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Evergreen Lodge Yosemite
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33160 Evergreen Rd
Groveland, CA 95321
(209) 379-2606
Groveland, CA 95321
(209) 379-2606
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30 reviews for Evergreen Lodge Yosemite
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
11/4/2009
10/30/2009
10/27/2009
10/23/2009
10/11/2009
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9/11/2008
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Updated - 6/21/2009
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6/2/2009
One of Evergreen Lodge Yosemite's Favorite Reviews What's This?
Was here for the Las Tortugas Halloween event and it was unreal. The lodge and accompanying cabins are a great way to experience Yosemite. And its smack dab between Hetch Hetchy area and El Capitan / Half Dome. Also, each room has a sweet little Sirius radio box set up, these things sounded great and are a perfect way to add some tunes to your vacation.
Food was better than I expected, and the area in which the place exists is just simply gorgeous.
Cell phones don't work here, but they offer free internet and long distance calling from a central location, so you won't be cut off from the world if you need to stay in touch with someone.
Visit the Evergreen and enjoy everything that is Yosemite!
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I'd give six stars if I was allowed to.
When you need a break from the cement, or city-living in general, stay here.
It's in the middle of the woods, close to Yosemite valley and the staff is incredible. I've been six times and my stays get better with each visit. There's always a new improvement to ahhh over - one year it was the recreation room with fireplace and games. Another time it was the addition of new cabins - full of charm and amenities.
They offer group activities and fun evenings of music, and even have an on-site restaurant.
There are trails that start directly across the road. A small store with coffee and ice, among other practical and fun items. And my favorite part - the cabins don't have a TV. Just right for a true get-away.
Whenever I stay here, I come home feeling refreshed and relaxed. What more could you ask for?
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Evergreen Lodge offers personal Yosemite Photo Workshops with Robb Hirsch, a local photographer and winner of the Nature's Best Photography contest. I had the pleasure of taking one of these workshops in October of 2009 and it was incredible!
Robb is a biologist by training and a photographer by passion. He knows Yosemite inside and out and has scouted many ideal, but less traveled sites for some unique photographs. Robb is generous with his knowledge and very patient in explaining camera functions and composition techniques. He is never rushed and just loves being outdoors and taking photographs.
I wholeheartedly recommend Robb Hirsch and Evergreen Lodge. I took the best photographs of my life and had a ball. I learned more about photography in one day than I ever could have imagined and have some incredible images as a reminder.
For the past 40 years I've traveled all over the western United States and Canada, and I've got to say, Evergreen Lodge is now one of my favorite places to stay. I've been to Yosemite maybe 5 times in those 40 years and all my previous trips I left Yosemite with mixed feelings ... loved the scenery, but hated putting up with the hoards of people and the air pollution from camp fires.
So let me say, Evergreen Lodge is an ideal base camp if you want to truly explore Yosemite while still having a tranquil outdoor setting at the end of the busy day. The accommodations and facilities are very nice and clean ... well the bed was way too firm for my liking. Warning, if you're a technophile with an addiction to technology, you will likely encounter cabin fever fairly quickly - no TV, no internet connection, etc. - although the rooms have satellite radios. For these luxuries, you will need to visit the Rec. Room or the tavern.
Anyway, I've been in worse places for almost the same price. Well ah, considering we got the mid-week deal that's not really a fair comparison. The price we got was great. By the way, the mid-week is also the ideal time to come because it is the best time for sight seeing (the vistas and trails are not as crowded).
The food was very good to excellent. I was actually surprised at the quality of all the dinners I ordered. During our four days there, we didn't have lunch at the lodge, so I can't really speak to that. And yes, as many of reviewers commented, the food here is pricey, but given the quality of food, I felt it was worth it. The restaurant also had a very good selection of beers, wines & drinks. One down side though, because it was the mid-week, the restaurant seemed more prone to being out of some of their menu items.
The staff was very friendly and helpful - although sometime their friendliness interfered with the quality of their service. Example, one morning the waitress spent at least 10 minutes talking to guests at one table - all the while others were waiting for either their food or a cup of coffee.
This place is too fabulous. I am a die hard outdoorswoman who happens to spend a lot of time in the Yosemite area. This is where I go after I hike. The lodge started as a lumberjack camp in the 1920's and was eventually converted into it's current incarnation as a vacation destination. It retains a lot of that rustic charm - with the original lodge still housing the kitchen, main dining room, and a full bar. The food in the pub could use some improvement (an expanded menu, more veggie options, etc), but the bar has great selection of ales and wines. I've rented a cabin here for the weekend as well. A very romantic and secluded place to vacation. They also offer guided hikes into Yosemite, and rent sporting equipment as well. I absolutely love the Evergreen Lodge. It always feels like coming home.
The Evergreen Lodge is a terrific find, right on the way into Yosemite, quite special, and pretty reasonable as well. While it seems most other lodging near the park entrance consists essentially of motels with location, the Evergreen consists of cabins in the woods, peaceful, comfy, and pleasant. Yet along with the woodsy tranquility are lovely resort amenities - an excellent restaurant (the quail with Creole crawfish sauce and polenta was fabulous!), bar, free concierge-style Yosemite advisors, a wi-fi library, kids play area, even a foosball table! We only stayed one night, but will surely return. Evergreen is a singular old lodge in the Yosemite woods, with welcome comforts, history, tranquility, great people and service, and personal advice that made our Yosemite visit that much better. A great choice just a few miles from the 120 entrance into the park!
I've been to the evergreen lodge at least a half dozen times since it was bought by the current owners. i've always loved it -- it's a great place in a great location with clean, super comfortable cabins and tons of activities for old and young alike. but on my last visit a couple of weeks ago, i was blown away by how great the service is. one example: as we pulled in at 11pm, we realized we forgot to ask for a crib for our daughter when we made our reservations and we were worried that they wouldn't have housekeeping service that late. but it was absolutely no problem. the night staff had a pack-n-play in our cabin before we got over there. the restaurant has also gotten better and better over the years. not only do they have fabulous food, but on our most recent visit, they turned tables over quickly and served the crowds of hungry guests, making it look easy all the while.
We stayed here recently for a weekend and had a relaxing time...
Accommodations: Our cabin (a newer one) was a bit sparse and not quite as "cute" as I expected but it was fine. We really had no complaints. Bed was comfortable, everything was clean. Loved our deck in the back which we took advantage of our first night by sitting out and star gazing. Glad we asked for a cabin with a gas fireplace because it definitely gave the place a more cozy feel. FYI, no TVs. No ipod hookup either, though we did have a CD player in the room and XM Radio. Also had a small fridge.
Dining Room: This is the downside to the Evergreen Lodge in my view because you pretty much have no choice but to eat at their somewhat overpriced restaurant since you are out in the middle of nowhere. We had 2 dinners there and one breakfast... the first dinner was a big disappointment. First we had calamari, which was overcooked and thus really dry. Our salad with tomato, cucumber, olives and goat cheese was actually pretty good. For dinner we shared crab legs which were offered as a special and although edible, they were overcooked also. And the vegetables and mashed potatoes were not very exciting either... for I think it was close to $30, I felt we did not get our monies worth. For dessert, we had the apple pie and that was actually quite delicious. Service was good, despite the lackluster food...
Breakfast the next morning was actually okay except for the fact that it didn't come out hot...
For our 2nd dinner, we stuck to basics. We both ordered tomato soup, which was actually really good. And we ordered the salad again... and then just ate bread and had the apple pie again!
Okay so bottom line... lodging was acceptable but restaurant could be better. The reason why I gave the Evergreen Lodge an extra star was that on our way out, our car got stuck in the snow (we thought we could make it out without chains because wasn't that much snow on the ground). The staff were really nice about it, and called their service guys to help tow us out. And those 2 guys were super cool and friendly. It also made me feel a lot better when we discovered we weren't the only ones that got stuck!!
Location is about 45 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Also you are close to Hetch Hetchy though we didn't make it there.
I might stay here again in the wintertime... but think I would rather camp if it was warmer.
We found ourselves wandering the Forest Service Roads last Sunday after dropping our kid's off at camp near Pinecrest, and ended up at the Evergreen Lodge in Mather (off of 120 near Hetch Hetchy though we came in from the other way from Cherry Lake) at 9:30 at night. I was sure we were out of luck for food, but the Evergreen Lodge restaurant is open until 10:30 p.m. in the summer.
I had the $19 "Pan Seared Rainbow Trout Saffron Infused Middle Eastern Cous Cous Pearls, Vegetable Melange, White Wine and Fresh Herb Pan Sauce" and spousal unit had the $11 "Bison Burger With "Midnight Moon" Aged Goat Cheese and Pancetta on a Kaiser Roll with House Made Cherry Ketchup." We got out for under $50 for two, which included one $6 Guinness. Very good, except that the bread was stale (it's baked on-site, and was probably from the early morning). If the bread hadn't been stale I would have given them five stars.
Also stayed in one of their cabins, and they offered a price break since it was so late and they had space, and they don't get many walk-ins since its so far off the main road.. We got some coffee from the general store in the morning, and it was very weak.
You turn left at Evergreen Road just before the Yosemite entrance, and go about seven miles. Be careful of deer.
The new cabins at the Evergreen Lodge are super cute. Sure, they have that rustic, log cabin decor, but isn't that what makes them so charming? It's a great place to stay with groups. They have a convenient store and diner/bar on site. While you aren't going to get a five-star meal here, you aren't going to starve either. The rooms were clean and the staff seemed pleasant. Make sure you ask for a new cabin, not one of the original ones.
Note, the lodge is a bit of a drive from Yosemite's entrance, but it's walking distance to Camp Mather and a short drive to Hetch Hetchy Dam.
Over rated with one star (one can't give 0 stars). Gross, dim, dirty cabins that look like they were bulit on the 1900's.... even the "modern" cabins are nasty, but not charm'in nasty, like gross. The staff is rude and ugly, and the market is soooo overpriced. The eatery is also super yucky and overpriced.
DO NOT stay here, anywhere is better than here.... what a waste of a vacation.
gross.
P'ster
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Here is the skinny on this place - The Evergreen used to be a real dump, but I loved it. The cabins looked scary but since we worked up the road for a few years, we never stayed there, but went all the time to drink at the bar. The bar has tons of old woodsman personality, a pool table, a great old juke box (that is no longer there), good beer on tap, and tree fallers and locals sucking down pints.
It had been for sale for a long time.
A group of yuppies bought it in 2001and gave it a complete make over. I would say that I hate what they did but I don't hate it. Actually they did a pretty good job and, considering that there is NOTHING like it in the area, it is a welcome addition. It should look nothing like how it used to look, because of the many new and nice cabins, a huge common out door space, and new lodges, but it does still look sort of the same somehow with the same good energy and super rustic feel. The only thing that has not changed is the bar. Other than removing the juke box ,which was a huge mistake, the bar remains as shabby woodsman fabulous as it always has been! Oh, and eventhough they charge an arm and a leg at the restaurant it is sooo much better than it was before the remodel I don't care. And the food is pretty good.
Went up there this weekend and camped down a fire trail, as usual, near the "Greens". We always use their bathrooms and wash up there since where we camp has no bathroom etc. All the staff is extremely friendly and accomodating and there seems to be an unwritten policy of welcoming even the back road campers in the area and the locals who take advantage of the place. Maybe they fear that they will be hated by the locals for changing and upgrading such an old school and local spot so they consistantly open their arms to the locals and campers.
Late Saturday night we were leaving the Greens and walking up the road to our camp site. A car was stopped in the middle of the road and the people in the car told us to stop - a bear was about 20 paces away and had just smashed a car window looking for food. We stood there and watched the bear look at us for a few seconds and then take off. This was very close to our camp and with all the food that we had in our cars we were a little freaked out. We drove back to the Greens and they let us leave all of our food in their reception room. It was great!!! The Greens really makes an effort to help out the community and the owners have done a fantastic job with the renovation.
+1 star for being so welcoming to locals and campers
+1 star for having such a kick ass staff
+1 star for updating the place but keeping the rustic spirit alive
+1 star for having great beers on tap
+1 star for letting us use the bathroom though we don't stay there
-1 star for getting rid of the best juke box ever
= 4 stars
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This place is a fantastic place to stay if you want to spend some time at Yosemite.
Our only problems with the new cabin we stayed in was that our toilet was plugged up when we first got to our cabin (I had to ask to be plunged at the front desk which was a bit embarrassing because even though you deny doing it, they still think you're the one who took a huge dump) and the smell of something crawling up and dieing in the heater (we thought the smell was coming from outside. We didn't figure out the source until right before we checked out. If we caught it earlier I'm confident they would have taken care of it immediately).
Spend the extra $30-40 a night to get a new cabin. The new cabin we reserved (Muir 8) was backed up all the way to the property line and was a suite layout with your own porch and fantastic view. There's no TV's in any of the cabins but the do have satellite radio which was nice to listen to while sipping a beer on the porch. The old cabins looked very old and univiting and I think I would have not liked this place if I stayed in one of them.
Access to the park is great being only 10 miles away from the entrance and probably about an hour or so drive to the valley. You can also drive north about a couple of miles and enter the less visited Hetch-Hetchy resovoir where there are some pretty amazing views and scenery.
What makes this place great is the social atmosphere it provides in the evening. They have a tavern on the premises that pours about 10 different microbrews and they have pool and ping poing tables and foosball. It was nice to relax and have a couple pints at night and shoot some pool.
The food overall (other than a weak bison burger) was excellent. One night we ordered the gargonzola stuffed tenderloin and the crab stuffed red snapper dishes and they were friggin' unbelievable. We also had lunch in the tavern and ordered up the elk chili and that was fantastic. If you are serioous about wine, this place has a ton of great selections to choose from.
They offer a convenience mart where you can pick up a quick breakfast or a packed lunch for the day as well as a great selection of micro brew six packs.
If you want someone else to plan your day they offer tours and daily adventures for a fee. $40-$300 dollars depending on what you do.
Overall an affordable (for the area) place to stay that offers a lot of good ammenities and is pretty much as close to the park as you can get.
I hate camping. I don't do it. But, I love cabining (is that a word, yet?) and I also love trips to Yosemite. Therefore...I LOVE the Evergreen Lodge! It's the best place to stay in Yosemite. The cabins are cozy, clean, and well-maintained. The staff is friendly and helpful. The restaurant and bar is cute and a great place to hang out after a day in the park. I think the food is excellent, especially breakfast. The location is great since it sits deep in the forest and it makes me feel like I'm a camper...but, not really. The location is also ideal since it's right outside Yosemite Park. Also, it's a pretty quick drive if you're coming from San Francisco (about 3 hours). I've been here in the spring, winter, and fall so I can vouch that this place is great for all seasons.
They also book great live music here, which is always a bonus in my book.
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Great place to stay. 3 of us stayed in a one-room family cabin that was really warm and cosy with a queen and bunk bed. Breakfast was great. We had omelette (with country potatoes and bacon), waffle and corned beef.
Dinner was ok with steak and lasagne. I'd stay here again.
Stayed there over the weekend and really enjoyed the lodge. Great vibe. We were in a cabin. All our windows looked out to lovely trees. We saw many critters around, mostly squirrels and a few mice. But they were outside, where they are supposed to be...in nature and not in our room!
We attended a wedding there. They have wedding ceremonies in a meadow across the street and it is a charming place to get married. Loved it!
FYI - there is no cell service there. They do have phones and computers you can use in the Activity Area though for free. I don't mind being out of range - but I know for many people this is an issue.
Also - the restaurant there is horrible. It took 45 minutes for them to bring oatmeal and bacon and eggs. The place wasn't even full. The food was mediocre and the service was bad.
Lastly, it is important to note that the Evergreen is about 45 minutes away from Yosemite Valley. It is only a few minutes away from a Yosemite entrance gate though. But if you are planning on being at the Valley Floor everyday, the drive back and forth to the lodge may be prohibitive.
This might be one of the few places open past 8 pm in and near Yosemite for dinner. Depending on your mood, you can sit in their large dining room, bar area with live music, or opt for backyard seating.
Strangest slices of bread I've ever seen served - I call it fry landing bread. Overall tho', the food tasted better than it looked. I tried the tiny but hearty spicy bean soup, the ratatouille (yes, I wanted an Anton Ego moment) - a portabello mushroom stuffed with tomatoes, zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, & squash, and the pan seared trout served with hard little potatoes and veggies.
Not bad for late night dining when you're hungry. The lodge itself looks like a great (although higher end) place to stay in Yosemite.
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3.5
Just a mile from the Hetch Hetchy entrance to the park, the Evergreen Lodge restaurant is conveniently close for grabbing dinner after a long day out hiking. The dining room is pretty bare and casual but the outside seating in the back, with picnic tables and lanterns, is quite charming. The food, I think, was better than average. The pan seared red trout was by far my favorite. The buffalo burger was good. The Tuscan lasagna is supposed to be a crowd favorite but I thought it was just ok. Service was especially slow. Our server apologetically explained that they had an unexpected "mad rush" just as we sat down. Our hungry faces prompted her to offer each one of us a cup of chicken and bean soup to tide us over until the food came out. Sit in the bar area if you want to check out a local band play while enjoying your food.
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This was a brilliant place to stay for our first visit to Yosemite. I recommend staying here as it is just on the rim of the park - about an hour closer to SF than staying in the Yosemite Village - which makes the Friday night drive a little shorter.
Make sure you ask for directions when you speak to the hotel and combine with your sat nav as the sat nav doesn't know the 'safest' way to get there.
You could spend your whole time here and have a great weekend without exploring the park. They have activities - including a campfire on Saturday night. There is a pub that has a great vibe and you can get breakfast there to refuel for the day. I wouldn't say the breakfast was to die for but it did the job.
I will definitely be coming back here!
We came back for another weekend this year and tried the new traditional cabins. We loved everything, from the cabins (clean spacious bathrooms, satelite radio, deck etc..) to the restaurant (good ahi tuna & seaweed salad, great trout, wonderful warm apple pie wth vanilla ice cream etc...), the location (proximity to park and rafting) and the friendliness of everybody working there!!! We will come back next year, no doubt!!!
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8/11/2008
We just spend a weekend in Yosemite and stayed at the Evergreen Lodge in tents. I was surprised how… Read more »
Just spent 3 glorious days at Evergreen Lodge. Snowed every day. The place was like a Christmas card come to life. Our 1-bedroom cottage was perfect--spacious, attractive and thoughtfully appointed. The grounds were well tended and the staff friendly and helpful. The service at the restaurant was great and the food was well prepared and enjoyable--as good as what we had at the Awahnee. Perfect spot for a winter get away. Be sure to take the short hike to frozen Birch Lake.
I've been meaning to review this place for a while and I don't have much time so I'll be brief. We went in May when much of the staff was new and not too knowledgable, however, our tour guide (through the lodge) was VERY knowledgable and took us off the beaten path. Lots of fun things to do at this lodge, and the restaurant is phenomenal. I saw someone give the restaurant a bad review and I couldn't believe my eyes because we almost stayed another night just so we could eat there. Really great and fun bar too! Highly recommended.
We've stayed at the Evergreen several times now. Here's my advice, get a new cabin. If a new cabin is not available do not stay here.
It is a nice spot, relatively clean, and a great jumping off point for a trip to Hetch Hetchy or Yosemite Valley. Beware... it is out in the middle of nowhere, you will probably end up eating at the restaurant. The restaurant tries too hard to be fancy. I wish they focus on simple but really good food instead of fancy poorly executed food.
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pretty nice place...a tad expensive...$150 for a super small old cabin, but it feels pretty giant after sleeping in a tent for three nights...
the resturant is nothing special, but since there are white tablecloths and waiters in ties they fell they can charge a ton... get the hamburger.
heard a mouse while we slept in our room, I got up a few times to look around but couldn't find it, but when I got home we found our backpacking outmeal packets had been chewed though and eaten....YUCK!
one great thing they have...free internet computers and free long distance phone calls in the main "lobby" area.
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This lodge is located on the road leading to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir(or about 10-12 miles off Highway 120). It offers lodging and fine dining in the middle of nowhere. That's what makes this place charming.
I have not stayed at the lodge, but I have dined at the restaurant a few times. When I first visited the rustic dining room, I expected the restaurant to serve basic lumberjack fare. I was wrong! Their fine menu varied from hamburgers to filet mignon, and tiramisu served with fresh berries. Prices ranged from $7 - $32.
On our last visit, my partner ordered the four mushroom ravioli and I had a flat iron steak. The raviolis were handmade and soft to the bite and my flat iron was tender and buttery. The tiramisu's espresso soaked lady fingers and creamy zabaglione were layered in a wine glass and sprinkled with berries. It was all yummy.
If you're grubby from hiking or backpacking and don't feel comfortable dining in a semi-formal environment, then you can seat yourself at a booth in the bar area. You'll get the same service as you would in the restaurant even if you smell bad.
The lodge is open year round; the restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner; no gas service and credit cards accepted.
You don't have to be stuck with the valley's food selections. There are nice surprises near Yosemite, if you're willing to drive a few miles and off the main track. I highly recommend visiting Evergreen Lodge as part of your exploration.
Website: http://www.evergreenlo.../
I've been at the Evergreen Lodge a couple of times after the remodeling, and always had a great time! We were recently there for a wedding and the entire setting was perfect, including the food, music, ambiance and service. The breakfast is also a treat, I wasn't expecting to be that good since we were in the middle of nowhere. I also heard that they are working on expanding the property with great amenities coming up soon. Can't wait! And kudos for Joe the general manager! He wears many hats including of a great chef too!
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The Evergreen Lodge is a really nice place. In an area that seems populated by motels and the like, the EL is really homey, clean, and adorable. The restaurant, like Eileen said, does try a little too hard but if you stick with the basics you'll be fine -- and maybe better than fine considering the fuel you need for hiking! There is a little general store where you can get your morning coffee if you don't wan to buy the buffet. It really is just like a camp there, and a decently priced one at that. There is a bar with a pool table and everyone is so friendly! By the second day the staff knew my name. And there is Wifi in the Rec Room for those of you who are wondering.
My one warning: DO NOT USE GOOGLE MAPS! They sent up on a harrowing journey along the side of a mountain in the foggy dark, but if you call the EL they'll tell you how to go (basically just stay on 120). You'll thank me later!
Just got back from 3D/2N at the Evergreen Lodge and had a great adult summer camping experience. Great place with excellent staff who love the outdoors.
We were told that they have a staff of 75 who live on site. So be nice to your servers at the restaurant b/c they'll probably be the same crew for every single meal you eat there while you're captive at the lodge.
I'd recommend signing up for the "Evergreen Plan", which must be made within 7 days after you BOOK your reservation. They don't take sign ups after you check in. At $99/adult, it includes an activity (guided tour, etc.) plus a 3 course dinner. We took a great Valley tour (6 hrs long priced at $75/adult) and had a huge dinner (if you add up the courses, it came out to about $50/person) so the plan saved us about $25/head.
Deep dish hot apple pie a la mode is pure comfort food heaven. I ordered that both nights. Food was just as good as at the Ahwahnee at much lower prices. Be sure to make dinner reservations in advance b/c they will get crowded once the summer crowds start to arrive.
We stayed in a new cabin, which was pretty comfortable. No TV or phone, but it did have Sirius and a mini fridge. Cleanliness of room was 3 out of 5. (They shorted us a bath towel one night, and it was a pain to have to go all the way back to the main lodge -10 min walk - to ask for one. No phones, remember?) We had a "family" cabin (Cedar 9) with 2 bedrooms (double plus 2 twins) plus 1 bath. The sofabed also pulled out ($10 extra if you use it), so we could have easily slept up to 6 in here.
Rec center is really nice with a ton of stuff for the kids: coloring, board games, puzzles, legos, blocks and s'mores at night. Outdoors, there's a gravel area with cute rocking horses, bears, fish, moose and other wild animals carved out of wood, plus a big selection of Tonka trucks/bulldozers/etc.
3.5 stars overall.
we usually eat here once a year, during our camping trip to the dimond O campground just down the road. It's casual dining but it's got real good food... they recently got bought out by some huge company that's fancifying the whole place, taking the rustic out of it ... and filling the hills with little rentable cabins (with no kitchens... go figure) so that's kind of got me a little peeved. but the bar is still pretty much the same and the boys always stop for a drink and some pool on a firewood run.
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Start with the important stuff... the food. Fantastic. Fantastic and Fantastic. How did they get such a great chef to be - lets face it - out in the middle of nowhere. We ate in the tavern. It had the same food as the regular dining room but with a more relaxed feel. We had one meal - a breakfast - in the regular dining room and that was fine too. Some highlights: the eggplant lasagna, calamari, antipasti, and the fresh donuts. Dip one of their fresh donuts in coffee - put it in your mouth and find heaven on earth. Other than the food... the cabin was new, clean, cute and spacious. I can not say about the older cabins... they looked... well... older. For activities, the lodge offers tours of the park, rents bicycles, shows movies in the evenings. We took a tour. The one we took seemed to drag on a little too long... I suspect this was to justify the price. The guide is very knowledgeable and has a great style... but lets face it there is only so much us city folk want to know about nature. Speaking of the "staff"... the staff was friendly and seemed to be having a good time... it is clear that this is a bit of a party for the staff - when they are not working (and probably sometimes when they are). This is accepted by the lodge and gives the place an overall good vibe. So get out of the city, go, have fun, eat, take a tour, be in nature, and come back refreshed and with great memories.
