This year marks over a decade of unforgettable stays and breathtaking memories at Yosemite Peregrine Lodge, and owner Vonnie Coombs is beaming with pride. Since 2014, the lodge has offered guests more than just a place to sleep. It has been a destination in itself, a luxurious sanctuary nestled inside the gates of Yosemite National Park. With a warm nod to the past and eyes on the next chapter, Vonnie reflects on a milestone rooted in love, nature, and service.
Yosemite Peregrine Lodge
“Ten years of welcoming guests into this space we’ve nurtured and adored—it’s incredibly humbling,” says Vonnie. “My late husband and I always dreamed this would be a place where people could come to truly rest and reconnect with nature. I’m proud we’ve carried that vision forward, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
The story of Yosemite Peregrine Lodge begins long before the Coombs’ arrival. Originally built in the 1990s by former U.S. Magistrate Don Pitts and his wife, artist Kay Pitts, the lodge became a beloved bed and breakfast that Judge Pitts ran with the same warmth and formality he brought to his courtroom.
In 2014, Vonnie and her late husband David, who had fallen in love with Yosemite during countless holidays with family in the area, saw the property and knew instantly that this was their future. Since then, Vonnie has transformed the property into a high-end yet inviting haven for nature lovers, families, skiers, hikers, and romantics alike. After David’s passing in 2019, Vonnie continued their shared mission, blending her deep knowledge of the outdoors with his legacy of thoughtful hospitality. “I wanted to honor that by keeping the spirit of care and excellence alive,” she says. And it shows.
The lodge features three beautifully appointed guest rooms, each with custom fireplaces and en suite bathrooms. The Aspen room boasts a king bed and woodsy accents. The Lodgepole room offers a queen bed with Southwest-style décor and handcrafted shelving reminiscent of cliff dwellings, while the Dogwood room, the most spacious, includes a queen bed and trundle for families, a whirlpool tub, and two dogwood trees are carved into the stone fireplace.
Upstairs, guests gather in the great room where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the forest, leather sofas invite conversations, and a fireplace inspired by Yosemite Falls glows warmly. A large burl wood dining table seats eight beneath picture windows, while the gourmet kitchen, with its expansive island, gas range, sub-zero fridge, and a full suite of professional cookware, invites shared meals and lasting memories.
For larger groups, an upstairs loft offers a pool table, games, puzzles, and an extensive old-school DVD library. And for Vonnie, a retired physical therapist, hosting remains both personal and intentional.
Seasonal beauty is part of the lodge’s magic. Summer brings hikers, backpackers, and families drawn to the proximity of Yosemite Valley, just 25 minutes away without the hour-long entrance line, thanks to the lodge’s location inside the park gates. During winter, skiers flock to nearby Badger Pass, just six miles away, and return to Peregrine for evenings beneath starry skies, far from the valley’s bustle.
“People don’t always realize how different it is up here. We’re almost 6000 feet up, cooler air, no smoke from campfires, with complete serenity,” Vonnie explains. “You get the best of both worlds: the adventure of Yosemite and a peaceful retreat to return to.”
Indeed, whether guests come seeking summer waterfalls, winter wonderlands, romantic escapes, or family hikes, Yosemite Peregrine Lodge offers a rare combination of access, comfort, and natural beauty. Guests can dine under the stars on the decks, sip coffee in quiet corners of the forest, or stargaze at Glacier Point, where astronomy clubs often set up telescopes under one of California’s darkest skies.
And while Yosemite Valley remains the park’s crown jewel, Vonnie is quick to guide guests to lesser-known wonders like the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, or the Tenaya Lake’s alpine serenity, and the meadows and trails of the high country in Tuolumne. The Lodge owner further shares, “What keeps me going is the joy people feel when they arrive here. I love seeing the look on their faces when they step out onto the deck, take the first breath of mountain air, and realize they’re somewhere truly special.”
As she embraces this next decade of ownership, Vonnie plans to continue making thoughtful upgrades and expanding the lodge’s reach, but her heart remains in the same mission it started with: to provide extraordinary experiences in one of the world’s most awe-inspiring places. “There’s so much more Yosemite has to give, and I’m honored to help people experience that. I look forward to many more years of smiles on our guests’ faces,” she concludes.
Media Contact
Name: Vonnie Coombs
Email: [email protected]
