Foresta Fosters: The Ideal Yosemite Experience - Yosemite National Park, California, USA

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Building on a tradition established many years ago by my family, I make it a point to visit Yosemite National Park every winter.

It’s a trip that can take many forms, from the super low budget sleep-in-the-car-under-a zero-degree-sleeping-bag to a $400.00 a night room at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel. Personally, I enjoy both in the proper context. For this trip, I found a happy medium by renting a home in the community of Foresta, about a 15-minute drive from the Valley floor on Highway 120, which is also the road to Tioga Pass.

Foresta nearly burned in a 1990 fire. The damage to the trees around the newly rebuilt homes remains. There is also lots of new forest growth, and if you take the time to explore the backside of the community, which borders the McCauley Ranch addition to Yosemite, you may find it as beautiful as the interior of the park.

The economic value is fantastic. My favorite places to stay in the park are the Ahwahnee, which I try to save for very special occasions, and the Tenaya Lodge, a luxury property in the community of Fish Camp on Highway 40.

During the winter season, a night in an Ahwahnee cabin (the most romantic room) is about $400.00, after taxes. But with the ever-growing popularity of the hotel as a wedding destination, you may not be able to get a room.

The Tenaya is far less expensive - between $140.00 to $160.00 for a winter rate. That includes breakfast and a modern, yet rustic, atmosphere. Tenaya’s disadvantage is its location — at the southernmost park entrance, it’s far better for a late arrival evening stay or a ski trip to the park’s Badger Pass ski resort after the snow has fallen.

In Foresta, I paid $390.00 for two nights for a new, two bedroom, fully equipped home. It had views of the Valley, including Half Dome and El Capitan, total solitude and great roads for hiking, distance running, mountain biking and photography. There are numerous rental homes in the same price range, and are easily found by typing “Foresta, Yosemite, and rental” into Google.

We stayed at a property called Rocky Point, where I found only one thing to complain about — the quality of the sheets was questionable, and should be replaced. Everything else was clean and well-kept. There was even a washer and dryer for our sweaty hiking clothes after we spent Saturday laboring to the top of Yosemite Falls.

When I returned, I did some research and found that the Lupine Cabin, Cloud’s Rest Cabin, and an unnamed property directly across the street from Rocky Point are all in the same price range. Off-season rates are much lower than those between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

Foresta is an ideal destination for a family with a variety of generations who want to visit Yosemite together. Seniors can take it easy at the house or enjoy a leisurely walk to a nearby waterfall — with no tourists gawking beneath it. Families with kids can maximize their vacation dollars and still have space to spread out in rentals like these.

Another advantage is the opportunity to cook your own meals. Food options are extremely limited in the Valley, with only the very pricey Ahwahnee dining room serving a full service dinner menu. Bringing a bag of groceries can maximize your budget and give you more time in the comfortable rental. On the other hand, if you have a romantic event to celebrate like an anniversary, the Ahwahnee gives you a four-star option.

Winter is a slower-paced time in Yosemite Valley, although current road and infrastructure construction projects currently make it seem busier than usual. But for the most part, hiking trails, scenic meadows and campgrounds are far less populated at that time of the year.

We spent hours wandering about taking photos, looking at trees, watching the light change during the too-short day. No matter how many times I visit here, my desire to come back and spend more time seems only to grow.

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