Yosemite Reservations

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TUOLUMNE MEADOWS LODGE AND GUEST SERVICES OPEN FOR THE 2008 SEASON
Delaware North Companies Inc.
5 June 2008
CurryVillage Recreation Center Also Opens River Rafting to Yosemite National Park Visitors
One of the most popular lodging facilities in the High Sierra will open for the summer season on Friday, June 6. The Tuolumne Meadows Lodge in Yosemite National Park will offer tent cabin accommodations and dining services to backcountry visitors through the first week of September. Since the Memorial Weekend opening of Tioga Pass on highway 120, the Tuolumne Meadows gas station, mountain shop, grill and store have all opened to park patrons.

The Tuolumne Meadows Lodge is anideal base camp for day hikes throughout the meadows area or overnight backpacking into the High Sierra. “Wildflowers we usually see in late-May and early-June are just now starting to bloom and many local streams are full to bursting, making this a great time to explore all Tuolumne Meadows has to offer,” said Colin Baldock, manager of guest recreation for DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, the official park concessioner.

Situated in the largest sub-alpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 8,775 feet, the Tuolumne Meadows Lodge has 69 canvas tent cabins that sleep up to four people per tent. Each canvas-covered unit is wood-framed on a cement platform and equipped with beds and linens, candles for lighting, and a wood-burning stove. Central shower and restroom facilities are nearby. Rates are $82 plus tax, per night (double occupancy), with additional adults $10 and children $6.

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge serves hearty, breakfast buffets and family-style dinners in a central dining tent beside the Dana Fork of the Tuolumne River. Advance dinner reservations are required and may be made by calling 209-372-8413. Guests may also order box lunches at the front desk the night before needed. To make lodging reservations, or for more information regarding area services and attractions, call 801-559-4949 or visit http://www.yosemitepark.com/

DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite also announced the opening of their rafting operations, commencing on Friday, June 6. Located in the Curry Village Recreation Center, the Raft Stand provides guests with rafts, paddles and mandatory personal flotation devices for a leisurely, three-mile float on the Merced River through the heart of Yosemite Valley.

The family-friendly rafting activity offers unique views of park icons Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Glacier Point and Yosemite Falls. “When you’re floating down the Merced River, you can’t help but smile,” said Sean Costello, manager of the Curry Village Raft & Bicycle Stands. “It’s perhaps the most peaceful and relaxing way to see Yosemite’s spectacular scenery.”

The Curry Village Raft Stand opens daily at 10am and the last raft is rented at 4pm. Guests are advised to arrive up to an hour earlier than their projected launch time. Minimum weight is 50 pounds, strictly enforced to protect children from swift and cold water. Rates are $20.50 for adults and $13.50 for children ages 12 and under. For further information, call 209-372-8341 or visit http://www.yosemitepark.com/ ( http://www.yosemitepark.com/ ).

The Tuolumne Meadows Lodge and the Curry Village Raft Stand are operated by DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Inc., an affiliate of Delaware North Companies and the authorized National Park Service concessioner overseeing lodging, dining, commercial guest recreation activities, retail gift and grocery stores, and transportation services in Yosemite National Park.