Yosemite Dark‑Sky Glamping

Under Canvas Yosemite has opened near the park as California’s first DarkSky-approved resort, adding a stargazing-focused stay just outside Yosemite’s west entrance. (latimes.com) The camp is operating for the 2026 season through October 26, and Under Canvas says bookings are already open for both 2026 and 2027. Its website lists 2027 dates from April 15 to October 25. (latimes.com) (undercanvas.com) Under Canvas says the property sits on 85 acres and is about 10 minutes from Yosemite National Park’s Big Oak Flat entrance, with a Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System stop across from the camp. The company’s site also advertises café-style dining, nightly campfires, yoga, live music and safari-style tents with private bathrooms. (undercanvas.com) (latimes.com) DarkSky approval is a lighting certification: properties qualify by limiting glare, shielding fixtures and using light only where and when it is needed. DarkSky International said Under Canvas Yosemite’s exterior lighting was reviewed for compliance with those standards. (darksky.org) DarkSky International said the certification is meant to reduce light pollution and protect the nighttime environment for both wildlife and guests. The group called Under Canvas Yosemite the first DarkSky Approved Lodging location in California. (darksky.org) The opening lands as Yosemite-area lodging operators keep competing on experience as much as on access. Under Canvas is selling a trip built around the night sky, not just a bed near the park. (latimes.com) (darksky.org) A few miles away, one of Yosemite’s best-known dining rooms is moving in the opposite direction on guest reaction. Reports this week said The Ahwahnee’s dining room is switching from à la carte dinner service to prix fixe menus, and complaints about value and service have resurfaced. (aol.com) (sfgate.com) Those complaints have a longer tail. Coverage of the new Ahwahnee menu noted the hotel lost its AAA four-star rating in 2019, and AAA says its four-diamond restaurant designation is reserved for a dining experience “to savor and enjoy.” (aol.com) (aaa.com) Yosemite visitors now have a new split-screen choice outside and inside the park: a newly opened camp selling darker skies and fewer lights, and a historic dining room still trying to win back diners. (latimes.com) (aol.com)