Sierra Club’s Foster Lodge

So very sad, the old lodge is no more. burned down in a wildfire. I’m sure it will be re-​built some day.

My darling friend was having a birthday, so we all figured, «Why not get out of the city and enjoy the nearby and easily accessible Laguna Mountains?!» Great idea! 16 of us packed up enough food and supplies to feed Monaco, and we drove the 45 minutes North East to the the Sierra Club’s Foster Lodge.
Let me start by saying this is not a lodge in the Connecticut sense. There are no animal heads on the wall, no granite counter tops, no waiter/​butler/​maid. This is a rustic camping lodge, emphasis on the «rustic.» The main room is a large common area, complete with fireplace, 8 love seats (all rocking the 80’s upholstery), and a large dining table. The kitchen was outfitted with all the huge pots, skillets and griddles you could need, 2 refrigerators, and 3 sinks (no garbage disposals…).
A word on the bathrooms. Rustic. 2 bathrooms, sans showers, and a very severe water restriction. We weren’t allowed to flush every time, only those times that really warranted it. Just a warning.
The bunk room is comical, mainly because the «bunks» are about ½ the size of a twin. There are several «couples» bunks, which are about 1 ½ twin sized beds, so get cozy. The bunk room is attached to the house, but you have to go outside and around the house to get to it. Just food for thought.
We had a lovely weekend up here. There are several trails that start right around the area. Foster Point is a lovely, and quite easy, mile hike round trip with a beautiful view. The Pacific Coast Trail (which runs all the way North to Washington State) is also close by.
Our group were drinkers (a side note, only beer and wine are allowed– no liquor), so we settled in, knocked a few back, went for a hike, did a ceramics project, and made a TON of food. We had smores by the fire, played charades, learned the basics of salsa dancing, and had a yoga class. All in all, a truly fabulous weekend. After the costs of soap, plates, and toilet paper were factored into the budget, we ended up paying $ 17 each for the weekend. Not too shabby!
I would highly recommend Foster Lodge to anyone looking to escape the city for a quiet weekend. There are 2 lodges, the Big Cabin (which is where we stayed), can be reserved weeks ahead of time. The Small Cabin is available to anyone stopping by on a first come, first serve basis. Very «A Walk in the Woods» by Bill Bryson.