Approximately 40 minutes from the Yosemite National Park entrance on Highway 140 in the Sierras of California is a glamping campground, tucked off the road nestled on the hillside. Autocamp Yosemite is surrounded by oak trees, native grasses and plants and a small pond where birds often gather. It’s called the Autocamp Yosemite because of the refurbished and retrofired Airstream travel trailers that have been arranged as permanent glamping setups and seen in rows once headed to the main office from the road. The Airstreams, while super cute and iconic, are not offered as accessible or wheelchair friendly options, but the Autocamp Yosemite offers available alternatives.

Properties Amenities

  • Parking: No one parks at their site. Instead, there is a guest parking lot. Six paved designated disabled spots are located closest to the lodge and check-in desk.
  • Pathways: Paved asphalt pathways navigate guests around the lodge area and to the most accessible unit.
  • Check-In: From the parking lot a barrier-free path winds around to the front door. Wagons are located in the parking lot and are used to tow belongings. If no one in your party is able to do this, please let front desk know when checking in, and someone will help. When leaving, call the main desk for baggage assistance again. The main desk is at a lowered height to more accessible for all.   
  • Pool Area: If unable to climb stairs, use the elevator lift to access both the pool level and the upper lounge deck. On the pool deck level, there is no button with the option to “call” the elevator lift, which is problematic when it comes to opening the door and leaving the pool area. If this happens call the front desk, or get someone at the pool to ride the elevator lift up or down to the pool level to get the door open. When the weather is nice, lots of kids at the pool during the day, whereas morning and after dinner are more quiet times to swim. The pool has an accessible lift or hoist to assist those who cannot walk or stand into the pool.
  • Food + Beverage: A small, onsite food market is open during the day. Meals, additional snacks and other miscellaneous glamping goodies are offered through a website once reservations have been made. Meals often sell out, so it’s highly recommended that orders are made in advance, well before the arrival date. Of course, bring your own food, snacks and beverages too. A drinking fountain is located at the lodge, and has a water bottle fill-up station.
  • Fire-Pits: The largest one is located in the center of the grass field right by the lodge’s lobby. Another is located inside lodge’s lobby on the ground floor and overlooks the grass field.
  • Trashcans: These are placed in a few spots around the lobby and lodge area. The one at the lobby lodge has the barrier-free route.
  • Bathrooms: On the ground floor of the lodge are both male and female bathrooms with roll-up sinks, toilet stalls and showers. One toilet is modified for wheelchair access, including grab-bars. The showers are in the same room, and one is a roll-in shower with grab-bars, a mounted bench, and a hand-held shower nozzle. Campers who stay in the glamping tent will need to use these facilities. Towels are placed on high shelf, so ask for assistance if needed.

Mobile Home Glamping Cabins

Four different units are available; #42 and #43 located close to the lobby and lodge and #59 and #61 overlook the pond. The two near the lodge have significantly more foot traffic moving by. Patios at the other two units are more private and nature scenic.

These four specially modified glamping cabins are much larger than the regular options and have been modified for more wheelchair access. Have two manual wheelchairs or a power wheelchair is certainly possible; two power wheelchairs at once is not recommended to optimize maneuverability.

Cabin Amenities
  • Patio: Patios are bordered handrails and a wired fence. Each patio has a decorative glass fire-pit (propane operated), as well as a large mounted round table and chairs. The size and the stationary position of the table prevent people with wheelchairs from accessing the edge of the deck closest to the pond; the chairs can be moved out of the way.    
  • Kitchen: The sink has been modified as a roll-up and the microwave lowered. Below the microwave is a mini fridge, and next to that is a double-burner stove. Regular height cabinets contain flatware, cups and plates, and cooking utensils and cutlery are on the counter or in kitchen drawers.   
  • Outdoor Cooking Grill: Cabins #42 and #43 have access to a portable cooking grill that can be setup on the sidewalk. This same setup may be used at cabin #59 or #61 or guests can use the cooking grill permanently placed near the pond’s edge at the base of the cabin; no pathway has been created from the patio down to this cooking grill, so proceed with caution. The return trip to the patio is uphill, and the transition from dirt to sidewalk encompasses a three-inch gap lip to go up and over. This will require ample muscle if in a manual wheelchair.   
  • Bed: A full-size bed (not king or queen) has open access to one side of the bed. The couch in the sitting area, across from the television, also folds out into a bed.
  • Windows: Lots of large windows, and even a skylight with blinds that are controlled electronically by remote. Opening the windows is a little challenging, especially the one in the bathroom; a hook is provided to unlatch it.
  • Storage: A few draws in the bedroom can be used for clothing, etc., and a narrow cabinet is near the front of the bedroom, which is a good place to store camera, shoes, and medicines. Two sets of wall hooks; one of which has been lowered.
  • Heating/Cooling (HVAC): The cabins have full heat and cooling controls lowered and within reach. 
  • Power Outlets: A couple of power outlets are positioned near the bed and more are by the couch as well as a few other spots.
  • Mirror: Full-length mirror in bedroom.
  • Bathroom: A roll-up sink is provided, and the toilet has grab-bars. The roll-in shower also has grab-bars, a mounted bench and a hand-held shower nozzle. 

Tent Amenities

  • #59A is the accessible glamping tent, located across from cabins #59 and #62.
  • A queen-sized bed can be accessed on both sides of the bed. Both sides of the bed have a nightstand and light.
  • A set of shelves with baskets and hangers is located near the door for storage.
  • A low coffee table is near the door and the seating turns into a twin-sized bed.
  • A small area in front of the tent is large enough for two patio chairs and a portable cooking grill.
  • An accessible toilet and roll-in shower are located on the ground floor of the lodge.
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