If you grew up in The Golden Age of video gaming, you spent much of your youth exploring the vast Western U.S. by covered wagon — from behind a monitor, of course. The Oregon Trail opened many a child’s eye to the wonders of the pioneering days. Now, Yosemite Pines RV Resort and Family Lodging is recapturing that same spirit of exploration with a unique glamping experience.
From the outside, the campground’s replica wagons look much like the classic Conestoga wagons of the pioneering days. The iconic wooden frame and spoked wheels are topped with a stretched canvas cover to keep occupants warm and dry. The interior design is a modern take on classic 19th-century living. Raw wood, mission-style furniture, and enamel dish- and cookware all hearken back to a simpler time. Unlike the original wagons, however, those at Yosemite Pines RV Resort offer all the trappings of home.
At the rear is a king-sized bed, bedecked in plush linens. The addition of one or two twin-sized bunk beds provides enough total room for an entire family to sleep comfortably. There’s a kitchenette area with a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a coffee maker, and a small dinette provides enough space for two to relax with the morning paper. The entire cabin is outfitted with air-conditioning and heat to ensure year-round comfort. Outside, guests can enjoy their own fire pit and picnic table. The only things missing are toilets and showers, although both are located in a communal building nearby.
As a proper resort, there are plenty of shared amenities, including a swimming pool, a petting zoo, and volleyball and bocce ball courts as well. Guests looking to venture off the property will find the western gate of Yosemite National Park about 20 miles away, so there’s no shortage of hiking and outdoor opportunities nearby.
The Oregon Trail video game debuted in 1985 and has since become an icon of classic gaming. In case you were living under a rock in the ‘80s, the game challenged players to head west from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon’s Willamette River and valley. The goal was to survive like a pioneer by stocking up on and managing provisions, hunting game, finding spare wagon parts, and deciding when to sleep and eat along the way.
The Conestoga Wagons in Yosemite are available to book year-round with nightly, mid-week off-season rates starting at $139. If these wagons are a little too rustic for your taste, the campground offers plenty of vintage Avion, Boles, and Airstream travel trailers for rent as well.
