Lodgepole Village & Market

This review is for the ICE CREAM. HIGHLY RECCOMMEND!!! Especially "Huckleberry." My wife and I came multiple times to Lodgepole for souvenir shopping and ice, BUT we also came for sweet treats after a couple long days of hiking and exploring. Lodgepole was pretty busy by 11 AM and after. It was spacious and the dining area had plenty of seating inside and a handful of tables and chairs outside to enjoy any food. TREAT YOURSELF. It was sooooo good. Creamy, fruit-filled and large portioned. We loved it. In one visit we got a double scoop in a cup (perfect for sharing between two people) with Huckleberry and Chocolate. In our second visit I got a single cone with huckleberry. You won't regret it!!

Omigosh, the trout sandwich is a diamond in the rough!! A bit pricey for a sandwich but SO GOOD (and understandable for seafood). They said it was locally sourced--I think I believe them. And the fries are skinny fries, which are my favorite and were quite good. Can't believe nobody's mentioned this sandwich in the reviews yet. GET IT.

Decent enough stock of food and snacks all be it on the meh side of quality and pretty darn expensive. The showers are confusing to me.. closed for years but so dirty I almost gagged.i am glad to have the restaurant and showers back for everyone but the supervisors here need some training. Brian Wilson(or something) was so Rude and cut the line because people were kinda lined up funny and then proceeded to lecture everyone and didn't fix the line gap or issue just got his food and chatted with two co workers about inappropriate thing. Br

As of 1/15/21 there is another page for the Lodgepole Village & Market, but *this* page has the correct map location. Hopefully you did your research before coming to the Sequoia National Park because chances are you might not have much cell phone coverage once you're here.ENVIRONMENTThis medium-sized market is nestled just off of the Generals Highway. Just beyond the market with plenty of trees surrounding the area is the Lodgepole Campground.SERVICEThe staff mostly keeps to themselves as they tend to be really busy checking out customers.MY FAVORITE PART...It's so convenient that the Lodgepole even exists because you don't realize how deep into the Sequoias that you are with the long, slow and winding two-lane road. On two different occasions it has basically saved my tail. We could've gotten by without it, but it was nice to break up the trip going in there with two young kiddos.NOT SO FAVORITE PART...Overpriced items.THE GOODSThere is a plethora of souvenir items such as: t-shirts, magnets, jewelry, grow-a-tree kits, coffee mugs, thermoses, shot glasses, and postcards.For the campers and hikers that forgot a few things or need newness, there are hats, backpacks, collapsible pocket knives, over-the-counter medicines, jerky and plenty of other snacks.Some of the refrigerated to-go sandwiches were okay during our most recent visit (on 9/9/20 because the Wuksachi Lodge restaurant where we were staying closed early that morning, quashing our brunch plans).To my knowledge, only the market and gift shop was open during the COVID-19 pandemic, not the grill (which was pretty good a few years ago), the laundromat, and the public showers. That could have changed by now, though.PARKINGThere is plenty of free parking for all types of vehicles. Regular-sized vehicles closer to the building. An oversized vehicle and trailer lot within walking distance.TIPDuring COVID-19, the signs said they only accepted debit/credit card forms of payment.OVERALLWhether you're looking for some souvenirs or need forgotten items for camping and lodging, this place can be a reasonable sure bet.| Goods/To-Go Food: 4 | Service: 4 | Environment: 5 | Price: 3 |

The Lodgepole Village and Market was great for me grabbing all my Sequoia National Park souvenirs. This place was located a little ways past the heart of all the action at Sequoia....heading towards King's Canyon NP. Situated off the main road of Generals Highway....there's plenty of signs indicating where to turn into.Not only did I pick up all my little gifts and keepsakes from the park....but I also came here to eat at The Lodgepole Grill Cafe. After spending the morning wandering around Crescent Meadow and hiking the Big Trees Trail....I was hungry and wanted a quick and simple midday lunch. Well....the Lodgepole Grill Cafe fit the bill. It was the quintessential place for a cafeteria style grab and go - and/or nonchalant sit down for those in a hurry.You get in line.....order at the counter and wait for your number to be called. For myself....the line wasn't too diffiuclt. I waited 10 minutes. Then an additional 15 minutes for my order to be called. Overall - a 25 minute wait was manageable....I guess. I mean...that was okay...especially for the limited dining options available in a national park like Sequoia. The menu was as all-American as it gets. And the prices were reasonable/affordable for everyone - especially groups of large families with children.Here's the entire menu.....Hamburger's/Cheeseburgers - $9 - $10.Vegan Burger - $10Grilled Fish Sandwich - $10Chicken Sandwich - $10Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich - $7Chicken Tenders - $6.50Hot Dog - $6Nachos - $3 - $4French fries - $2Beverages - $3Ice cream - $3.That's it....virtually the everything they offer right there. I ordered the chicken sandwich. I got fries as well and a fountain soda (with unlimited do-it yourself refills). In all, my meal came to $15. Good enough. I'd say besides the souvenir shop....the best aspect about the Lodgepole Grill and Marketplace was the picnic tables situated outside. I grabbed a table on a beautifully sunny, summer day. It was just real pleasant to have a simple, quick meal outdoors in the fresh air. Though...it was crowded and I did have to wait momentarily for a spot to open up. Still...there was seating inside for those interested. Also, I had to wait inside as well for my order to be called, especially since I was traveling alone.Finally....the chicken sandwich was as "pedestrian" as it gets. Basically...2 grilled pieces of chicken on a sesame seed bun with lettuce, tomatoes and onions. The fries were alright. I mean....for a quick - stop to refuel for lunch....the meal was sufficient. After viewing the basic menu options....my expectations were quite low and that was fine by me. I was hungry....I just wanted to eat....and then continue with my day admiring the wondrous sequoia trees and forestry setting. Side note - lol...I really enjoyed my visit to Sequoia NP.So...for anyone looking for just a regular, generic, no frills lunch stop....the LodgePole Grill Cafe is what it is. It served it's purpose. Satisfactory enough epitomizes it all.

Small but mighty is the best description of this village. There are 2 kinds of stores situated, one has limited items for souvenirs & the other is like a mini market with all kinds of souvenirs, emergency kit, snacks & other basic essentials. The second market is divided into different sections: cafeteria for light meals & drinks, laundry room & bathroom, very convenient for travellers. They also have a big patio to eat & relax. We enjoyed exploring this place & will definitely visit again.

This place is dead in the off season from my experience last week. Not a soul in sight it felt like my boyfriend had rented out the entire park for us alone. We rented snow shoes from Lodgepole to get around through the snowed in trails. They were around $47 for the day for the two of us. When returning them at the end of the day, we picked up a couple light snacks for the drive out of the park.This place was crazy quiet, so hard to get a real feel for what it's like in other seasons. The snack bar was closed and everything felt extremely deserted but it served our needs as far as renting the snow shoes we came to rent since the snow wasn't freshly fallen and cross country skiing wasn't going to be the best choice for us on our visit. The woman working at the counter the first day we dropped in to ask a few questions didn't seem very helpful in terms of navigating trails around here in the Winter. You'll definitely want to seek out a Ranger for more detailed info because handing someone a map when everything is covered in snow, really isn't helpful at all.If you're staying up here for a a good few days or week, you'll definitely want to pack a majority of your own food the options didn't seem spectacular here.

Super convenient spot literally in the middle of the wilderness. Most things are actually pretty fairly priced as well, which is really surprising for a place like this. Convenient parking, and payphones outside that actually work (ours didn't at Potwisha campground). Maybe somewhere between a 4 and 5 star rating, but it's worth rounding up. ;)

They have a lot of what is needed for a camping trip with the kids. English muffins, eggs, hotdogs, bread, and more.

Devoid of stock, totally empty shelves. Staff was a rude freak show, wildly inappropriate for the venue. The party (s) responsible for hiring at this concession should be fired or at the very least sent to some training course. These are sometimes both the first and last park representatives people see, they can shape a trip. Having a staff like the one here is a disaster for the park and a poor representation of the U.S. National Parks.