Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Resort – our review of a 3-days-stay close to the Western entrance to the nature reserve. The Yosemite National Park in California, USA, was one of our top highlights we planned for our four-week road trip around the South West of the United States of America. Looking for a unique glamping accommodation located very close or even in the middle of nature, we found this resort just a five-minute drive away from the West entrance of Yosemite National Park. The gay-friendly Yosemite Lakes Resort includes cottages, tents, space for trailers, hillside Yurts, and other Yurts nestled in a valley along the South Fork Tuolumne River.
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Our Stay at the Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Resort
We stayed in the Yurt village, located on the northern side of the valley. Hillside Yurt number 17 was our glamping home for four nights, offering the best view over the valley and the surrounding forest area. A parking space for our car was right in front of the yurt, and so was a space for a barbecue.
If you are looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly place to stay in nature, close to the Yosemite National Park West entrance, you can combine a back-to-nature experience with a touch of luxury and adventure. The yurts of Gay-friendly Yosemite Lakes Resort are a great choice. See the world through a Couple of Men‘s eyes with our review, photos, and gay travel tips about Yosemite National Park.
Arriving at the doorstep of Yosemite National Park
Coming from the state of Nevada, we had to drive right through Yosemite National Park. The West Entrance of the Nature Reserve is just about 5 to 10 minutes away (it depends on how fast you are driving) from the gay-friendly Yosemite Lakes Resort. Therefore, drive along the Big Oak Flat Road 120 in a western direction until you see a gas station on your left.
To check in, we had to drive all the way down the valley to the main building. The amicable staff welcomed this tired gay couple with a quick and smooth check-in, providing a wealth of travel information about the region, the weather forecast, and highlights of Yosemite National Park. We stayed at yurt number 17, right on the hilltop of the more private yurt village. And there we were, in the middle of the forest, just around the corner of the world-famous Yosemite National Park.
Yurt 17 – Our home for 4 Nights
Our hillside yurt, number 17 was very spacious with a separate bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen corner, a huge table for at least 4 to 6 people, a comfortable bed, a folding couch for two further guests, a heater, and air conditioning.
A coffee machine with some coffee and tea was waiting in the kitchen corner. The middle part of the roof is made from a see-through glass dome, perfect for stargazing during a starry night. Mosquito nets protect the windows. Outside our yurt at the gay-friendly Yosemite Lakes Resort, we had access to a gas barbecue and a wooden seating area.
A perfect glamping experience, combining rough nature along the South Fork Tuolumne River with a touch of luxury.
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Review of our Glamping Trip to Yosemite National Park
Coming back after a challenging but fulfilling day around the beautiful and stunning nature of Yosemite National Park, the yurts were waiting for us, nature lovers and adventurers, to come home and take a rest. Although mosquitoes were part of the deal for approximately one hour every evening (right before it turned dark and significantly colder), we furthermore had no hassle with insects. The yurts were clean, even though spiderwebs and dust are part of the deal staying outside in such a tent-like accommodation. Wi-Fi is only available in the main building of the resort, and its signal is weak. Thus, perfectly fine for an off-the-grid trip in nature. If you need stronger Wi-Fi, we recommend visiting a restaurant nearby.
More Articles for a Road Trip South West USA:
- Check our Top 13 Highlights Road Trip South West USA >
- Our review of stay at Sycamore The Mineral Resort San Louis Obispo >
- All Articles for a Gay Couple Road Trip Southwest USA >
- Read all about our Gay Pride Trips around the World >
- All about our gay travels around the world as an openly gay couple >
- Reviews of hotels around the world: Gay Friendly Tested Hotels >
- All about the United States of America: Gay Travel Guide USA >
Gay USA Travel Guide
Our second-ever trip to the USA was to the Southwestern parts, including California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. But this was just trip number two. Last year, we visited New York for the first time, just before World Pride 2019, and included a weekend trip to Dutchess County. Learning more about the US East Coast was a new experience for us, but no less exciting. Later, we traveled to California again during Pride Month, and then to Oregon and Illinois. But this was just the beginning. We need to bring the rainbow to the country of uncountable opportunities, now more than ever. Please check all our USA articles and gay travel guides to plan your perfect USA adventure.
Gay USA Travel: All travel articles for the American Southwest
Tips for your stay at the Gay-friendly Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes Resort
Address:
Thousand Trails for a Yosemite Lakes Resort Yurt
31191 Hardin Flat Rd, Groveland
CA 95321,
Unites States of America
Opening Hours: www.rvonthego.com
Offers & Deals: On TripAdvisor
Contact: Tel.: +1 209-962-0109
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Good to know:
A gas station with a small but pricey shop is located right at the entrance to the resort. If you plan to stay longer, be sure to bring larger quantities of groceries with you. Restaurants are located along the way, heading west, away from the west entrance of Yosemite National Park. Good to know: Yosemite NP is a huge nature preserve where you need your car to get around. Therefore, it is not necessary to stay inside the park if you don’t have to. Be reminded that in high season, the waiting time to enter Yosemite might be extremely long. Tip: be early.
Do you want to know more about our gay travels around the world? Stay tuned on Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. See you again soon!
Karl & Daan.