Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra!
California has cowboys, beaches and surfing, skiing, hiking and shopping all rolled into one beautiful state. Seeing Yosemite when you vacation in California is a must. For this vacation, expand your mind and enjoy a true California experience by staying in a straw bale home. Unlike those of big bad wolf fame, modern straw bale homes are warm and comfortable. They provide a unique place to rest your soul (and feet) after a day of discovering Yosemite.
Our newly constructed Yosemite Straw Bale vacation home is a wonder. While the straw bales provide incredible R-50 insulation, we are using passive solar heating for preheating our radiant floor heating system with an instantaneous hot water heater as a backup system. Our photovoltaic grid panels are naturally creating clean energy from the sun. We tested these techniques on our own home and perfected them in this vacation rental for your enjoyment. Made to feel like your private second home, design touches include a social kitchen with a granite slab bar height counter, finished dyed concrete floors, and cozy radiant floor heating. Sitting hilltop at 3000 feet elevation (914m), the house includes a private deck perfect for relaxing and enjoying the views. We are also honored to share with you, eight fine art prints by renowned Sierra photographer Howard Weamer.
The gates of Yosemite are a mere 35 minutes away* on a drive that follows the wild and scenic Merced River. (*Your drive may take longer as you stop to put your feet in the river or photograph the wildflowers along the way.)
Check out our profile below, and look at the calendar for booking availability. Call or email to hear more and make arrangements. We look forward to hearing from you.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
This property uses solar energy, plus eco-friendly cleaning products
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
About the area
Midpines
Located in Midpines, this holiday home is in a rural area and in the mountains. Merced River Recreation Area and Butterfly Creek Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Windows on the World Books and Art and California State Mining and Mineral Museum. El Portal Market and Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and sledging.
Briceburg Information Center - 13 min drive - 13.7 km
Merced River Recreation Area - 13 min drive - 13.7 km
Mariposa Cemetery - 17 min drive - 18.8 km
Mariposa County Visitor Center - 17 min drive - 19.1 km
Getting around
Mariposa, CA (RMY-Mariposa-Yosemite) - 24 min drive
Restaurants
Starbucks - 18 min drive
Pony Expresso - 18 min drive
Happy Burger Diner - 18 min drive
1850 Brewery - 18 min drive
Miners Inn Lounge - 18 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra! pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
How much does it cost to stay at Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra!?
As of 9 May, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra! on 27 May, 2026 start from S$326, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
How much is parking at Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra!?
On-site parking is available at the property.
What time is check-in at Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra!?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra!?
Checkout is at 10:00 AM.
Where is Lovely Straw Bale Home with Views of the Yosemite High Sierra! located?
Situated in the mountains, this holiday home is within 9 miles (15 km) of Sierra National Forest, Merced River and Merced River Recreation Area. Briceburg Information Center and Mariposa County Visitor Center are also within 12 miles (20 km).
Reviews
10
Exceptional
Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Great communication from the host. The house and surroundings were beautiful and the kitchen was well stocked. The location was remote with amazing views of the Milky Way. We really enjoyed our stay.
What a great place to stay while checking out Yosemite. We totally enjoyed this home, very comfy and had everything we needed. The mornings & evenings on the front deck were just wonderful.
My daughters and I had a lovely time during our May stay. The weather was great, the flowers were blooming and the home had everything we needed to wind down and rest between our sightseeing. Definitely would love to stay here again!
This is an outstanding property, so interesting and well done. You can access electrical outlets everywhere for all your devices. There are a lot of places for luggage and personal items without junk sitting everywhere. Beautiful location. Outstanding hosts who volunteered to help us seniors with our luggage. Instant response to any question. Of our last six rental this one was the most interesting and also the best value.
We loved our stay! We traveled with our adult son and his gf and the set up of the house was perfect for us. Bedrooms are separated by the kitchen, each with full bathrooms so privacy was great.The views are lovely, the area is quiet, the kitchen was fully stocked with items we needed to cook, and the hosts were very informative and responsive to any questions we had.They also gave us tips on Yosemite, which we found very helpful. This was a great location for getting to the park. No lines at the entrance. And Mariposa is close enough to grab dinner after a long day of hiking at the park.We highly recommend this property.
We loved the 2 nights we spent here and wished we had been able to stay longer. A lovely quiet location, beautiful sunsets and sunrises, and wildlife all around. Super convenient for our day in Yosemite as part of our West Coast USA trip. Highly recommended.
We loved our stay in the Strawbale Vacation Home. It is extremely well kept, a beautiful property, and a convenient location to the Yosemite main entrance. The owner was extremely helpful with our planning and a pleasure to work with.
Wonderful place, very quiet, stunning views, close to Yosemite. We were very happy for having the opportunity to spend a few days at this fantastic house. Very supportive hosts, everything simply perfect!
Very good communication with the host. The home was well kept and clean. Beautiful views of surrounding mountains. Would book again today if our family was heading west.
What a fun and unique house. Quality of the house and furnishings exceptional. Excellent access to Yosemite and Mariposa. Beautiful sunsets and wildlife in the area as well. Thank you for a lovely and memorable stay!
This house is so beautifully appointed and so comfortable. The views from the porch are so pretty. Kathleen (host) was gracious and easy to communicate with.
We had a great experience at our stay. The house looked great and beautiful decoration. Very clean and organized . I highly recommend to rent this house for your stay. I will definitely come back again. Thank you for your great service.
sebo t.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
About the host
Hosted by Kathleen Pfeffer
Kathleen and Alex moved to Midpines sixteen years ago to enjoy the natural beauty of the area and spend as much time in Yosemite as possible. Kathleen is an Architectural Designer and specializes in Straw Bale Home design. She is also very busy raising twin boys. Alex is a trained Engineer and teaches mathematics at the local public school.
Why they chose this property
We chose to build a vacation rental on our thirteen acre hill top to allow family, friends and vacationers the opportunity to enjoy Yosemite and its surroundings.
What makes this property unique
Our hilltop is incredible for enjoying sunsets, sunrises, star gazing, wild flowers and bird watching all from the comfort of your private deck.
Languages:
English, German
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests