Under Canvas Yosemite opens

Under Canvas Yosemite has started taking reservations for its 2026 and 2027 seasons, adding a new glamping base near Yosemite National Park. (latimes.com) The camp opened this month on an 85-acre forested site in the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance, and Under Canvas says it is the company’s first California location and its 13th camp overall. (undercanvas.com) Its first season runs through Oct. 26, 2026, before the property closes for winter; rates start at $314 a night, plus taxes and fees, according to the company. (undercanvas.com) The property is marketing itself around the night sky as much as the park. DarkSky International lists it as California’s first DarkSky Approved lodging, a designation tied to exterior lighting standards meant to reduce light pollution. (darksky.org) That pitch lands in a park where overnight space is tight for much of the year. The National Park Service says Yosemite lodging reservations are available 366 days in advance and are strongly recommended, especially from spring through fall and during holidays. (nps.gov) The park service also says millions of people visit Yosemite from April through October and urges travelers to reserve lodging, camping, and backpacking ahead of time. (nps.gov) Under Canvas is positioning the camp as a car-light option as well as a place to sleep. Its Yosemite page says a Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System stop sits on-site, offering access to the park without driving in. (undercanvas.com) The site is outside the national park, not inside it, which gives travelers another option when rooms in Yosemite Valley and other in-park properties fill up. The National Park Service says private lodging outside the park is one alternative when visitors cannot find space inside Yosemite. (nps.gov) For travelers planning summer and fall 2026 trips, the timing is straightforward: Yosemite does not require an entry reservation in 2026, but sleeping near the park still rewards people who book early. (nps.gov)