White Chief Mountain Lodge

I spent two nights here while on a trip to Yosemite. Very no-​frills Motel. Less than two miles from the southern entrance to Yosemite which makes it convenient, however it is very basic, which fit my needs for the two nights a friend and I stayed there however the on-​site restaurant was closed for dinner when we were there. All the rooms had new flat-​screen TV’s in there, however the Manager told me they had mis-​placed the remotes LOL! WiFi was slow but worked well-​enough to watch Netflix. Quiet and located adjacent to some woods which was nice to see first-​thing in the morning. Bonus that the whole property is single-​story and has parking directly in-​front of each room which made loading and un-​loading the car more convenient.

Sweet and simple. It was a good stay in white chief lodge for one night. Though it is 30 miles away from yosemite valley but it is quite convenient to go anywhere. Free parking. I would definitely recommend this lodge to my family and friends

No Air condicioner, small room. We didn’t have towels when we arrived, no coffee refill in the morning. It says «room with refrigerator» but we couldn’t fit even a soda bottle. When trying to have a Shower in the morning, they shut down the hot water for the whole day. Very low profile for the price they charge.

Perfect location near the south gate of Yosemite. With that said, everything else was a huge let down. Even with location in mind, this hotel/​lodge was highly overpriced. It looks like they haven’t upgraded or renovated in decades. There is NO AIR CONDITIONING… be aware of this in the summer months. If you’re visiting Yosemite and have any other nearby option, take it.

We stayed at the lodge for a week and ate at the restaurant every morning, and one evening as well. The breakfasts are fantastic: hearty, properly cooked, delicious. The eggs, pancakes, french toast, ham, fruit bowls were all perfectly prepared. Service was friendly. The restaurant is now run by a super nice woman and her family — the daughters and son often help out with tables, though mostly the owner/​chef takes the orders and chats with clients. She is happy to cook things the way you like them, or to make simple substitutions like crisp ham instead of bacon/​sausage. After the first day, she learns what you like. Breakfast hours are 7am to 10am; and it helps to let her know the day before if you plan on dining — so that they won’t close up early before you arrive (near closing time). Breakfasts average ten dollars, which is very reasonable for Yosemite, and guaranteed you will not walk away hungry. The portions are plentiful. Everything that she serves is cooked just right! The dinner menu is only a few items, but they are all prepared perfectly. I had the charbroiled chicken breasts, perfectly seasoned and seared just right, so that the meat was still juicy and not dried out. Came with salad (a real salad, not just a bowel of lettuce), baked potato, and GRILLED veggies. My wife did the pork chops — also fantastic. Dinner is served from 6pm to 9pm, but it is a good idea to let them know if you are planning on dining. Sometimes they close early if the place is empty, or for an important family event (a family run place, so family life is important; we respect that). Beginning in July, they will offer a lunch pack to take up to the park. Sandwiches or wraps properly prepared with the wet ingredients separated, so as not to make everything soggy. Add them when you are about to eat. The décor is very simple, but pleasant. Basic rustic. Not crowded or cramped. Easy parking. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. Our only wish would be for dinner to be from 7 to 10pm, since it takes an hour to drive back from Yosemite Village and then it is nice to shower. But this little restaurant is a true gem in Fish Camp. Great food, great service, and an owner/​chef who really cares about her customers! I wish there was a place like this near my neighborhood in Los Angeles!

This is the cutest lil hotel! It’s literally in the middle of the BEAUTIFUL Sierra forest. There is so much nature and wild life around it feels like your in an enchanted forest. If you’re looking for a simple and clean place to stay check this place out.

160 $ x night!
It’s very expensive for a motel style lodge… The room is queen, small but confortable, there is wifi gratis and the parking in front of you. There is also the microwave and the fridge available but no breakfast included:(
Not the best but around here there are few choices… is that the reason why is so expensive? :)

A simple, no frills, and sweet place to lay one’s head while playing in Yosemite!
The owners had recently remodeled (probably in preparation for late spring/​summer season) with new paint, carpet, etc.
Beds are comfortable; portable heater helpful during cool nights; mini-​frig included for leftovers from dinner or picnic supplies for the next day.
Don’t expect luxury (thus the great price this close to Yosemite Park) – table & chairs were «café bargain» as were the porch chairs. But, they did their jobs!
We stayed here prior to season so the dining room was serving only breakfast (not dinner). I didn’t get breakfast, but saw someone else’s, which looked good. Plenty of options either in Fish Camp or further in Oakhurst.
As a city girl, I’d feel more comfortable with a deadbolt lock on the door, but I got over it.
I’d stay here again in a heartbeat.

The price was right here and the staff was very nice. A little weird the room was a single queen so we were definitely cramped. Overall the room was clean and the price was right. We were disappointed to learn the the restaurant breakfast was actually in fact a very small continental breakfast but overall good stay.

For the price of $ 50 per night, this lodge is hard to beat in the Yosemite area, especially around Fish Camp. It’s very affordable, and your room will have a shower and heater too! :)
Just keep in mind that it’s very basic, a microwave, fridge, heater, small tv, and restroom. They even offer continental breakfast in the morning (which we didn’t get to try), so it’s very economical and cheap.
If you’re looking for just a place to stay and get some sleep, without breaking your bank, then give this place a shot. It’s pretty decent and only 2 miles away from the south entrance of Yosemite National Park!

I love it! Warm welcome when we arrived at night and nice and cozy unit. Slept there with 3 friends and had a great time. It’s quiet the very is nice. Just what you’re expecting for when you go to Yosemite. Unlike some of the previous comments, room are clean!

Infinity Stars! I had the best weekend here with my gal friends. The front desk staff were so cool and very accommodating. I have to give a special shoutout to Joe who moved a cot into our room. He took it down stairs and everything which couldn’t have been easy. It was less a cot and more of a heavy movable fold up bed. I was very comfy and slept great. The room was the basics and all we needed — it had a heater that worked great, coffee pot, and fridge. It felt comfortable even with 5 people sleeping in one room! The rooms also look out into a beautiful forest view.
We went the last week they are open for tourists (or at least that the café is open) in late October. The place was very quiet and we didn’t see a lot of people. But the weather was perfect for our adventures down the street at the Yosemite National Park, which is a 5 minute drive to Mariposa Grove.
We love Chef Ben and Brie at the White Mountain Chief Lodge Café. Did I mention Ben cooked the BEST STEAK of my life? It was gorgeous and cooked perfectly, with a brown sugar glaze, delicious homestyle fries, and he even cut strawberry «roses» for all of us girls. The bread pudding desert was incredible! Honestly? One of my most memorable meals from a vacation, it wasjust perfect.
Would definitely stay again!

We were blown away by the level of hospitality here! Joe and Gloria went WAY above and beyond to make sure we were happy. Our stay here made our whole trip harmonious. We were seriously floored by how nice these people were.
The Lodge is 2 miles away from the entrance to Yosemite, and it’s not one of the terrible claustrophobic motels with crazy parking lots that we passed on the way there. It’s tucked away in the woods (and still right on the main road) and waking up surrounded by trees was quite spectacular.
Be sure to bring anything you might need as far as snacks etc. The room had a fridge and a microwave, and was very clean.
The chef on the night we were there, Ben, made us an incredible meal complete with perfectly cooked steak, and Brie, our server was absolutely sweet as pie.
Great people, great location, no complaints!
INFINITY STARS!

This place was so great! Spent the weekend crammed in a room with 4 lady friends and we had a blast! The staff was so hospitable, we basically made friends with all of them.
I liked how quite and tucked away the lodge was. Seemed relatively vacant too which was nice, so we weren’t surrounded by tons of people. Our room had a great view looking down into the forrest.
Inside the rooms were as expected. Clean, standard amenities, nothing special but all we needed to post up for the weekend. The restaurant onsite was a surprise we didn’t know would be there. It had odd hours but was super convenient for morning coffee and bacon!
Joe at the front desk was very accommodating when we needed him. And we had a lovely dinner one night in the restaurant. Brie and Ben served us so well and loved hearing about our weekend outting. Another friendly lady refreshed the coffee in the morning before we left (didn’t get her name), but also very helpful with Yosemite park tips.
Sooo we were told that we were the coolest guests they’ve had :)
White Chief Mountain Lodge definitely had a special small town charm, but you have to be open to it. No expectations!
I’d love to stay again sometime! Infinity stars!

It was between 3 and 4 stars for me. I got a great deal on booking, and I think if I had had to pay more for my stay it wouldn’t have been such a great deal. The front desk people were very nice, but I thought the crib for my baby would be included and they charged me a rental fee for it. If I had known they were charging, I would have had him sleep in the bed with us. It’s right next to the southern entrance of Yosemite — that was great. We had a good breakfast the morning we left, but it seemed that the restaurant was open/​closed arbitrarily. A bit far from other restaurants and grocery stores, so next time I go I will go prepared. It was a nice place to be with my family for a couple of nights.

We had a simple, small, Queen clean room. This is NOT a Hilton-(I am a Diamond member with them). But, if you just need a place to rest while visiting the south end of Yosemite, this is your place. You can be hiking the Mariposa Grove within 5 minutes of this lodge. The restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol, but they don’t mind if you bring your own. We will stay again. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!

We got one of the «cabins». The vibe was a little murdery if you know what I mean. There was a super funky smell in the room and the carpets were threadbare and pretty gross — we kept our shoes on most of the time in the room, even though we’re happy to go bare foot outside in the park. We went to Tenaya Lodge down the road for breakfast because the restaurant was overpriced and we were told it would take 10 minutes to get a coffee. I asked at the front desk how much a room at Tenaya would be. As a walk-​in, it would have been cheaper than the dump at White Chief. And it would include hot tub/​pool/​clean rooms/​decent restaurant/​clean bathrooms. Super disappointing. Never again.

Absolutely awful. First of all, if I want to get ripped off, I would at least like a better room. I was paying a 3-​star hotel price for a motel 6 dump. Construction was going on everywhere, I couldn’t even talk to my fiancé right next to me when we were outside.
Then the restaurant — GROSS. My fries weren’t even cooked right. Fries?! How hard is it to cook fries properly?! My fiancé ordered their «special» salmon. It was hard all around and then chewy and mushy in the middle.
The bathroom didn’t even have a full counter, it was a little corner sink. Not clean. I would have even stayed here if I was desperate and paying a reasonable amount for it. But the asking price was ridiculous.
I would never recommend this place to anyone.

You might get no breakfast!
In the morning, they said the cook is sick, and there will be no breakfast. We waited an hour, we got cheap stuff from grocery market as breakfast.
Felt like bad service to me.
Otherwise, everything else was okay.

After staying at White chief for 2 days we left very disappointed. Yes, it is close to the park entrance which was nice and the beds were comfy and rooms were clean. The bad part is that we had little water pressure at any given point of the day and this morning when we got up to depart there was not enough water to shower or barely enough to brush our teeth. The water temp was very inconsistent and based on our experience the hot water tank was not large enough to accommodate the travelers.
There is a pier and beam foundation therefore every move made is resounding through the room, so if you stay hopefully there won’t be kids staying in the conjoining room to yours, like there was ours!
And to top things off not only could we not shower this morning, we couldn’t even flush the toilet. We will NOT return to the lodge!
There is no separate place to review the restaurant on property so mine is below:
We absolutely loved the restaurant on property, who is owned by a different person. The owner was great, allowed us to bring in our own wine and charged no corkage fee. We will definitely return to the restaurant if we return to Yosemite!