Mariposa County

Mariposa County wraps Yosemite’s western approach. Vineyards hold 1,200 to 2,000 feet around Mariposa, Coulterville, and Bear Valley — oak savannah, red dirt, and cold river canyons that cool the summer nights. Tasting rooms pour from farmhouses along Highway 49 and out on Old Highway, most with shaded patios and water bowls at the gate. The Hite Cove trail out of El Portal opens a leashed wildflower walk in spring; the Merced River holds cold-water dog wading. Pair a Mariposa zinfandel with an afternoon at Briceburg. The county pours Yosemite’s doorstep wine, and a good dog fits the glass.