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Reds Meadow Pack Station: Traveler Reviews

P.O. Box 395, Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Reds Meadow Pack Station
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3 reviews from our community

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usa
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
12 hotel reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
22 helpful votes 22 helpful votes
“Fascinating, but deteriorating”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed September 19, 2012

We stayed here recently for the second time (previously three years ago). It is an usual place in the midst of magnificent scenery, and about as basic as it can be. Don't come here if you want anything fancy, but if you want a glimpse of the high Sierra as it used to be, it is fascinating. Unfortunately, there had been serious deterioration since our last visit: the motel room floor was quite dirty (how long had the Cheerios been there?), and the shower curtain was moldy. These are details than can easily be fixed, but signify a problem if the management is not bothering. The place has been there nearly a century and is a High Sierra institution, and I would hate to see it go under due to lack of attention to detail.

Room Tip: There are just two motel rooms--it makes no difference.
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  • Stayed September 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 4 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 3 of 5 stars Service
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Ask ptolemy8 about Reds Meadow Pack Station
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Germany
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
18 hotel reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
“disappointing”
2 of 5 stars Reviewed August 26, 2012

Reds Meadow Resort and Pack Station sits right inside Devils Postpile National Monument.
I stayed there the night before joining their 5 night pack trip into the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
At first its by now means a "Resort". There are some (very basic) motel rooms and cabins sitting next to a general store and a small restaurant. The place lacks some maintainance.(e.g.chairs on the front porch were broken)
The motel room seemed to have had an update recently (new bed and furniture) so it was ok. Yet the bathroom was in a terrible condition.
There is no air condition so the room gets very warm during the day and quite cold at night. The staff was friendly but not very knowledgeable.

A pack trip in the Eastern Sierra is a wonderful experience. Yet i would choose another company next time. I had the impression that the resort and the pack station are a dying business....

  • Stayed July 2012, traveled solo
    • 2 of 5 stars Value
    • 3 of 5 stars Location
    • 1 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 2 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 1 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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“The good, the bad and the ugly”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed July 16, 2012

First of all, the heading "Reds Meadow Pack Station" is misleading. There are two businesses side by side, under the same management: One is a "resort" with about 10 cabins and a few motel units (the latter presumably lack the kitchen facilities one gets in a cabin), the other is a pack station that takes people on trail rides. Most resort guests don't ride the horses, and most trail riders don't stay at the resort. But we did both.

The 2-hour trail ride to Rainbow Falls cost $65 per person, about average for this sort of thing.
They also offer 4-hour and all-day rides. Anyway it's a good idea to go to Rainbow Falls on horseback since the 2.5 mile is steep, mostly without shade, and uphill on the way back. Our guide was very pleasant and full of information. At the falls we had a good half hour to look at it from all angles, take pictures, etc. My horse "Babe" was very easy to ride even for a beginner. I recommend this activity without hesitation.

Now for the so-called resort:

a)The good: the location is great because people who stay at the Resort are allowed to drive their cars into the Postpile Monument instead of taking the shuttle bus. So we were able to drive to all the destinations like the Ranger Station and the various trail heads without having to wait for the bus. Also the staff were friendly and knowledgeable and this made it very easy to put up with the less terrific aspects of this operation.

b)The bad: the cabins are rustic but adequate. But this is no resort: there is no nice area to relax and enjoy the scenery, there is no kids playground -- everything is quite basic. Admittedly the area was hit by a devastating storm in November of 2011 and they were still picking up the pieces. And I am sure they can't make a fortune in the short season so maybe they the economics don't allow for flower beds, picnic tables, playground, etc.
The Mule Cafe restaurant is open til 7 pm and serves the basics. I couldn't eat the potato salad which was drenched in mustard for some reason. Also there were some loud and inconsiderate people just hanging out and drinking which made our meal less than enjoyable.

c)The ugly: My wife got a case of scabies there. I presume our sheets were clean, but maybe they don't wash the blanket after every guest. Not everybody is susceptible to scabies but if you are you may want to take extra precautions.

  • Stayed July 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 3 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 3 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 2 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
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Additional Information about Reds Meadow Pack Station

Address: P.O. Box 395, Mammoth Lakes, CA
Region: United States > California > Mammoth Lakes
Hotel Style:
Ranked #31 of 45 Specialty lodging in Mammoth Lakes

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