Yosemite dark‑sky glamping
- Under Canvas Yosemite opened as California's first Dark Sky–approved resort and is now taking reservations for 2026–27. (latimes.com) - Its inaugural season runs through October 26, 2026, and the site stays closed during winter months. (latimes.com) - Coverage pairs the resort's stargazing focus with warnings that Yosemite-area dining experiences may not match their price points. ( )
Under Canvas Yosemite has opened near the park’s west entrance as California’s first DarkSky Approved lodging, and it is already booking 2026 and 2027 stays. (latimes.com) The camp sits on 85 acres in El Portal, about 10 minutes from Yosemite National Park’s Big Oak Flat entrance, with 71 safari-style tents and a Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System stop across the road. (undercanvas.com) Under Canvas says the property opened April 16, 2026, and its first season runs through October 26, 2026; the company lists 2027 dates from April 15 through October 25. (undercanvas.com ) (undercanvas.com) DarkSky approval means the site’s exterior lighting was reviewed to cut glare and sky glow, which helps keep the night sky visible and reduces disruption to nocturnal wildlife. (darksky.org) DarkSky International said Under Canvas Yosemite is the first lodging property in California to receive that designation, and the company said it is the brand’s sixth DarkSky Approved camp. (darksky.org) (undercanvas.com) The pitch is not just a bed near Yosemite. Under Canvas is selling a night-sky experience, with evening stargazing, campfires, yoga and live music built into the stay. (undercanvas.com) Rates start at $314 a night before taxes and fees, according to the company’s opening announcement, placing the camp in the same higher-spend Yosemite travel market that increasingly sells experience as much as access. (undercanvas.com) That same market is getting pricier inside the park. The Ahwahnee dining room began a prix fixe dinner format on April 23 with five-course menus starting at $95 and seven-course menus at $125, plus an optional $40 wine pairing. (travel.yahoo.com) The Ahwahnee is managed by Yosemite Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark. SFGATE reported diners and readers criticized the new format as expensive and less flexible than à la carte service. (travel.yahoo.com) For travelers weighing a Yosemite trip in 2026, the split is sharp: darker skies and new glamping beds outside the gates, and a more premium dinner tab at one of the park’s best-known dining rooms. (latimes.com) (travel.yahoo.com)
