Merced Grove Ranger Station, building in California, United States
The Merced Grove Ranger Station is a log cabin in Yosemite National Park, built near a small forest of giant sequoias. The modest structure contains a living room, bedroom, and kitchen, with two small outdoor toilets situated on a nearby slope.
The National Park Service designed and completed the station in 1935, replacing the 1915 checking station on Coulterville Road, the first stagecoach road into Yosemite. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 15, 1978.
The station takes its name from the nearby Merced Grove, a small forest of giant sequoias in the area. Its simple log construction reflects how early park staff chose to build in harmony with the natural surroundings, and visitors notice this modest approach as part of how the park was managed.
The building sits near the trail to the grove and can be easily spotted along the hiking route. Dogs are not permitted on the trails in this area, so visitors with pets should plan to explore other parts of the park instead.
The cabin measures about 24 by 28 feet (7.3 by 8.5 m), and its logs were adzed so precisely that no chinking was needed between them. The sloped, projecting log ends copy pioneer cabins of the Sierra foothills, a detail rare among Yosemite's park buildings. Two small outhouses stand up the hill to the north.
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