Closest Home to Yosemite Valley on the Merced River
House in Tuolumne County, CA
8 guests · 4 bedrooms · 2 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Free cancellationFull refund if you change your mind
Top-tier experienceOne of the higher cost properties in the area
About this house rental
YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE (to receive an accurate quote, contact owner at 209-379-2458)...a newly re-modeled 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with a spectacular view of the Merced River. From its location close to Highway 140-- the 'All-Year Highway' to Yosemite National Park--you are only 5 miles to the Park boundary, and minutes to the incomparable Yosemite Valley. With a fully-equipped kitchen, 2 gas fireplaces, the ONLY private in-ground swimming pool among Yosemite area vacation rentals, and a large deck overlooking the river, YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE is a year-round vacation destination from which to enjoy the sights, sounds, and recreational activities of the 'crown jewel of national parks'.
With 3 bedrooms and a sleeper sofa, YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE can accommodate up to 8 guests. One bedroom has a queen bed, a gas fireplace surrounded by beautiful local rock, and a sublime river view. A second bedroom also has a queen bed, a pool view, and an adjoining full bathroom. The 3rd bedroom has a bunk bed, with a twin mattress on top and a double on bottom. A second full bathroom has been newly renovated in an Art Deco style. The kitchen has everything you'll need, and you'll love the view from the sink, watching the river roll by. The living room has ample comfortable seating, a stone fireplace with gas insert, a 42' HDTV, and DVD player. Wireless internet is also available.
The El Portal area has a fascinating history. The Yosemite Valley Railroad, which ran on what is now Incline road, operated from 1906 until 1942. Before Highway 140 was completed in 1926, the railroad carried passengers to El Portal, from where they would continue their journey to Yosemite via horse-drawn carriages, and later motor-coaches. On the return trip to Merced, the train carried sugar pine logs back to the sawmill.
YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE is on Incline Road (the former railroad bed), a level, paved lane parallel to the Merced River. Because so few cars travel the road, it is ideal for walking, running, skating, and biking. Guests at YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE can take advantage of a variety of seasonal activities in the area, including:
*river rafting, kayaking, and some of California's premier wildflower walks in the spring.
*swimming in the on-site pool and local swimming holes in the summer.
*downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing at family-friendly Badger Pass in the winter.
*trout and bass fishing in season.
*photography, hiking, bird and wildlife watching, rock hounding, and phenomenal star-gazing all year round.
Staying at YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE is an affordable family vacation, especially when 2 families share the rental and food costs. Upon returning to the house after a day of fun activities, refresh by the pool or relax on the deck and listen to the soothing sounds of the Wild and Scenic Merced River. Cook outside on the gas BBQ, have a delightful meal outdoors, and savor your vacation at our unique location in El Portal, the Gateway to Yosemite.
Keywords: House
With 3 bedrooms and a sleeper sofa, YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE can accommodate up to 8 guests. One bedroom has a queen bed, a gas fireplace surrounded by beautiful local rock, and a sublime river view. A second bedroom also has a queen bed, a pool view, and an adjoining full bathroom. The 3rd bedroom has a bunk bed, with a twin mattress on top and a double on bottom. A second full bathroom has been newly renovated in an Art Deco style. The kitchen has everything you'll need, and you'll love the view from the sink, watching the river roll by. The living room has ample comfortable seating, a stone fireplace with gas insert, a 42' HDTV, and DVD player. Wireless internet is also available.
The El Portal area has a fascinating history. The Yosemite Valley Railroad, which ran on what is now Incline road, operated from 1906 until 1942. Before Highway 140 was completed in 1926, the railroad carried passengers to El Portal, from where they would continue their journey to Yosemite via horse-drawn carriages, and later motor-coaches. On the return trip to Merced, the train carried sugar pine logs back to the sawmill.
YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE is on Incline Road (the former railroad bed), a level, paved lane parallel to the Merced River. Because so few cars travel the road, it is ideal for walking, running, skating, and biking. Guests at YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE can take advantage of a variety of seasonal activities in the area, including:
*river rafting, kayaking, and some of California's premier wildflower walks in the spring.
*swimming in the on-site pool and local swimming holes in the summer.
*downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing at family-friendly Badger Pass in the winter.
*trout and bass fishing in season.
*photography, hiking, bird and wildlife watching, rock hounding, and phenomenal star-gazing all year round.
Staying at YOSEMITE'S RIVER HOUSE is an affordable family vacation, especially when 2 families share the rental and food costs. Upon returning to the house after a day of fun activities, refresh by the pool or relax on the deck and listen to the soothing sounds of the Wild and Scenic Merced River. Cook outside on the gas BBQ, have a delightful meal outdoors, and savor your vacation at our unique location in El Portal, the Gateway to Yosemite.
Keywords: House
Amenities
Pool
Air conditioner
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Internet / Wifi
Fireplace
Parking
Laundry
Balcony or Patio
Dishwasher
TV
Garden
Family friendly
Map of Tuolumne County, CA
$$$$
Ratings and reviews
10.0 / 10.0
Very clean! Great location! One of very few properties with a pool. Unfortunately it was too cold when we stayed to use it. Nice amenities. Lots of towels! I would just suggest to owner to move the queen bed to the smallest room and move the bunk beds to that room and add a full or queen bed. There were 5 adultts so one of us ended up sleeping on the couch instead the top bunk, which was squeaky. Over all excellent!
10.0 / 10.0
Everything about the house was amazing. Extremely well stocked in every way. So peaceful on the deck overlooking the Merced river. Swimming pool was wonderful. Gas fireplace a real treat. Very close to Yosemite National Park. Had a glorious time and hope to be back.
10.0 / 10.0
We were 2 adults & 2 teenage boys on a 5-day hiking trip to Yosemite before school starts. Our camping reservations were cancelled on us so we scrambled to find new lodging. What luck that we found Jo Ann's River House! The house was just wonderful to come home to after many hours on the trails - lots of space to spread out, we all had our own bedroom, pool to splash around and unwind, air conditioning to beat the summer heat, full sized kitchen where we cooked all our dinners, deck to lounge on after dinner when the temperature cooled down, TV and internet if you wanted to stay plugged in, washer & dryer so we left with no dirty clothes. All this while being just 15 mins from the entrance to Yosemite. It was a lot more than our tent cabin reservations, lol, but boy was it worth it!
10.0 / 10.0
We had a wonderful stay at the home (3 Adults / 5 kids). Plenty of space, air conditioned, and all the amenities - kitchen was well appointed, pool was fantastic, quiet setting next to the Merced! Would stay here again!! Hosts were attentive and great communication.
10.0 / 10.0
This secluded one of a kind property was perfect for our Yosemite trip with family. Loved the river view, mountain view and visiting wildlife. Even saw some baby quails.
10.0 / 10.0
Great location- easy access to park. Clean house, well stocked, nice pool and grounds. Not a lot of choices for restaurants or grocery though (El Portal is VERY small and the grocery store extremely limited, especially for meat and veg. Not really any restaurants either unless you drive to Mariposa or into the park). Highly advise bringing a cooler of food with you and cooking at the house.
10.0 / 10.0
We couldn't have asked for a better place to stay while visiting Yosemite! In fact, I've stayed in a fair number of rentals and this place ranks at the top for me. The property is beautiful, serene and very comfortable. Our usually-hard-to-please teenagers loved it the moment they stepped foot in the house -- enough said! :) Only a ten minute drive to the park entrance and close to YARTS bus stops if someone wants to use that. We had a wonderful time playing in the pool at the end of a day. There is a stash of games for family game night. My stepson loves to fish and he was able to walk to the river for that. We wish we could've stayed longer! I really can't think of a negative. I recommend visitors stock up on whatever groceries they need before getting there. There is a small store nearby but the nearest well-stocked grocery store is a 45-min drive away.
10.0 / 10.0
What a beautiful and well appointed home WITH THE BONUS OF A POOL outside of Yosemite NP.
10.0 / 10.0
Wonderful property with everything we needed for our stay. Plenty of space and the pool was amazing after a long day of hiking.
10.0 / 10.0
Everything was perfect from the view to the location. The pool was the icing on the cake. Everything we needed was provided other then the food but they have everything you needed to prepare any meal. The wildlife on the property was awesome a couple of deer came and visited every night that would come up within 5 feet of us. Words can’t explain how amazing this property is. The drive to Yosemite was along the same river the property was on making the short ride to Yosemite very scenic. Our 4 year old said it was the “best place he’s ever been too”.The house could sleep 8 very comfortably and the sound from the river while in bed put us right to sleep.The whole process from booking to entering the home went smooth with no issues and the host was available and explained everything in great detail. This will be our new vacation spot we will be coming back sooner than expected just because how amazing the house was.
8.0 / 10.0
Enjoyed our stay and the pool
10.0 / 10.0
JoAnn's house is lovely and comfortable with a 10-star location. Some of our favorite features were:
-- Quick access to Yosemite Valley by car, close enough to come back for an afternoon rest then head back to the park
-- Sleeping to the sound of the Merced River
-- Plenty of room for our 18-year-old son and his friend
-- Excellent wifi
-- Gazing at the river while having coffee on the deck
-- Easy safe access to a running route for our athletic young men
-- Pool and comfy couches for less-athletic, less-young parents
10.0 / 10.0
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in El Portal. Easy drive into Yosemite and beautiful home and surroundings. We would definitely stay here again!
10.0 / 10.0
Great property with an incredible location near Yosemite! I highly recommend this property for anybody looking for a home with convenient access to the national park.
10.0 / 10.0
We were awe struck when we pulled up to our house. The beauty of the river, trees, deck and pool was so impressive, more than we could have asked for. The house was emaculate. Everything was so nice and clean, including the pool and only 15 minutes from the park gate.
10.0 / 10.0
Great location to next to the park. Quiet and next to the river. Would definitely stay again. The house had everything we needed.
10.0 / 10.0
Stayed here two nights to visit Yosemite valley. Very close to park gate. Loved the sound of the river as we fell asleep. The stars were exceptional due to almost no lights around from neighbors. Kitchen was very well supplied with good cookware. Really enjoyed our brief visit.
10.0 / 10.0
Beautiful setting on the Merced River. Very peaceful. Close to Arch Rock Yosemite entrance.
Weather was perfect for hiking, but too cool to use the pool! No real grocery stores nearby so come prepared. We had good communication with hosts. Directions to home were spot on. We had a wonderful time.
10.0 / 10.0
Fantastic place to stay!
10.0 / 10.0
Accommodations were quite pleasant and very clean.
Kitchen was generously stocked, which was well appreciated so that we did not have to drive out to get things we may have not thought of.
Wish info was in the guest information booklet on the whereabouts of the washer and dryer, as we did not know it was in the garage building. I guess we should have contacted the owner to ask. But otherwise, everything was well-organized, with labels on cabinets and drawers and details in the guest information booklet.
10.0 / 10.0
It is really nice place on Merced River and Jo Ann is wonderful host!
10.0 / 10.0
We celebrated my baby girls 2nd birthday in Yosemite and loved our stay
10.0 / 10.0
We were very comfortable in this nice house with wonderful views of the river and the nearby mountains. Our favorite things about this house were the warm gas fireplace in the livingroom and complete kitchen. The property is only minutes from a Park entrance.
8.0 / 10.0
Visited with 2 adults and two small children. A lot of nice things to note about the property. Close to Yosemite entrance so daily in and out of the park with kids was great. Kitchen had nice new pots and stocked with lots of cooking spices, coffee, utensils, etc. A clean, quiet, secluded spot along the river, which can be heard at night; with no problem for sleep time. Deer greeted us in the morning in the backyard.
A few things could be upgraded as it appears to be an older house. Beds were not particularly comfortable, a bit too wobbly and squeaky. Filtered water faucet was a trickle when we used it so it was hard to even fill up one cup, definitely not our canteens for day trips. Tap was supposedly potable so we didn’t bother boiling and didn’t have any issues. Definitely zero phone reception when not on wifi, but we read about that in advance so no surprises there.
We were in the park most of the day so only came back for dinner and sleep.
Overall, a very decent option for Yosemite visits.
10.0 / 10.0
The location of the property is very private and serene tucked back on the hillside above the river with cozy landscaping. It was too cold to use the pool when I was there but it was well maintained and large enough to easily accommodate several adults and kids. The interior has plenty of room to spread out and the beds were very comfortable (we didn't use the couch bed - so I can't speak to it). The kitchen was spacious and easily accommodates 2-3 adults working in it at a time. Also, the kitchen was very well stocked with high quality pans and appliances. The fireplaces produce a lot of heat and were very welcome with night-time temperatures dropping into the thirties in mid November. The central air was a little difficult to figure out how to work - but if you stay in the winter you won't be lacking for heat.
The host was very friendly and helpful. We managed to lock ourselves out on the first day and the host responded quickly to get us back in.
I would definitely book again - the property was much more affordable than the hotel up the road when compared to booking 2+ rooms.
10.0 / 10.0
This home really fit our needs on our visit to Yosemite. We were a bit surprised with the lack of cellular service but the property had a landline and Internet service that were greatly appreciated. Beautiful home overlooking the Merced river where we spent many days listening to the Merced and many nights looking at the stars.
10.0 / 10.0
Loved the river view and the pool. Would definitely go back.
8.0 / 10.0
Very nice place to stay. My German family that I brought there in order to visit Yosemite thought it was expensive for what it was. It was also a long drive (1hr 40 min) to Tuolumne meadow where we spen 3 of our 4 days.
10.0 / 10.0
Good time!
10.0 / 10.0
The house was a welcome retreat after spending time in the crowded parks. The pool was a refreshing bonus. Private and peaceful, this home exceeded our expectations!
10.0 / 10.0
We had a great holiday in the house! Everything was perfect. We recommend it as it is a clean, well equipped house.
10.0 / 10.0
The house was great...clean, comfortable and relaxing. Great location to explore Yosemite and great to be able to cool off in the pool.
10.0 / 10.0
My fiancé , my son and a few friends and 2 toddlers stayed on our vacation to Yosemite , PERFECT location 20 minutes to park entrance , the house was great ! The pool is absolutely amazing , what a back yard !! The hosts were also incredible, thank you for everything !!
10.0 / 10.0
We loved the property; the location, setting and pool were amazing! What a chance to see Yosemite from a super property!
10.0 / 10.0
Private, remote location while so close to the park. The view of the Merced River rushing by and the refreshing afternoon swims were a godsend. My family had a wonderful visit and will never forget our stay at this beautiful place.
10.0 / 10.0
I feel like we discovered a hidden gem in the Yosemite valley. I was unbelievably hot while we were visiting so I was incredibly nice to come back after a day of sightseeing to refresh in the lovely pool. We loved sitting on the deck and listening to the river rushing. The nearby market was fantastic We were able to make a nice pasta dinner and burgers on the 4th of July with very high quality ingredients including vegetarian options. JoAnne was very attentive and she made sure that we had everything that we needed. The house cooled off quickly with the air conditioner, the kitchen was well appointed, and we appreciated being able to use the laundry supplies. I will definitely recommend to all of my friends who visit Yosemite.
10.0 / 10.0
Very clean. Pool area is nice and our family used the pool each evening. Approximately a 10 minute drive to western enterance of yosemite. This is one of the closest residences to this enterance. The merced river view is stunning. Would definitely stay again in the future.
10.0 / 10.0
We came as a family. The only reason for 4 star location rating is that "others" may not prefer the more remote location and limited shopping nearby for groceries to be prepared. It helps to do main grocery in Mariposa. We absolutely loved it! We were able to drive into the park each day and then return in the afternoons to relax and enjoy the river-side home peace and quiet. Thank you Joann for such a wonderful stay!
10.0 / 10.0
Nice and quiet vacation house. We enjoyed the beautiful surrounding of the house. It was tranquil and peaceful to sit on the deck in the morning.
The house is well stocked with towels. However, it would be nicer if:
1. the kitchen pans and pots can be upgraded as many of them have scratches;
2. soap can be provided
10.0 / 10.0
Our seventh year! Especially enjoyed watching the river from the deck this year.
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Tuolumne County?
The average price for a rental in Tuolumne County is $413 per night. This rental is $416 above the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Closest Home to Yosemite Valley on the Merced River. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
Yes, a swimming pool is available for use at Closest Home to Yosemite Valley on the Merced River. Enjoy the water!
Is Closest Home to Yosemite Valley on the Merced River pet friendly?
Unfortunately, this house is not pet-friendly. Try searching again and filter for "Pets Allowed"
What amenities are available at Closest Home to Yosemite Valley on the Merced River?
We found 12 amenities for this rental. This includes pool, air conditioner, kitchen or kitchenette, internet / wifi, and fireplace.
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