Sierra Mountain Times

Story by Thomas Atkins

The new and improved Kennedy Meadows Resort lodge is now open for the season.  Photo by Linda Emerson.

After last year’s devastating fire destroyed most of Kennedy Meadows Resort, owner and manager Matt Bloom said he planned to have the resort up and running by this summer. True to his word, after months of continuous construction and support, Kennedy Meadows has managed to rise from the ashes and is once again open to the public.

“Everything is open now and will be the rest of the summer,” assured Matt. “The full-on restaurant, bar, horses, cabins…everything is up and running.”

The newly constructed store opened on Friday, June 28 and the restaurant, located within the same building, opened the following Monday, allowing hundreds of vacationers to continue their annual tradition of traveling up the mountain to one of the Sierra’s premiere destinations.

To ensure this tradition, Matt and company headed up to the resort property as soon as the snows melted to begin construction.

“We got up there on Apr. 7 and started working on Apr. 12,” said Matt. “Since then we have been working non-stop, and everything was completed a few days ago. We did five cabins, a laundry house, a bathroom, a generator shed and the main lodge.”

However, all their hard work wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the community.

“We are very grateful to all the local businesses and people in the community. They were so much help,” said Matt. “All the fundraisers and donations went right into building the place. The Tuolumne County building department was also very helpful. They were really good with helping us get through. We just appreciate everyone’s help.”

Because of this support, Kennedy Meadows was able to bloom for yet another season, bringing with it another summer full of unforgettable memories.

A visit to the resort will show that all the hard work has definitely paid off, and nearly everything that was destroyed by the fire has been replaced. The fire, which started early in the morning on Oct. 1, destroyed the main lodge, which included the store and restaurant, as well as a handful of cabins and several other structures. A similar fire occurred during the winter of 1940-1941, burning down the original lodge, constructed in 1917. Yet just like Bloom and his crew, early in the spring of 1941, the mess was cleaned up, and by the 4th of July, the lodge was open for business.

Of course in the reconstruction of each lodge, improvements were made, and the new lodge will be more user-friendly than the previous. The restaurant, which used to be on the left side of the lobby, will now be on the right side (closer to the bar), while the store, which used to be on the right of the lobby, will now be on the left side and alongside a driveway that will make deliveries more convenient.

 The old Kennedy Meadows Resort lodge before it burned down last October. Photo by Thomas Atkins.

“The new lodge has a little over 5,000 square feet,” said Matt. “It includes a store, restaurant, lobby and office and it has a little more porch and covered porch.”

But although each lodge has been reconstructed a little differently, they have all managed to maintain the classic rustic appearance and that good old-fashioned mountain feeling.

“It’s nice and looks like it belongs here,” said Matt. “It has the same feeling, but it’s definitely a different building.”

But of course it isn’t the buildings that draw people to this area…it is the beauty, and for over 90 years this popular resort has satisfied all those in search of mountain solitude and stunning scenery. Many families have been visiting this mountain refuge for generations, and as far back as I can remember Kennedy Meadows has always been a family favorite.
Situated nearly 60 miles east of Sonora, this historic mountain getaway is about a mile off of Highway 108, just before the winding road begins to tackle the mighty mountain, quickly climbing in elevation until reaching the 9,628-foot Sonora Pass. At an elevation of 5,800-feet, the quaint community is nestled next to the soothing Stanislaus River, serenely flowing through one of the Sierra’s most magnificent meadows. This meadow, known as Kennedy Meadow, was named after the Kennedy brothers of Knights Ferry who patented the surrounding property in 1886. Since this time, the area has been privately owned, and Kennedy Meadows Resort opened in 1917. Matt Bloom took over the reins of the resort and the pack station in the late 1990s.

“I bought it eleven years ago,” said Matt. “My family has been coming here for years.”
The Blooms, like many families, visited the resort to enjoy all the outdoor activities the area offered. Located on the border of a vast wilderness, the area is a paradise for all outdoor enthusiasts. Fishing, hiking, backpacking, camping and one of the highlights, horseback riding, are all accessible through the resort.

Known as the “Gateway to the Emigrant Wilderness,” Kennedy Meadows is the perfect starting point to explore this beautiful terrain. With 185 miles of trails winding through the 113,000-acre wilderness, there is a lot to see. One of the best ways to view this rugged landscape is by horseback, and Kennedy Meadows offers various day trips or pack trips into the secluded wilderness. Trips are offered for the sportsman or the entire family and are provided with guides, packers, and cooks, allowing one to get deep into the heart of the wilderness. Through this method almost anything you wish can be packed in, such as food, beverages and other conveniences, making the trip much more enjoyable. Plus, all of the stock is chosen to accommodate everyone from the smallest child, to the most experienced adult rider. These pack trips have been some of the highlights of my life, and each year I look forward to returning to Kennedy Meadows for a trek into the wilderness.
Yet the resort is also just a great place to relax and enjoy the scenery and a beer at the bar and a meal at the restaurant. If you haven’t been to the area, it is definitely worth the drive. Although the building may look different, the restaurant hasn’t changed, and still offers its same great specials with Friday night ribs, Sunday night prime rib and Thursday night turkey dinners. And of course there is always the option of catching a trout from one of the many nearby rivers, lakes and streams and bringing it back to the campground or to a cabin to cook it up for dinner.

Yet whether you come up to fish,  hike, horseback ride, relax, or for a meal, be sure to check out this delightful resort. The resort will be open seven days a week until Columbus weekend in October