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If you’re heading for Yosemite National Park, chances are high you’ll pass through the Gold Rush town of Groveland. Half an hour’s drive from the park’s Big Oak Flat and Hetch Hetchy gates, Groveland is a cozy little town, despite its original name, Garrotte — which, means, er, death by strangulation. (As long as you’re not jumping anyone’s claim or holding up the Wells Fargo stagecoach, you should be just fine.)
With its historic inns and family-friendly resorts, such as the modern Rush Creek Lodge, Groveland makes a great base camp for High Sierra adventures. Here’s where to sleep, eat and play while you’re there.
THE NEW HOT SPOT: Jenn and Doug Edwards, who own the charming Hotel Charlotte on Groveland’s main drag, renovated another historic property and re-opened it as the Groveland Hotel last year. Originally built in 1849 as a trading post, the adobe building and its annex are now a sleek, boutique inn with a small cocktail bar just off the lobby.
Provisions, the hotel’s new grab-and-go cafe and coffee bar, offers charcuterie packets, interesting chips and crackers, granola-type bars and a nice array of wines, including local Yosemite Cellars rosé.
THE CLASSIC HOT SPOT: Of course, you can’t go to Groveland and not visit the Iron Door Saloon. It’s a 167-year-old icon. Built in 1852 as a general mercantile for the mining camp, its makeshift bar began serving up booze to thirsty miners soon after. These days, the saloon is as Wild West as they come. Old photographs of the pre-dam Hetch Hetchy Valley and a Black Bart tribute hang on the walls, the ceiling’s aflutter with pinned dollar bills and a taxidermied stag gazes down at the dance floor. Belly up to the historic bar and order an IPA to wash down your burger and jalapeno-flecked poppers.
Looking for something less saloon-y? Head for Two Guys Pizza Pies for tasty, hand-tossed pies in a laid-back setting. Order at the counter — a meaty combo, perhaps, or a spectacular calzone filled with pesto, mozzarella, chicken and artichoke hearts — then relax at a table with a beer or glass of wine. Specialty and build-your-own pizzas range in size from “one guy” ($7-$8) to extra-large ($30-$31).
THE ULTIMATE OUTDOOR SPOT: The northwest corner of Yosemite National Park is home to the spectacular Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, where splashing waterfalls, meandering trails and one of the park’s longest hiking seasons woo wilderness lovers.
Before you go, though, be sure to refill your water bottles, pack up sunscreen and a hat, and grab a picnic lunch in Groveland. Kevin and Randi’s Old Fashioned Meat Market makes tasty sandwiches to order. And the Evergreen Lodge General Store, 5 minutes from the park entrance, offers deli sandwiches, drinks, trail mix and snacks.
Enter the park through the Hetch Hetchy Entrance, which is open during daylight hours. (FYI: During the recent government shutdown, the Hetch Hetchy Entrance was open Thursday-Sunday only.) The $35 pass admits you to the entire park for a week. Hang on to the receipt; you’ll need to show it again when exiting or re-entering the park.
Leave your car in the reservoir parking lot at the end of the road — there are picnic tables, restrooms and drinking fountains here, by the way. Then walk across the O’Shaunessy Dam and through the dimly lit tunnel into the brightness of day, where landscapes unfurl and hiking trails beckon. The views from this spot and from the dam are wonderful — and they’re your best option if accessibility is an issue or if winter weather has rendered the trails slippery and treacherous.
But during the spring, one of the most popular hikes is the trail to Wapama Falls. It’s a 5-mile, moderate round trip — allow 3½ hours — best done during wildflower season, when the trails are dry, the views even more spectacular and the thundering water can be glimpsed from four bridges.
IF YOU GO
Groveland Hotel and Provisions: 18767 Main St.; www.groveland.com
Rush Creek Lodge: 34001 Highway120; www.rushcreeklodge.com
Evergreen Lodge: 33160 Evergreen Road; www.evergreenlodge.com
Iron Door Saloon: Open daily at 18761 Main St.
Two Guys Pizza Pies: Open daily at 18955 Ferretti Road.
Kevin N Randi’s Old Fashioned Meat Market: Open Tuesday-Saturday at 18687 Main St.
Groveland Yosemite Gateway Museum: Discover what Hetch Hetch Valley and Big Oak Flat looked like long ago at this tiny, volunteer-run museum. Open from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday at 18990 Main St.; https://grovelandmuseum.org.