GIANT SEQUOIA NATIONAL MONUMENT — The forest setting is rugged, but the digs are not. Plump beds, clean linen, cozy tents and an onsite gourmet chef beckon hike-in guests to this luxury camp.

No pain, no gain. That’s what people always say to get you to do something hard, like carry 30 pounds of gear on your back, sleep on the ground, eat freeze-dried food and go without a bath. But if you had the chance to get into the wilderness without such hassle wouldn’t you take it?

Some die-hard lovers of the great outdoors claim to appreciate the hardships of backpacking. But I felt plenty appreciative when I heard I could sleep on clean sheets and eat gourmet meals at a new luxury tent camp in Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Sequoia High Sierra Camp sits on 40 of the 49,000 acres of private land that was grandfathered into the monument.

The camp is pitched on a steep hill at 8,200 feet above sea level. Halfway up the mountainside is the massive open-air wood dining pavilion and below it the bathhouse with flush toilets and hot showers.

The 36 tents, each outfitted with two plump twin beds covered in double-sheeted duvets and Pendleton blankets, are in clusters. Graded gravel paths connect everything.

Camping doesn’t get much cushier, but giving wimps a way to enjoy the outdoors without getting dirt under their fingernails wasn’t the motivation.

About 10 years ago, Burr Hughes, a Memphis, Tenn., businessman, launched himself into a second career by getting a master’s degree in sustainable architecture at Cambridge University in England. There, he learned how to build structures that do as little damage as possible to the environment by grading to minimize erosion, building away from streams and burying septic tanks deep underground. Then Hughes decided to put the knowledge to use by creating a wilderness resort.

While planning, Hughes was drawn to the tent-camp phenomenon of the early 20th century, when Americans vacationed in temporary enclaves in scenic places such as Coronado Island near San Diego.

He found further inspiration at the High Sierra camps in Yosemite National Park. There was a wonderful camaraderie among the guests, mostly educated, older couples who returned to the camps season after season.

I spent two nights at Sequoia High Sierra Camp a few weeks after it opened Aug. 1, when management company Delaware North was still working out the kinks. The season ended Oct. 1.

The heart of the camp is the dining pavilion, which has big timber columns, round tables, a few space heaters, books, maps and a sitting area. But people pull patio chairs to the edge of the hill, where there’s a fire ring and view of Kings Canyon, and the Monarch Wilderness beyond.

Big breakfast buffets are laid out in the morning. During the meal, a staff member comes by to find out what kind of sandwich you want in your sack lunch, because it’s presumed most guests will head off on day hikes after breakfast.

Dinners, a far cry from ramen noodles, are multi-course affairs created by Ryan Solien, who trained at the California Culinary Institute and was a private chef to Bruce Springsteen and Faith Hill. The menu on my first night started with scallop carpaccio, followed by slow-cooked lamb shanks on goat cheese risotto and creme brulee for dessert.

It’s all just as Hughes hoped — a civilized, convivial air prevails. Guests talk about the hikes they took during the day, their bad knees and bear encounters (though none had been spotted in the camp).

Nearby trails lead to Rowell Meadow, Kanawyer Gap, Mount Maddox and Agnew Grove. For the ambitious, there’s a 13-mile round trip south to Seville Lake.

Of course, you could spend the day reading in your canvas tent. They have screen doors and see-through mesh panels on all four sides, providing mountain views but limited privacy. They are roomy and comfortable, with concrete floors, a table and chairs, lanterns and sealed canisters for stashing items that might attract field mice or bears. Organic toiletries, fresh towels and a basket for carrying them to the bathhouse are also provided.

The beds present an open invitation to loll around, swaddled in good linen. Even in summer, it gets cold after sunset, but I stayed toasty at night, thanks to the thick bedding.

After my visit, Hughes told me he planned to install propane heaters and shades for privacy. Because many of the tents are a stiff hike to the bathhouse, discouraging visits there in the middle of the night, he also intends to add portable toilets in more remote parts of the camp next summer.

The season for the camp next year is June through October, weather permitting.

If You Go...

Getting there: Take Highway 180 and turn onto Highway 198 (Generals Highway). To reach the camp, you can either hike 11 miles on the Twin Lakes Trail, starting from Lodgepole Campground in adjacent Sequoia National Park, or 1 1/2 miles on the Marvin Pass Trail, which begins 10 miles down Big Meadows Horse Corral Road.

General Information: Call the Sequoia High Sierra Camp at (866) 654-2877. The camp is open next year from June 15 until Oct. 7, weather permitting. Reservations are now available.

On the net: http://www.sequoiahighsierracamp.com/