Tuolumne Meadows
(Pronounced "too-all-oh-mee")
map
Current Real-Time snowpack information
go here
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Tuolumne Meadows bus
Once you are in the
park, reservations may be placed at any Tour & Activity Desk or by calling
x1240 from any house phone. To make reservations prior to your arrival in
the Park, please call (209) 372-1240. Reservations can be made up
to seven days in advance.
Fares vary according to where you are going
based on the list above. The most expensive route is the valley to
the Tuolumne Lodge at $14.50 one-way and $23 round trip. Any
other partial destination is less.
Dining recommendation!
While in Tuolumne, drive down to the "Whoa
Nellie Deli" at the Mobil Station in Lee Vining! You'll be glad
you did.
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The Tuolumne Meadow(s) area of Yosemite National Park is
quite different from the valley and Wawona. It's the high country,
with an altitude of 8,500 at it's lowest point. Nearby Tioga Pass,
the eastern gate of the park is at the 10,000 foot elevation and is the
highest elevation you can attain by car. By comparison, the valley
and Wawona areas are at the 4,000 foot elevation. It is quite a bit
colder here, and weather patterns are different as well. It rains
more in Tuolumne, as it is situated closer to the east slope of the Sierra
Nevada. In years past the mosquitoes were worse, but that seems to
have been lessened for some reason that has excaped me. Bear
activity is much higher here. Bears are very active in the
campground and all along the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River in the Lyell
Canyon.
Tuolumne Meadow is just that; an
enormous meadow, very beautiful, but even more so in the spring with the
wild flowers. Highway 120 goes through the area, a paved road in
very good condition.
There are very few services in
Tuolumne, the basics, really. During the summer, which runs on
average from mid-June to mid-September, there's a campground, small
grocery store, grill, post office, small gas station open 24 hours
(automated) and visitor center. There's also a year-round ranger
station and seasonal High Sierra Camp with restaurant. It's the
center of the universe for those embarking on long backpacking trips to
Glenn Aulin, Vogelsang, and Donahue Pass along the John Muir Trail and
Pacific Crest Trail. Although the Tioga Pass Road (as it is also
called) is open from just before Memorial Day to well into October or
November, services are available only during summer.
This is an area where you can find
solitude very easily. With only a leisurely stroll north or south
along the Tuolumne River, one can find a spot along the river bank and be
very private. Swim, fish, or just sit and stare at the sky...
The following are links to various
photo pages from various parts of the Tuolumne Meadows area:
South area
North area
Saddlebag Lake
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