We stayed at the Tuolumne tent cabins at the Tuolumne Lodge August 17 to 20, 2009. The High Sierra is for people who have a true appreciation and reverence for the glory of Yosemite. The $100 per tent/night + food price is steep, but worth it if you want to escape the partying mob that is trampling Yosemite Valley. Reservations are dear, so book early if you want a spot (book at least one year ahead). There is a reason that these tents sell out early; people know that this is one of the most spectacular places on earth.
CHECK IN - We were told that our tents (we rented two, one for us and one for our 17 & 11 year old kids) would be ready at 3. The desk made a mistake and thought the tents were cleaned, but they weren't. We unloaded our stuff and staged it outside the tent and finally flagged a maintenance guy who was courteous and straightened it out. We were in the tent by 4:30. We passed the time and got lunch at the only place nearby, the Tuolumne Grill. Our meal there (the kids had burgers, I had the veggie burger) was by far the best meal that we had during our Yosemite stay. The Grill closes at 5pm sharp, so don't count on it for a late dinner. Make your reservations at the Yosemite Lodge Dining Room early in the day if you want a seat int he dining hall.
THE TENT - Clean comfortable beds. (4) twins with sheets, pillow and warm blankies. We moved two twins to make a bigger bed (We're on vacation, right?), but it sort of blocked the tent door. However, I'd move the beds again. The room had a table and candles. Rustic and clean. The wood stove is a champ. Following another trip advisor reviewer's advice, I brought extra kindling ( a bag of pine cones), and it helped alot. The lodge provides as much wood as you want. The stove works great and we were toasty, even sleeping atop the covers at times. If you can't keep the wood lit, try leaving the main door slightly ajar. MICE if you leave any wrappers, or even if you don't. There is a support bar across the back and sides of the tent. I hung everything I could, including my backpack. Use wire hangers or giant S hooks that you bring from home. Someone had left behind a long wire hanger that they had fashioned into a lantern holder for the tent. It was attached to the peak of the tent. Worked great. I also brought a battery operated candle that I left on during the night. Worked great so I didn't feel so disoriented when I woke up durning the night.
THE LOBBY of the lodge sells a few convenience and souvenir items. Bud Light in a bottle, cold for $1.00. I'll take it! Ice cream, gum, batteries. My 11 year old spied a vacant electrical outlet near the front desk and ask permission to charge his video game and the staff allowed it. I saw a few other chargers in that outlet from time to time (cell phones, blackberrys). The staff was nice about it and realizes the importance of the coveted electrical outlet. (No electricity in your tent).
THE RESTROOMS/SHOWERS - Lodge provides towels to your tent, but I brought my own large beach towel so I could make the mad dash back to my tent without shlepping all of my clothes to the showers. Private shower stalls, liquid soap provided, hot water. For camping at this high elevation in this remote place, I appreciated the nice shower. The shower knobs are improved from years' past. True on/off. Great! Private toilet stalls, toilet paper. Restrooms are closed for cleaning between 12 and 2, so don't plan on a shower during that time.
THE LODGE/DINING - Breakfast prices were fair, but dinner prices were way over the top for what you get. Get the continental breakfast for $6.95. It includes cereal/oatmeal, fruit, juice, hot beverage, toast/muffin. Served buffet style, all you can eat. The lodge opens at 7:00 am and coffee/tea are complementary. You can toddle down to the lodge and get coffee and bring it back to your tent while other's in your party awake or get ready for the day. Ask for hot chocolate and they will provide. I wouldn't mind paying $19-27 for a dinner entree if it was worth it. Salad is served ala Olive Garden to the center of your table (8 people per table). Prepare to chat with some erudite guests who have enjoyed the lodge for many years. They will tell you where to hike and what to skip. A great source of information as are the servers. The food was so-so. Steak, trout, pork chop, boneless chicken, all served with the same gloppy starchy side of rice or potato. Totally not worth the price. I had high hopes for the Tuolumne Veggie Burger that was a black-bean based veggie burger. What a disappointment. I could barely touch it. But take heart! Since the Lodge is the only game in town, you need to be creative. I smartened up and ordered the dinner salad, soup of the day, and a baked potato. It totally satisfied me and I didn't pay for food that wasn't worth it. Not too many offerings for my kids besides a hamburger and bowtie pasta with (what tasted like) jarred Ragu and dry parmesan shreds. The Lodge could do alot more to make the food more appetizing and suited to the altitude. What about some chili in a bread bowl, or a hearty beef stew or pot roast or lasagne? The lodge should consider more roasted and braised food instead of grilled and boiled (pasta). The latter are just not suited to the altitude of 8500'. Don't event think of trying to do things on the cheap by preparing some of your own food while you are there. The lodge will prepare a sack/hike lunch for you if you order the night before. The bear boxes are similar to the box in the Bridge over the River Kwai. They get very hot inside, so your cooler doesn't stand of chance. The only thing I would recommend bringing is several bottles of wine. Consider gathering with your group and sitting near the dining hall, along the smooth flat granite next to the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River. A lovely way to end your day. Put your wine in a cooler in the bear box. I saw several people carrying their own wine bottles into the dining hall. I don't know if there is a corkage fee. A few wine selections are offered on the menu, but bring your own if wine matters to you. Buy beer in 6-packs and submerge it in the river in a secret spot for a quick cool down.
You are in BEAR COUNTRY. Park your car and empty all food contents to the multitude of shared bear boxes along the parking lot perimeter. At night, make one last trip to the bear box to deposit your toiletry kit. Nothing with a fragrance or aroma in the tent is allowed. The only thing we kept in the tent was a 2.5 gal dispenser jug of water and some plastic drinking glasses. We preloaded our toothbrushes with toothpaste before dinner, brought our toiletries to the bear boxes before dinner, then used the toothbrush before bed.
HORSES - We scheduled a trail ride form Tuolumne stables, about 1 mile from the lodge at the base of Lembert Dome. Walker, the man in charge, was totally informed about the Yosemite area and gave us a brief chat before our ride. $60 person/2 hour ride. Make reservations about 3 weeks ahead. The stables were pristine. The mules and horses were groomed and healthy. We are inexperienced riders, and our guides Russ, Tanner and Jen were mature and courteous. 8 riders, 3 guides, a great ratio. A great way to see some tremendous vistas of Tuolumne Meadows and beyond.
During the day, you can enjoy the beauty of this meadow by taking short hikes to the riverside and basking in the sun. We saw deer and chipmunks everywhere. No bear signtings and no one spoke of any. I think that bear control in Yosemite is much improved over the past few decades. The bears have learned that the bear boxes are impenetrable and just not worth their time. Recommended day hikes: Tuolumne Lodge to Glen Aulin. Mono Pass (drive to the trailhead, plenty of parking there),
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
