If you've never been to see the natural wonders of Yosemite National Park, add it to your bucket-list. The towering mountain peaks, glacier carved canyons, and roaring waterfalls are a humbling sight to behold. While it is usually the iconic Half Dome and Yosemite Falls that are evoked on mention of Yosemite, the lesser known Tuolumne Meadows (pronounced: two-all-oh-me) in the Eastern most part of the park has sweeping majestic views, a crystal blue lake, and magical bubbling springs. If you're going to Yosemite, why not spend a night and go on a secret escape from the summer crowd? Here's the plan...I bathed in the bright river, sauntered over the meadows, conversed with the domes, and played with the pines. –John Muir
The best time to go: Although this part of the park has significantly less crowds to begin with, weekdays are still the best time to go since lodging fills up on weekends. It should also be noted that Tioga Road, the pass that leads to Tuolumne Meadows, is only open around mid May-November so be sure to plan your trip within that time frame.
On lodging: There are two central options in these parts—Tuolumne Meadows Campground, where you can bring your own tent, or Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, where you're provided a canvas tent and some camping accouterments. There is a communal bathroom and showers and at both sites, which I know is very important to some! For the financially-conscious, the campgrounds is the perfect option, however the lodge fits up to 4 people and is definitely worth paying a little extra for!
Each tent at the lodge comes with wool blankets, cots, lights, and towels. It still gets very cold up in the High Sierras at night so I slept in my sleeping bag underneath everything.
The wood stove is perfect for the chilly early mornings. Wood, starter sticks, and matches are all included inside with lodging.
Situated right up against the Tuolumne River, the soft rushing water lulls you to sleep at night.
Soda Springs and Parson's Lodge (1.6 miles roundtrip): This short scenic hike through the heart of Tuolumne Meadows is chock full of signs informing visitors about the ecosystem. When you stumble across Soda Springs it may seem like bright orange-red puddles on the ground, but if you look closely you'll notice the bubbles. It's a geologic mystery! (Really—geologists don't actually know where the air pockets are coming from.)
Parson's lodge, a meetinghouse built by the Sierra Club, is filled with a library and facts about the environmental activism of the club, John Muir, and Edward Parson. There's also information on the Native American tribes who called Yosemite home.
Tenaya Lake: The perfect way to cool down after a hot summer hike is a dip in Tenaya Lake. Find a spot at one of the small sandy beaches and let the crystal clear blue waters wash away all your worries. There is also a 2.5 mile trail that goes around half of the lake but does not loop.
Olmsted Point: Not too far down the road from Tenaya Lake is Olmsted point. It looks down a canyon and offers a clear view of Half Dome's back side. If you take a peek through the telescope set up by a Yosemite volunteer, you can see hikers trekking up the strenuous Half Dome cables.
Sunrise in Tuolumne Meadows: If you wake with the chirping birds, don't miss the sweeping sunrise over Tuolumne Meadows. We parked near the visitor center and camped out on a rock in the middle of the field so our view was unimpeded. A suggestion from our lodge host was to hike to the top of Lembert Dome to watch the sun rise, but you'll need to get up even earlier for the 1.5 mi hike.
Be sure to check the time of the sunrise before you head to Yosemite because there is no cell-phone service. We got up at 5 a.m. for a 5:38 a.m. sunrise, but the sun didn't actually come up over the mountains until about 6:20, so you can account for that.
While you're in the meadow, look around for wildlife. We saw a herd of about 10 deer that stopped by to munch on some brush just as the sun's rays started peeking over the mountain.
On where to eat: Food is always the big question! For lunch we always put together our own sandwiches or bought a to-go salad and granola bars from the Tuolumne Meadows Store so we could eat it on a hike. There is also a grill right next to the store if you want something more prepared. However for breakfast and lunch we went to the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge since we were staying right there. The food was not too bad, but what was so great about it was that you eat communally with your neighbors. We learned a variety of tips through them...
For future visits: On good hiking, our breakfast-meal friends suggested Mt. Hoffman and Gaylor Lake, and Clouds Rest next time we're there. They also said that reservations for Tuolumne Lodge are made months in advance since it fills up as soon as reservations open in the fall. However spots pop up here and there throughout the summer so to keep checking back.
On the High Sierra Camps: I heard from multiple older ladies (they were still quite hardy) about the five High Sierra Camps. They're camps similar in style to the canvas tents and cots (no bedding) of the Lodge and set up 6-10 miles apart along a 53 mile loop. You apply via lottery in October to stay at all or a few of the camps, which include meals. What's so great about them for the beginner backpacker is that you don't need much gear (tent, bear proof canister, etc.). However, for backpacking purists this may be too sissy with the flush toilets and even running showers at some, but I really want to try it! The people who've been doing it for years couldn't stop raving, especially Vogelsang, and clearly they keep going back.
On Stargazing: If you don't go on one of the Ranger Night Hikes at the top of Lembert Dome, stargaze from anywhere with a blanket the the Sky Guide app. I've raved about this before but there is no better way to discover all the constellations and planets, while learning their stories. We could clearly see the red of Mars, Saturn, Scorpio, and of course the Big and Little Dipper. It's best to be in Yosemite when there is no moon so you can see the Milky Way clear as day. Even with a little sliver of moon it will be so bright you'll have a moon shadow.
I'm glad to have discovered such a beautiful secret of Yosemite National Park! If you have any tips to add or questions about planning your own adventure just leave a comment below! Happy wandering!
xo from catie
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