Yosemite Lakes brings suburban amenities to the Madera County hills
Yosemite Lakes’ twisting mountain roads, sizable lots and scenic views provide a taste of rural living in central California. This section of Madera County comprises Yosemite Lakes Park, a sprawling planned development that juxtaposes the area’s secluded feel with a smattering of community amenities. Residents have access to Yosemite Lakes Park’s golf course, on-site restaurants, a pool, and an equestrian center. “It’s kind of a little entity of its own,” says local Realtor Donna Pride of London Properties, who has almost 50 years of experience.
Planned community still offers housing variety
The Yosemite Lakes Park development dates to the 1970s, yet the area’s inventory of homes features a mix of styles and ages. The community encompasses almost 1,900 houses, and some were built as recently as the last several years. Hundreds of homes were constructed from 2002 to 2007, in particular, thanks to a building boom at that time. Yosemite Lakes Park’s medley of established and modern homes includes examples of contemporary, new traditional and ranch-style architecture. Most lots are at least an acre. Properties sell for $230,000 to $600,000 based in part on age. Pride says the HOA fees here average around $2,000 a year.
Yosemite Unified and Chawanakee Unified districts cover the area
The Yosemite Unified School District carries a B-minus grade on Niche and serves most of the Yosemite Lakes area. Students may go to the B-minus-rated Rivergold Elementary for kindergarten to eighth grade, and special activities there include a Halloween parade. Yosemite High has a B grade and offers several elective classes, in topics like floral art and sports medicine.
A southeastern slice of Yosemite Lakes falls into the B-minus-rated Chawanakee Unified School District. Chawankee Unified students in this area may take kindergarten to eighth-grade classes at the B-minus-rated Spring Valley Elementary. The B-minus-rated Minarets High includes the advanced Minarets GO! program in which students take an assortment of dual-enrollment courses from grades 10 to 12.
Trails, golf and a playground are close by
Yosemite Lakes’ landscape in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains lends itself to outdoor recreation. Yosemite Lakes Park encompasses multiple trails that are private to residents. The Blue Heron Lake Trail stretches more than a mile around the lake, which is stocked with fish. The Revis Mountain Trail Complex provides striking vistas of the surrounding area. Yosemite Lakes Park Rec Center has a playground and a baseball field used for Little League games. The community pool is open from May to October, and the equestrian center offers riding areas and spaces for boarding. The Yosemite Lakes Park golf course has nine holes and a cafe, and is open to nonresidents. “It’s very, very family oriented,” Pride says of the community’s recreation options.
Music is a part of life in Yosemite Lakes Park
Residents have a variety of events and activities to choose from within this community. A music series called YLP Live! is held at least once a month from March to September. The concerts usually happen at Yosemite Grill on Friday nights. Wednesdays feature karaoke nights at Yosemite Grill. There’s also a Yosemite Lakes Park painters group that meets every Thursday evening, and monthly Saturday-morning fitness classes.
Route 41 is an asset for reaching bigger communities
California State Route 41, one of the region’s major thoroughfares, runs just outside Yosemite Lakes. Drivers in this area can hop on Route 41 to reach amenities in Oakhurst, 16 miles away. The city of Fresno is a 34-mile trip on 41, and is home to the Kaiser Permanente Fresno Medical Center and the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. Memorial Day to Labor Day brings more traffic to Route 41 because of people heading to regional attractions like Yosemite National Park. “That’s our really high season,” Pride says.
Dining and retail are available close to home
Homes in Yosemite Lakes Park are minutes from community restaurants like Yosemite Grill. Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, Yosemite Grill has a wide-ranging menu with tacos, barbecue, pasta, salads and more. People can also swing by Fairway Cafe at the golf course for breakfast or lunch. Harvest Garden Cafe has popular smoothies and neighbors the Hillside Supermarket on the south side of Yosemite Lakes. The Dollar Express store in Yosemite Lakes offers hardware, automotive items and housewares. People head to places including Oakhurst for more options, including Raley’s and Vons grocery stores.
Written By
Wayne Epps Jr.
