Mariposa, California
Mariposa River Retreat... less than 1 hour from the gates of Yosemite - wake up to the sounds of the backyard river with a cup of coffee from the local roaster, travel to Yosemite for the day, stay and play in the downstairs game room and decks, or unwind in the evening with a glass of wine from one of the local wineries. Situated in a natural setting, plenty of space for your family to experience the beauty of the Sierra Nevada!
The space
Mariposa River Retreat is located equidistant from the historic mining town of Mariposa and the more populated town of Oakhurst. Beautiful drives in either direction provide access to Yosemite National Park.
The house is centered around the great room where you can dine, entertain, and relax. The dining table and kitchen nook are perfect for family meals. The living area includes leather sofa and comfy chairs...a great place to watch a movie on the 55 inch flat screen TV (equipped with internet, bring your own streaming passwords). Plenty of board games, puzzles, and books for those looking to unplug.
The country kitchen is fully equipped and has beautiful views of the river valley. Basic spices and cooking utensils are all available.
The master bedroom features a queen sized pine bed, adjoining full bath and deck, with views of the river below.
The second bedroom has two twin beds and an adjoining shared bath.
The upper deck has an outdoor table and seating area perfect for enjoying a meal with river views and amazing sunsets.
The downstairs game room and deck have plenty of space for enjoying a day at home, playing foosball, darts, cornhole and enjoying more of the river views.
BBQ available.
Laundry room is on the main floor.
Garbage is located in the attached garage.
Guest access
Guests have access to all rooms as described, host has reserved some cabinets and closets for personal use.
Access to the river requires a scramble down the backyard log steps and rocks. The rocks can be slippery and in some places steep. Access at your own risk and comfort level.
Other things to note
Here's the thing.... this is a wonderful home in the mountains, the great outdoors of the rural Sierras surround us.... flora and fauna abound and make this place the beauty that it is.... that being said, it can be unpredictable at times. Critters of all sizes share their home with us. There are bugs, bats and curious birds. Little lizards, snakes, wild turkey, frogs and the occasional turtle. Racoons, squirrels and deer. Every once in a while, we might hear of a bear.
The property is kept in a native state, safe for fire protection, but not manicured. Poison oak is native and it happens. The rocks that form our "backyard" can be steep and slippery. They are to be negotiated at your comfort level. We don't have fences, the deer like it that way!
The weather is not under our control. The Sierras are prone to fire danger. Smoke can happen in the area and it doesn't always make things as perfect as we'd like them to be. We monitor the local situation closely and defer judgment to the county as to any immediate fire dangers.
The droughts have been hard over the past few years. While the river flows steadily through the winter and spring, it has been known to run light or dry up completely in the hot summer months… thankfully, the riverbed becomes another great space to explore!
While we want all these things to be perfect around our home, sadly the stars don't always align. We do our absolute very best to help under these circumstances, but are by no means responsible for the acts of nature. If any of the above makes you feel squeamish or uncomfy, then a hotel stay may be more in line with your creature comfort level.
We want nothing more than for you to enjoy your stay and we do feel that setting expectations up front is a great way to insure that!
Additional rules
Septic System: We are on a septic system. Only toilet paper permitted in toilets. No paper towels, diapers or feminine hygiene products may be flushed.
Child Proofing: We are family friendly, but not childproof. Please move items to make things safe for your little ones, but return them to their homes before you leave, thank you.
Pets allowed: We love hosting furry friends, limit 2 please.
Smoking: This is a non-smoking property. Smoking/Vaping is not permitted inside the house. Any smell or evidence of smoking in the house is an automatic forfeiture of your deposit. If you chose to smoke outside the house, please dispose of your butts & ashes in a safe and hygienic manner. Littering or improper disposal of smoking paraphernalia is an automatic forfeiture of your deposit.
The house is nice, but is intentionally meant for two adults who sleep in the same bed and two small children in the other room. I didn’t stay here with kids, but if I did, I would not be okay with a locked closet/door in the kid’s room. Luckily, the keys were left out so I could check the locked room before sleeping. The game room is only accessible from outside, down a spiral staircase. There is water damage in the game room, below the deck. The deck needs work, many loose boards and not a safe feeling. The batteries for the main remote were missing. I downloaded software to update Roku and had to plug in a power cord that was disconnected. With the batteries missing, the volume to watch a movie was not adjustable. The property is pretty, dog friendly is a plus, but seems a bit too expensive for the quality of stay.
Well equipped..spacious with amazing decks to get the most of the beautiful setting.
Our family of four, including two teenagers, stayed there for two nights and had it as our launching pad for an incredible trip to Yosemite. The house is very spacious, has a great open layout, large deck, nice kitchen, comfortable beds, laundry room, foosball, etc. The picture of the front of the house on the VRBO listing didn't appeal to my family when I first showed it to them (that picture doesn't do it justice). I had to persuade them not to judge at first glance. The whole family ended up LOVING the place and in particular the paradise down by the river below. Our family is rather adventurous and we had a blast around the rocks and boulders that the river/ravine flowed over. Just gorgeous and peaceful out there. Evenings on the deck were just as wonderful. The hosts were kind, helpful, and very easy to work with. For the Yosemite trip, we entered the El Portal gate and that drive was really stunning as you get closer to the park. Traffic wasn't bad even with an 8 AM arrival (midweek). We had a full day in the park and exited via Fish Camp so that we could have a different drive, views, etc. That circular route worked out well and both entrances work just as well for the main part of Yosemite. Would not hesitate to do that trip again!
My partner and I highly enjoyed our stay! The house was clean and well furnished, the AC was HIGHLY appreciated, and the views were breathtaking. We particularly enjoyed walking down to the river on the property (FYI - it's a bit steep and can be slippery). The house is about 1.5 hours from the Yosemite park entrance.
Even better than described! LOVE the backyard river and view from the deck. House is spacious, clean, well stocked - feeling like a Lucky Dog for sure to have found this sweet spot for our Yosemite area visit. Thank you!
We had a great experience at this cabin. We loved the natural environment (especially the lizards and ground squirrels!) and the river behind the house. The house had almost everything we needed for a week long stay and cooking in-house. Great hosts with great communication!
This property is amazing. The pictures do not do it justice. Where I am from, when someone describes a river, normally its dry or green algae-like stagnant water similar to a tank for cattle. No - this is an actually rushing river from mountain rain run-off or ice melting. It's behind the house around 30 yards but it's loud enough to hear it at the house. Keep the patio door open at night and the rushing sounds will lull you to sleep. It's powerful, though, if you have young children be sure to stay right beside them. Mariposa is a scenic 10 minute drive away from the house filled with its charm and good restaurants. On your way to hike at Yosemite, grab a coffee at Mariposa Coffee Company. We are from Texas and order our coffee from here - it's that good. The hosts are sweet people, very helpful and accommodating. The home is spacious and clean and the neighborhood is quiet. BE ADVISED - there are two roads you can take to this home. The host make this clear as well, but one road is paved and the other is dirt and treacherous. Do not attempt to drive on this dirt road at night nor if it has rained and you do not have four wheel drive.
Just a great week in the Ponderosa basin, enjoyed Yosemite visits, Mariposa and loved time just being at the house and chilling out!
This property is about 1 hr from South entrance Yosemite. Great for small family or girls get away. Large dining table and even round kitchen table. Lots of dishes and cooking utensils. On a sloping hill with the rushing East Fork Chowchilla River below which was peaceful for back deck sitting and dining. Owners are very responsive and super friendly. Would consider staying again.
Exceeded our expectations!
Your dates are Available!
Total
Includes taxes and fees