Tuolumne Meadows – Yosemite National Park
Last week Kelly and I spent a few days camping at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, our second visit to this wonder nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada’s Mountain range.
Our spot A36
Open only during the summer and fall, the Tuolumne Meadows area is far less crowded than the very popular Yosemite Valley. With fewer people come fewer amenities, resulting in a more rustic camp setting.
Tuolumne River next to our site
Tuolumne River, Lambert Dome in the distance
Dave / Kelly selfie at Tuolumne River
For the first few days we would be camping alongside fellow Airstreamers Advodna, before being joined by Kelly’s brother. Having never camped with the Advodna crew, it was nice to spend a couple of days with them. With two small children in the mix, there were no epic hikes with them, but we did spend time relaxing at the campsite, walking dogs, sharing good eats (and beer).
My little pal, Advodna Wynne
Of course, the real catalyst for our visit to Yosemite was to spend some time hiking trails in a mountain setting. Living steps from the ocean is fantastic for sure, but Kelly and I love the mountains and were excited to be at altitudes in between seven and ten thousand feet. Once Kelly’s brother arrived, the hiking began in earnest and Yosemite in Autumn does not disappoint.
Chris, headed towards Dog Lake
Kelly, Chris, and me at Dog Lake wishing we had Kayaks
Overlooking Tuolumne Meadow from the top of Lambert Dome
Early morning frost at Tuolumne Meadow
Ellery Lake
Tioga Pass as sunrise
Wandering With Purpose 
Looks like a nice spot. We are thinking about visiting Yosemite next spring. We will have to check out this location. Did you get enough sun for your solar panels to do their job while you were there?
Iain,
The spot was great, but did require serious threading of the needle type maneuvering to access the site. In hindsight, it would have been simpler had we entered the loop going the “wrong direction”. Next time I visit I’ll try to get A loop sites 48-52 or 57-60 as they in more of a clearing with much better sun.
Speaking of sun … we had a couple days of rain which caused us to become behind on power. I carry a 2k generator, so all was ok. However, without the generator, I’d have been in trouble. Once the sun reappeared, I was able to regain 100% battery capacity within a day.
_dave
We were at Yosemite back in July but only had time to explore the SW section since we only had the 33ft RV and no car to help us explore. Beautiful country and seeing your photos makes we want to explore more. Thanks!
Thanks! The valley is a great section for sure, but the area of Yosemite near Tioga Pass / Tuolumne Meadows is my new favorite.