If you’re hoping to start 2024 off with new levels of calm, Yosemite National Park may be the place to start. This spiritual, geologic masterpiece strikes visitors with awe—don’t forget to book for February’s Firefall phenomenon. And a new set of private massage cabanas await those who treasure the idea of a massage nestled in the woods bordering the park.
These circular cabanas have windows looking out onto enormous pines for the face-up portion of your treatment and let you emerge, relaxed, into the fragrant forest afterward. The cabanas with spectacular views are offered by the Evergreen Lodge in Groveland just outside the park gate, and provide a way to revitalize your body after undertaking one of Yosemite’s challenging hikes... or just rewarding yourself for finding your way there.
Book the Hiker’s Delight Massage, a sports massage incorporating elements of hot stone and gua sha for 80 minutes of muscle-healing treatment ($195). Or schedule the Evergreen signature massage with chakra crystals, or a Swedish, deep tissue, or hand, foot and scalp aromatherapy massage. With a small surcharge, your Evergreen massage can be extended to include access to the brand-new spa at the nearby sister property, the Rush Creek Lodge. There, you can experience warm waterfall coves, an aromatherapy steam room, a granite waterfall mineral hot tub, and more.
The Evergreen Lodge, established in 1921, is a mile from the Hetch Hetchy entrance and focuses on sustainable water conservation, repurposing almost 100 percent of its water on site. It hosts a Youth Program that teaches job skills to underserved Bay Area youth, hiring them as paid seasonal interns. In fact, the lodge was acquired by its current owners specifically to host this endeavor. The lodge was recently expanded and you can stay in the main lodge, one of 88 cabins or at one of 20 campsites.
Lore says moonshine was secretly brewed here during Prohibition—so maybe have a cocktail at the lodge’s tavern after your massage to honor that nearly century-old tradition.