I think most of Tuolumne meadows area is between 7000 to 9900 plus feet in elevation. I was surprised I didn't feel winded at this altitude. I must be in better shape this year from exercising a lot walking my dogs and on the treadmill or something. We stayed at El Portal in a big hotel there (we have found over the years that often you can get a room even in the summer time if you go there Monday through Thursday early enough in the day often you can still get a room even without a reservation.
However, don't count on it. Most of the time you want a reservation. However, if you want to stay at Yosemite Lodge or whatever the Ahwahnee is now called (new ownership) you have to sometimes reserve a room 1 to 2 years in advance. This is just how it is. So, we have found it easier to stay just outside the park and now I'm over 65 I get into the park free with anyone in my vehicle with a Golden Eagle pass for retired people. It's free if you are driving and over 65 at any national park in the U.S. if you have one of these passes. (i think they are either 10 dollars or free for the pass that gets you into all national parks for free if you are over 65 (and anyone else in your car).
So, today we got up late after going to Glacier point yesterday and had a late Breakfast (there at the hotel restaurant (the breakfast hours are to 11 am this morning. then we drove up to Tuolumne Meadows and the weather was perfect (high 70s and low 80s) even though down in the deserts it often was reaching 100 to 113 in Death Valley and surrounding deserts. So, we took a hike out into the meadows and saw two twin fauns and eventually their mother and 6 blocks away their daddy with a huge set of horns so he reminded me of Bambi's daddy the way he stood in the cartoon so long ago now. Very impressive buck!
Then we drove up to 9900 feet which is the elevation or higher just before you leave the park going down through Tioga Pass to Lee Vining and Mono Lake. Great Day!
Be sure to shift down going down Tioga pass to save your brakes from brake fade if you are going down through Tioga pass because the dropoffs are thousands of feet some places so be careful.
If you just ride your brakes all the way down your brakes may or may not work right. So, this is something to think about before you go down this steep slope. Also, if you are coming up from Lee Vining this steep grade you might want to do it when it is cooler like early in the morning or something so your vehicle doesn't overheat if it has problems that way.
Anyway I hadn't been to Tuolumne Meadows now since at least 2007 so it was a pleasure to do this. We have been to Yosemite Valley times but not up to Tuolumne since 2007 and my wife I found out had never been to Glacier Point before in her life which is also an unforgettable experience because of the view straight down off the cliff there of 3000 to 4000 feet or more. From there you can look across over at Half Dome and also see Vernal Falls and California Nevada falls too and much more.
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