Where and when in Yosemite please?

[newmoon2night]

We are in the UK and starting planning a trip for next year hopefully.
Two of us and would like to self cater, relax, enjoy the scenery, take photographs, draw and paint, and do reasonably gentle walks (up to about 5 miles - but not major hikes). Not wanting really hot weather, infact comfortable to cool temperatures are preferable, as long as it doesn't coincide with a rainy season!
AND at all costs avoid the seasons when the mosquitoes and biting insects are about!
Cost is a consideration, so not major expensive please. Simple comfortable accommodation preferred rather than five star luxury.
Apart from the above we are flexible.
Can anyone advise please:
What part should we be looking at? What time of year? What airport should we be looking at flying to? Any recommendations for accommodation?
Best guide book or website for planning?
Thanks for all advice.

[Drew Wiley]

Yosemite Valley is nice in Spring, Fall, and Winter, depending what kind of weather and colors you are seeking. The upper parts of the park like Tuolumne Mdws are road-accessible only in Summer and early Fall (till the end of Oct). Late June thru July is the
ordinary mosquito season in the high country, though it can vary from year to year.
It's a fairly easy drive over Tioga Pass to see a bit of the adjacent eastern Sierra, including Mono Lake, and Oct can be a wonderful month for aspen and other fall color.
Temperatures vary largely with the considerable altitude changes involved. I'd avoid Yosemite Valley itself in Summer - it's crowded, hot, and smoggy.

[Drew Wiley]

(To continue)... If seeing the waterfalls full is a prority, I'd recommend March. And that is
when the lower hill country west of the Park can have incredible wildflower displays in the
canyons. But Spring is our rainy season - waterfalls and flowers both need it! I woudn't
be surprised if Yosemite Falls dried up entirely later this summer because it's a drought year. Last year was just the opposite. So it might be lovely or damp in March. October
will bring a mix of wonderful clear days and often mild snowfalls up high, putting a nice lace
on the peaks. But if you come, bring clothing suitable for a variety of weather conditions.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Weather varies from year to year so much that one June or September may have snowfall closing roads, and the next year either can have 100˚F temps and a forest fire closing the park. Heck, the altitude varies so much that I've driven in through El Portal where it was over 100˚ on the same day it was in low 50˚'s atop Tioga Pass-- an hour apart.
Should you go from October through March you may find more interesting light for photography, though you'd need to remain flexible in your plans once on the ground.
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is approximately 4 hours drive from Yosemite Valley.

[Drew Wiley]

Ivan - there's no way anybody is going to make Yos in 4 hrs from SFO, not even close,
esp if they're not used to steep winding roads. I could probably do it late at nite from here on the East Bay if I was driving like a bat out of hell, but getting out of the Airport, renting a car, getting thru Frisco and across the bridge, are all pretty time-consuming in themselves. For all practical purposes, it's an all-day drive. Flying into Oakland Airport could save time in that respect, but traffic is still pretty bad till one exits the Bay Area.
However, there is little sense taking a second flight to any of the Valley airports. Probably
no time saved that way, unless it was to Mammoth airport on the east side, which would
probably be pricey and with limited car rental, if any.

[Vaughn]

One can have a variety of weather in mid-April, very nice. Week-days before Memorial Day (end of May) are usually not too bad people-wise, but one generally can not get over the pass yet...or drive up to Glacier Point.

[ericpmoss]

When I went, I flew Southwest Air into S.F. b/c they check two bags w/o extra fees. Then I took Amtrak from downtown SF right to Yosemite Lodge for $68 round-trip. It's 7-8 hours, but I didn't have to drive, and got to meet some nice Yosemite employees who told me about all sorts of good hikes and so on. If you go before Labor Day, the buses between Yosemite and Tuolumne are generally running, so you can see both places w/o hassle. OTOH, you don't get to stop every place you might want, and as others have said, it can be crowded in August, and the photos aren't as dramatic as when the weather gets harsher.

My next hiking trip will likely be the High Sierras camp circle, where they provide shelter and food, and I just have to hike and take photos. Barring scary critters, I think it would be AMAZING.

[John Kasaian]

I take my family to Yosemite in early October---the weather is generally great, crowds are light, mosquitos gone, wildlife is out gathering food for winter. The downside is the Merced is too low for rafting and some of the guest services start shutting down for winter.

The high sierra camps would be a great opportunity to see the back country but reservations are on a lottery---they may be closed by October anyway---the Yosemite website would have the details.

If you don't mind taking sleeping bags, the Housekeeping Camp might be an option---plus if you rent a stove and cook set you can cook you own meals which will certainly cut down on expense. If you don't want to take sleeping bags, I think they also rent bedding as each tent has a queen--it would be woth it to inquire. Make sure you get a river view cabin if you go that route.

Another option are the tent cabins at Camp Curry---no campfires and no cooking in the cabins, but you do get a nice wooden floor, a comfortable bed and the chow at Curry is good but kind of pricey.

By all means spend some time outside the Valley at Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga, and Glacier Point. Hike the Mist trail. Enjoy it all!

[Drew Wiley]

Renting a car for a wk or two isn't all that expensive. And I personally pity those herds who pile into tour buses and truck right into El Portal. There is so much to see in route.
Some of the Valley orchard country is really beautiful (though hot midsummer), and the
gold country in the lower hills is for me a bigger draw than Yosemite itself. It's so nice to
just stop when you want, or to explore some little side road, or some little town like Knight's Ferry or Chinese Camp. There's a lot more to the area than just the stereotypical
Yosmite Valley stuff. Plus a car and some sleeping bags would potentially let you do a little
camping outside the park, or more convently get to adjacent attractions like Mono Lake or
the numerous side canyons off Hwy 395. I suppose Yosemite Valley per se needs to be on
eveyone's "checklist" to see, but it's not all that far from many other things equally enticing.

[Harley Goldman]

If you want waterfalls, then mid to late April is probably the best bet. The meadows are not looking too good that early and the trees might still be bare. My favorite time is the end of October. The oaks, maples and dogwoods are changing colors, the crowds are tame and the place has a very peaceful feel to it. The days should be mild and the evenings a little cool. There is always a chance of snow, but not very likely. It is generally far too warm. The waterfalls will likely be dry and the river low, though.