Arch Rock entrance basecamp
El Portal
- Distance to entrance
- Walkable (0.2 mi)
- Property mix
- Small inn / motel mix
- Town → park shuttle
- No — drive in
Where to Base
Where to base near Yosemite
El Portal sits just outside Arch Rock Entrance on Hwy 140 — the western approach that stays snow-free year-round and puts you 45 minutes from the Valley floor. Wawona anchors the south entrance on Hwy 41, with the Mariposa Grove sequoias out the door and a quieter pace than the Valley. Where you base determines which entrance you use and how long the first morning drive takes — open a town for its lodging, things to do, and what it changes about the trip.
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Tioga Pass east basecamp
Lee Vining
- Distance to entrance
- 8.2 mi drive
- Property mix
- Boutique + mid-chain
- Town → park shuttle
- No — drive in
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South entrance sequoia base
Wawona
- Distance to entrance
- Walkable (1.8 mi)
- Property mix
- Small inn / motel mix
- Town → park shuttle
- No — drive in
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