Visit Yosemite/Mariposa County to explore the renowned Yosemite National Park, discover Gold Rush history, enjoy wine-tasting and small batch breweries, and glimpse California’s rural and western lifestyles.
Yosemite National Park, known the world-over for icons such as Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and El Capitan, is a four season destination with an incredible range of activities for every visitor.
The summer and fall offer the best times for hiking, for the best views go beyond the where a day-long hike will reveal the sub-alpine regions of the park. In winter, find ski and snowboarding fun at the Badger Pass Ski Area. For views that will leave you breathless, visit in the spring and watch the famous waterfalls of Yosemite come surging back from their winter freeze.
Aside from being the home of Yosemite National Park, Mariposa County also features many attractions such as the authentic California Gold Rush towns of Mariposa, Coulterville, and Hornitos. In Mariposa, you can walk the same streets as prospecting miners and even try your hand at gold-panning. Enjoy many attractions such as California State Mining and Mineral Museum, the Mariposa Museum and History Center, and many restaurants, wineries, and breweries.
Big adventures and great fun for the whole family can be found in Mariposa County. Explore the park like the original pioneers – on horseback! Yosemite Trails Saddle and Sleigh Company offers year-round trail-riding. Zipline through oak groves and over lush valleys at the Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch or experience the thrills of white-water rafting on the Merced River with Zephyr Whitewater Expeditions. You can experience Gold Rush-era excitement by promenading the historic Mariposa streets in a stagecoach.
Look for great activities year-round with the best availability and rates in the off-season (September through May). Plan a mountain retreat in autumn to enjoy cool temperatures, fewer crowds, and great fall color.
Whether you want to stay in a luxurious four-diamond resort, in an authentic 1850’s hotel (complete with ghosts!), a charming B&B or dream of getting away from it all in a secluded vacation rental, Yosemite/Mariposa County offers fun Gold Rush adventures and small-town charm for the whole family.
Where to Stay & Eat
Yosemite offers many dining and lodging options within Yosemite National Park. From the grand Ahwahnee Hotel to the family-friendly Curry Village, you’ll find the perfect lodging option in Yosemite Valley can be found at travelyosemite.com.
For additional options that are closest to Yosemite Valley look at lodging in Yosemite West, Fishcamp, Wawona, El Portal, or Mariposa. You can find lodging for all of these areas within and just outside Yosemite National Park at Yosemite.com.
Check out a small sample of dining and drinking options in Yosemite/Mariposa County below:
Activities & Attractions
Mariposa & Yosemite’s Top Activities for Families
Yosemite National Park, and its nearby county seat, Mariposa, are epicenters for family fun. Plan to spend at least two full days in the park and one day in Mariposa and to begin to experience what this unique region has to offer.
Here’s our top five suggestions:
Hiking
Get out of your car and plan to spend at least one full day exploring the more than 800 miles of trail in Yosemite National Park. There is some type of incredible hike available in every season!
Ziplining Adventures
The Yosemite Zipline and Adventure Ranch, located in Mariposa, offers horseback riding, ziplining on 6 different courses, aerial ropes courses, roping lessons with a mechanical horse and cow, and more.
Watersports
In spring enjoy whitewater rafting in the Merced River Canyon, followed by an afternoon of picnicking and sunbathing on the banks of the beautiful Merced River. For a gentler ride, go upstream into Yosemite National Park, where large rafts can be rented for easy gliding through the valley floor.
Biking
Without a doubt the best way to cruise the valley floor is by bike! Year round rentals are available, and all the equipment from strollers to helmets can be rented for the day, making this a great activity for the whole family.
Museums & Attractions
Plan a day exploring one of the several historical sites and museums in Mariposa, including the State Mining and Mineral Museum. Tiffany's and Cartier can’t hold a candle to some of the gems and gold specimens found here, including a 13 lb crystalline gold nugget.
Find more activities to enjoy at Yosemite.com
Festivals & Events
Mariposa Butterfly Festival - May
Mariposa is Spanish for Butterfly and was named for a phenomenon that left early missionaries to the area awestruck as legions of delicate butterflies alighted by the dozens around them. The butterflies were just passing through but Mariposa still celebrates its namesake at the Butterfly Festival every first weekend in May with a parade, butterfly hat costume contest, dozens of vendor booths, and a release of thousands of butterflies raised by local school children.
CoyoteFest - September
Ahhhhoooohhh!!! Tap into your inner animal spirit at the Annual Coulterville CoyoteFest. A real old-time affair when the normally near ghost town of Coulterville, California bursts to life with festivities and family fun. A parade down Coulterville's historic Main Street, a car show, cowboy shoot-outs, a hoosegow, music belted out by the Copper Holdings Company Band, and the Who-Nu band, historic tours, booths galore, as well as the nationally acclaimed Coyote Howl. Experience Americana at its finest at this one-of-a-kind event.
