on supplies elsewhere.

Shopping: The Midpines Country Store (pictured above) has roughly the same size and inventory as a gas-station food mart; there's also a small market and gift shop at the KOA. For a conventional grocery store, you'll need to head back to Mariposa.

Gas: Available at the Midpines Country Store.

ATM Machines: One at the Yosemite Bug; several more available if you backtrack 7 miles to Mariposa.

Public Bathrooms: At the Midpines County Park, along Highway 140 near the south end of town

Medical Help: None in Midpines, but there's an emergency room 7 miles away near the north end of Mariposa at the John C. Fremont Hospital.

YARTS Stops: Two along Highway 140, one in front of the KOA Campground and the other at the Yosemite Bug.

Midpines Hotels & Lodging

Midpines KOA Campground

6323 Highway 140 · (209) 966-2201 · Map · Street View · Reviews · Website · $40 - $155*

50 RV sites with full hookups; 15 tent sites; 13 one-bedroom cabins; 2 two-bedroom cabins; 2 lodge cabins with full baths; pool, fishing pond, arcade, store & gift shop; free wireless Internet; YARTS stop; open March 15 - October 25

Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

6979 Highway 140 · (866) 826-7108 · Map · Street View · Reviews · Website · $25 - $285

7 hostel rooms; 16 cabins with private baths; 8 cabins with shared baths; 12 uninsulated tent cabins; 4 insulated tent cabins; 1 3-bedroom, 2-bath house; spa, restaurant, hiking trail, swimming hole; YARTS stop

Midpines Vacation Home Rentals

Knarly Oaks Yosemite Midpines Manor

(855) 562-7596 · Website · 10 guests max · $175 - $315

3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2,600 square feet, 2.5-acre property; full kitchen, laundry, outdoor spa, Internet; dogs allowed for additional fee; $125 cleaning fee, $400 deposit; peak season rates $250 - $275 for 6 guests, $10 per additional guest (see rates page)

Midpines House

(209) 379-2803 · Reviews · Website · 8 guests max · $160 - $240

2 bedrooms, 2 baths; full kitchen, outdoor hot tub, Internet; pets allowed for additional fee; no smoking; $80 cleaning fee; peak season rates $200 for 4 guests, $10 per additional guest (see rates page)

Ponderosa House

Website · 6 guests max · $150

3 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1,200 square feet; full kitchen, laundry, hot tub, Internet; 2-night minimum stay; no smoking, no pets; $75 cleaning fee, $250 deposit; $150 per night

* Asterisked hotels don't list rates on their websites, so rate ranges were obtained by haranguing hotel employees or checking a variety of dates in their reservation systems. Since they generally don't bother to inform yosemitehikes.com when they change their rates and calling them or checking their reservation sites every day would be intolerably boring, there's a chance that they've changed, so you'd need to check with the hotel to make sure that these rates are still accurate. Also, listed rates generally do not include taxes.