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[Tuolomne Meadows Development Concept Graphic]

Tuolumne Meadows

Tuolumne Meadows is one of the finest subalpine meadows in the High Sierra and will be the focal point for promoting visitors' understanding and appreciation of the subalpine ecosystem. Facilities located adjacent to the meadow will continue to provide staging areas for backcountry and high mountain experiences, but development will be redesigned to eliminate intrusions on the fragile subalpine ecosystem. A horse and mule use plan is being prepared to establish carrying capacities and to determine exact locations and sizes for facilities.

The primary interpretive themes at Tuolumne Meadows will be biotic systems and geology (High Sierra meadows, mountains, and life communities) and wilderness/conservation. Secondary themes will be history and activities.

Tuolumne Meadows

Visitor Use Goals

  • Permit only those types and levels of use or development that do not significantly impair subalpine ecosystems

  • Orient development and use to the lodgepole pine ecosystem

  • Eliminate cross-meadow traffic by pedestrians, stock, and vehicles

  • Provide overnight parking consistent with capacities proposed in the current Backcountry Management Plan

  • Provide parkwide information and reservation services for visitors entering via Tioga Pass

  • Institute interpretive programs directed toward low-impact use of fragile resource areas and appreciation and understanding of meadow and subalpine ecosystems

  • Provide for a variety of camping opportunities

  • Provide overnight accommodations

  • Provide opportunities for picnicking

    Visitor Use Actions

  • Retain Parsons Lodge, the McCauley cabin, Soda Springs enclosure, and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) visitor center

  • Remove footbridge

  • Relocate the YP&CC and NPS stables and stock trails to the lodgepole pine ecosystem

  • Restore meadows by removing nonessential roads and trails

  • Remove the campground loop and access road adjacent to the Lyell Fork

  • Relocate Lembert Dome parking area to old telephone building site to accommodate Glen Aulin trailhead and day users; provide comfort station

  • Adaptively use the CCC visitor center

  • Construct a visitor contact/subdistrict ranger station, where backcountry permits will be issued, and a 50-car parking area

  • Relocate grocery store, mountaineering center, and coffee shop to gas station building

  • Relocate 110 trailhead parking spaces for Dog Lake and Lyell Fork

  • Relocate Cathedral Lake parking area

  • Construct one 25-horse campground near the new stables

  • Retain the lodge (66 units) and its parking area

  • Unitize the campground to provide not more than 400 vehicle campsites, 50 walk-in sites, and 5 group sites

  • Construct a 10- to 20-site picnic area near the visitor contact station

    Park Operations Goals

  • Improve the quality of employee housing

  • Provide facilities for a subdistrict office operation

  • Bring drinking water quality up to standard

    Park Operations Actions

  • Upgrade existing housing for about 120 employees in existing NPS housing area

  • Winterize some seasonal housing for snow survey crews, cross-country skiers, and winter keepers

  • Convert CCC messhall to housing

  • Record and remove ranger station and relocate subdistrict offices to new subdistrict ranger station

  • Remove present housing at Bug Camp/NPS stables area and from behind grocery store

  • Construct operations building for resource management and maintenance

  • Upgrade water supply, sewage disposal, and electrical systems

  • Remove horse camp and restore Gaylor disposal site

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    Tioga Road Campgrounds & Picnic Areas, White Wolf

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    Copy on this page is from
    pages 63-66 of the GMP.