Parsons Memorial Lodge

Parsons Memorial Lodge

Quick Facts

Amenities

2 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Water - Drinking/Potable

Constructed in 1915, the Sierra Club commissioned the Parsons Memorial Lodge to serve as an early gathering place for the organization and a base from which club members could explore Tuolumne Meadows and the surrounding Sierra Nevada high country.

The pink feldspar and grey granite stones that form the walls of the lodge were gathered on-site during construction. The peeled log rafters that make up the low-pitched roof were brought in by mule. An elegant example of environmental harmonization in the Bay Area architectural tradition, the design of this building is credited to famed architect Bernard Maybeck.

The lodge is named for Edward Taylor Parsons, a conservationist and early director of the Sierra Club. The National Park Service acquired the lodge from the Sierra Club in 1973.

Operating Hours & Seasons

The building is open to the public with limited hours in summer only. Ranger programs may be offered inside, or visitors can browse the reading room and interpretive exhibits.

See the current issue of the Yosemite Guide for hours and program schedule.

Accessibility

This building is not wheelchair accessible. To reach this building, visitors must walk approximately 1.4 mi (2.3 km) round-trip from either of two nearby parking areas. The walk has minimal elevation change except for a short hill along the final approach to the lodge. Surfaces to reach the lodge are unpaved and irregular. The entrance to the lodge includes several stone steps.