Sep 10 2008
Tuolomne Meadows, Yosemite National Park
If you ask me where is my favorite spot that I have visited in Yosemite National Park, then, I would have to say, Tuolomne Meadows. I have not seen the entirety of Yosemite yet, and I am not saying the other parts of Yosemite that I have been to are not beautiful, no! In fact, the beauty of Yosemite National Park is just so incomprehendible for me. It is vast, not only in terms of area, but in terms of beauty. Yosemite is just not about giant granite rocks and cliffs, giant trees, tall waterfalls, glacial lakes and beautiful meadows, there is something more in it that is drawing me to dream about a place I’ve never been, that Yosemite represents. And in that inner core of my dreaming, is the Tuolomne Meadows.
Tuolomne Meadows is the high country of Yosemite National Park. It is very beautiful, and I am lost of words how to describe it. What I like the most in Tuolomne is the solitude. It is a huge place that may attract a lot of nature lovers and wanderers, but there is enough space for everyone to spread and find their private nook. Whether you take a hike, run, walk leisurely, swim, fish, or just lovingly stare at it.
Tuolomne Meadows is on Yosemite’s eastern border, just inside Tioga Pass, about 25 miles from Mono Lake (featured in my previous post) and 50 miles from Yosemite Valley. The Tioga Pass Road is closed to vehicles during winter. Many of Yosemite’s longer hikes begin or pass through the Tioga Road.
The Tuolomne Meadows is a huge sub-alpine meadow surrounded by domes and steep granite formations. The meadows is nearly 2 miles long with the Tuolomne River winding through it.
For lodging, the rustic Tuolomne Meadows lodge is open during summer. The lodge at Tuolomne is not your typical lodge, it consist of canvas tents on wooden platforms. Breakfast and dinner are also available at the lodge. For more lodging choices, there are several lodging available at the Valley, and if you are coming in the summer, you must book several months in advance. For more lodging information inside Yosemite National Park, please visit: http://www.yosemitepark.com/ .
Tuolomne Meadows
