If you have
ever wondered what it might have been like for late 19th century
travelers to visit a place that was destined to become a national park, a stay at Big
Trees Lodge is a close proximity to that experience. From your first glimpse of this cluster of
inviting, white Victorian structures, you are transported to a time and place when
the world moved more slowly and tweeting was literally for the birds.
Big Trees
Lodge (formerly known as the Wawona Hotel) is located near the southern
entrance of Yosemite National Park on a winding, tree lined highway. Even the most fearless drivers slow to a near
crawl when the trees drop away on the outside curve and you are left staring
toward a vista of the distant, hazy blue Sierra Nevada mountains beyond
the sheer drop off mere inches from the side of the road. Mile
after mile of hairpin curves, hills and valleys leaves one anxious to reach their destination for a break from the roller coaster that is California Highway
41.
Climbing the
steps of the original hotel building with its wide wooden stoop, you are
greeted by guests who are already enjoying their evening cocktail seated in the
cushioned wicker chairs and sturdy Adirondacks that line one side of the white
railed veranda wrapping the stately structure.
Eyeing the sandwich board where dinner specials are posted, you can
already imagine yourself sitting down for a gourmet meal in the outdoor dining
area that occupies the other half of the porch.
Stepping
over the threshold one is struck by the simplicity of the bright and airy lobby
with its massive fireplace surrounded by comfortable settees and chairs. On the coffee table, there is a half-finished
jigsaw puzzle being worked by a young couple who only have eyes for each
other. Peeking out from behind the
fireplace, the shrouded grand piano foreshadows the evening’s entertainment. But lest you forget that you are in the
wilderness, the chandeliers with their dangling pinecones and hand-painted silhouettes
of giant sequoias will remind you that you are surrounded by 1,200 square miles
of soaring granite peaks, dense evergreen forests and crystal clear mountain
streams plunging into boulder strewn pools hundreds of feet below.
Checking in
is a breeze, but if you are expecting a doorman to whisk you off to an elevator
for the trip to your room, don’t hold your breath. The climb up the winding staircase is yet
another reminder that you are in the original structure, built in 1865.
Upon reaching the landing, you quickly discover that instead of a hall
way with dozens of doors, you are directed back outside to a covered promenade wrapping around the two-story wooden building that has been leading weary
travelers to their cozy rooms for well over 150 years.
For reasons
that I cannot fathom, I’ve been assigned to what appears to be the biggest room
in the entire building. The door and
window of the room is nestled into an inside corner of the balcony, leaving the
remainder of the room stretching half-way across the back wing of the
hotel. With its 16’ ceilings and soaring
window, the room is bright, airy and spacious. The far wall of the room is
dominated by a set of 12’ tall pocket doors that, along with the single door to
an adjoining room, would lead you to imagine that this was once part of a suite
of rooms where the very special guests would have spent time between strolling
the grounds, exploring the park on horseback and enjoying a hearty meal after a
day of adventuring.
The room is
furnished with antiques and reproductions that further enhance the illusion of
a simpler time. There is more than enough
room to accommodate a double bed, a writing desk, an over-stuffed chair and a
comfy side-chair positioned next to the tall, marble-topped dresser. There you’ll found fresh towels, washcloths and
even a cozy robe for making that trip across the balcony to the community
showers and WCs. Did I forget to mention
that there are no facilities in the rooms?
Well, what do you expect from a building that dates from when Queen
Victoria was in her prime?
Having
settled your things and checked out the facilities, the grumbling of your
stomach leads you back to the lobby to add your name to the waiting list for a
table in the dining room. Upon being
seated, you will be struck by the variety on the menu. Everything from fresh trout to bison burgers
is available depending on your mood, along with a daily special that will
delight even the most discriminating pallet.
There is even a picnic lunch option for those who are off to explore the
wonders of the park.
While the
main building of the complex retains the simplicity of travel from a bygone
day, the facility is not without its modern conveniences. The Annex was built in 1920 and features
rooms with facilities en suite, many
with adjoining rooms that are perfect for families. For those who simply can’t stand to be
completely off the grid, the Lodge offers free wi-fi in the Sun Room, a
delightful, wood paneled parlor surrounded on three sides by windows and
featuring the prerequisite fireplace to warm the chilly mountain evenings.
If you are
traveling with children, Big Trees Lodge offers several amenities for keeping
them occupied and entertained. The outdoor
swimming tank, added in the 1930s, is open from sun-up to sunset and
the Thomas Hill Studio serves as both an information center and gift shop along
with a museum display of the tools of the trade of the resident landscape
artist who built the studio in 1893. A
short hike through the woods brings you to the Pioneer Yosemite History Museum,
a collection of historic buildings open throughout the summer for self-guided
tours. Horse-drawn carriages can take
the entire family on a tour of the Village and, for the more adventurous, there
is also a stable where sure-footed, gently mounts can take you to areas of the
park that can only be seen from the back of a horse or on foot. If golf is more your style, there is a
nine-hole course with a Pro Shop. Or, take part in some of the world’s most
scenic fishing in the 770 miles of streams that flow year round within the park.
As one who
has come to expect outstanding hospitality while visiting the historic lodges
of our national parks, Yosemite Hospitality by Aramark truly delivers. Lodging is available from March through
November with a brief winter season from mid-December until just after the New
Year. More information can be found at http://www.travelyosemite.com/lodging/big-trees-lodge/
or call 888-413-8869.
Big Trees Lodge was the perfect place for me to relax, rejuvenate and re-imagine.
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