May 8, 2012
Carlon Meadow, Yosemite National Park
Total distance walked: 2 miles
It was a very warm day as Wendy and I walked through Carlon Meadow. The meadow is located off Hetch Hetchy Road just inside Yosemite National Park’s western boundary.
The path was an asphalt road now strewn with broken branches, dirt, and pine needles. Between 1916 and 1939, the Carl Inn stood here drawing many visitors to Yosemite. In 1940, the National Park Service took over the property demolishing the inn but leaving much of the infrastructure intact.
We strolled beneath the dogwood trees which were just starting to flower. The path ascended, but we retraced our steps once it diverged from the South Fork of the Tuolumne River.
We made our way to a shaded “Day Use Only” spot and discovered an ideal location for a picnic beside the rapidly flowing river.
The unmarked path leading to Carlon Falls lay along the river’s north bank. We followed this trail briefly, meandering through the woods where we encountered snow plants, Pacific bleeding hearts, and dense clusters of green horsetail reeds, before making our way back to the car.
Hiking Yosemite and Beyond 