Editor's note: This is sponsor-supported content from Traveler's Essential Park Guide, Winter 2015-16.

Summers in Yosemite National Park traditionally are crazy, busy and frenetic as throngs of visitors are in a hurry to recreate. But winter here is like being in another world. A crystal-white blanket covers the iconic valley’s floor, waterfalls are rimmed with ice, and the high granite domes have toupees of snow while the backcountry has a thick layer of snow.

Sunset light filters into the valley, reflecting off placid, icy ponds. The crowds are gone, snow muffles sound, and you’ll seemingly have this crown jewel park to yourself. Whether you want to ski, skate, hike, snowshoe, or sip cocoa as you watch the big, fat flakes fall, this wonderland is a special place.

In recent winters snowfall has been sparse, but hopes are high for the coming months as the building El Niño weather pattern seems poised to dump moisture on California and make up for lost time. This may very well be the year when Yosemite winter can become your paradise of solitude.

The Tioga Road from the eastern entrance on Tioga Pass to Crane Flat on the western side of the park typically closes in November, but Wawona and the Yosemite Valley are accessible all year long. Snowstorms might lay down a foot of snow in a few hours, but clear, crisp days usually follow the storms. But come prepared, with snow tires and winter driving skills.

You can enjoy this wintry setting as if it were your own backyard from a vacation rental home or condo in Yosemite West. Yosemite’s Scenic Wonders Vacation Rentals, which has made TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame for being No. 1 five years running for specialty lodging in the park, manages more than 75 properties in this small community laid out in a forest surrounded by the national park.

This quiet village is just 20 miles to the Yosemite Valley if you want to view the LeConte Memorial Lodge draped in snow or see if the “frazil ice” is on the move. The Merced River is languid and dark as it winds through the snow-covered meadows of pines and oaks. Take a morning stroll along the boardwalk at Cook’s Meadow west of the village for a view of Cathedral Rocks. Or better yet, cross-country ski or snowshoe through this setting. Wildlife viewing isn’t quite as easy as in the summer: bears here don’t hibernate, but spend the winter in their dens in a torpor.

In Yosemite West you’re also 20 miles from Badger Pass with its alpine ski area and miles of cross-country ski trails. You can choose from 90 miles of marked ski trails, and nine miles of groomed skating track that lead to Glacier Point with its inspiring views of Half Dome and the Yosemite Valley. Kick and glide and feel the clean, cold air in your lungs as you watch the scenery; the firs bending underneath a load of fresh powder. The silence is deafening.

Or, take a shorter snowshoe trip to Dewey Point, with guides from The Yosemite Conservancy, or around the Ghost Forest Loop. There are also two overnight huts accessible from Badger Pass for the more adventurous, and if you’re visiting in February don’t miss the Nordic Holiday celebration. Maybe you can time your winter’s visit for a full moon and ski, or snowshoe, along the Glacier Point Road with the moon lighting your way.

If downhill is your preference, Badger Pass offers five lifts, 800 vertical feet, and 10 runs; it averages around 300 inches of snow per year. There’s a tubing area, terrain park, and terrific access into the backcountry.

At day’s end, return to your rental unit, light a fire, relax in the quiet with family and friends, and let your muscles unwind. No rush to clear the table for other guests, no struggle to be heard over the din from dozens of other conversations.

Finally, don’t forget your camera when you head to Yosemite: the low winter light, clouds, snowfields, and reflections are gorgeous. For a special treat, spend your Christmas here away from the bustling city. Santa knows the way to Yosemite.

Traveler footnote: To learn more about Yosemite's Scenic Wonders, check out their page in our Visiting the Parks section, or follow them on Facebook.