Lodging · Yosemite National Park
Canvas cabins beside the river, with trails on your doorstep.
Overview
Map
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“You're approaching the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge road, with access to Lyell Canyon. The seasonal lodge is a cluster of canvas tent cabins beside the river, with beds and wood stoves but no electricity or Wi-Fi.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
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Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and Lyell Canyon“You're approaching the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge road, with access to Lyell Canyon. The seasonal lodge is a cluster of canvas tent cabins beside the river, with beds and wood stoves but no electricity or Wi-Fi.”
Plays as you drive up to Tuolumne Meadows Lodge in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
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“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Guide
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge is a seasonal High Sierra camp of about 69 canvas tent cabins beside the Tuolumne River, at roughly 8,700 feet. The cabins sit around a central dining tent, making this a rustic overnight base for hiking and backpacking in Tuolumne Meadows and the surrounding high country. Choose it for the setting and trail access; it is a simple communal stay, not a conventional hotel.
Cabins have beds and wood-burning stoves with firewood, but no electricity, television or Wi-Fi. Restrooms are available in the camp and showers are for overnight guests. Paths are unlit, so bring a flashlight or headlamp. Wood stoves help on cold nights, though comfort can vary with the weather and stove smoke.
The lodge is on Tioga Road (Highway 120 East), near Yosemite's eastern entrance and about 60 road miles from Yosemite Valley. Its normal season is roughly mid-June to mid-September, conditions permitting, so confirm the operating dates and road access before planning around a stay.
Construction began in 1916, with materials hauled by mule to the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River. The lodge ran for two summers, closed during World War I, and reopened in 1922. Its canvas cabins and riverside dining tent still make the stay feel closer to a trail camp than a hotel.
Wildlife
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateLyell Canyon Trail11.4 mi · 6 hr · 0.1 mi awayA long walk among meadows, river crossings, and open high country.
ChallengingIreland and Evelyn Lakes Loop22.2 mi · 12 hr · 0.3 mi awayTwo alpine lakes reward a long loop through a river meadow.
ChallengingIreland Lake Trail19.8 mi · 9 hr · 0.3 mi awayA long walk from Lyell Canyon to a quiet alpine lake.ChallengingEvelyn Lake Trail17.2 mi · 10.5 hr · 0.3 mi awayA full-day climb to a lake beneath Fletcher Peak.
EasyTwin Bridges of Lyell Fork Trail1.6 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.3 mi awayA gentle river walk to two timber bridges on Lyell Fork.
ChallengingVogelsang High Sierra Camp Trail14.4 mi · 9 hr · 0.3 mi awayA long meadow climb to a granite camp beneath two high peaks.
ModerateLembert Dome Trail2.1 mi · 2 hr · 0.3 mi awayShort forest climb, bare granite, and a Tuolumne Meadows panorama.
ChallengingVogelsang to Cathedral Loop34.4 mi · 18 hr · 0.9 mi awayA high-country loop linking three of Yosemite’s High Sierra Camps.
Ranger station · 0.7 mi awayTuolumne Meadows Wilderness CenterTalk over your route and get a backcountry permit.
Sight · 0.8 mi awayLembert DomeA steep granite climb earns a wide-open Tuolumne panorama.
Campground · 1.2 mi awayTuolumne Meadows CampgroundA high-country base for Tuolumne's hikes, lakes, and river.
Food · 1.3 mi awayTuolumne Meadows Store and GrillLunch and trail basics before the high-country miles.
Sight · 1.6 mi awayTuolumne MeadowsA high-country meadow with river bends and granite domes.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayParsons Memorial Lodge and Soda SpringsA short walk joins a 1915 lodge with bubbling meadow springs.
Visitor center · 2.3 mi awayTuolumne Meadows Visitor CenterA ranger desk, geology exhibits and a CCC story beside the meadow.
Sight · 3.3 mi awayPothole DomeA short granite climb opens a wide view across Tuolumne Meadows.Parkwolf’s Yosemite ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
