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Five tall conifers with reddish-brown bark and green canopies tower above a dense forest of smaller evergreen trees under a partly cloudy sky.

California · Yosemite National Park

Wawona

Yosemite's southern corner on Hwy 41 — the historic Wawona Hotel, the south-entrance approach, and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, the largest grove in the park with trees over 2,000 years old. It's the year-round gateway from Fresno and the Sierra's south side, a quieter base than the Valley with its own campground.

A grove of towering giant sequoia or ponderosa pine trees rises above a dense forest understory, their reddish-brown col… · near Yosemite National Park

Overview

Wawona — Yosemite

Yosemite's southern corner on Hwy 41 — the historic Wawona Hotel, the south-entrance approach, and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, the largest grove in the park with trees over 2,000 years old. It's the year-round gateway from Fresno and the Sierra's south side, a quieter base than the Valley with its own campground.

Headline Hikes

Top trails in Yosemite

  1. A massive giant sequoia tree fills the frame from a low ground-level perspective, its deeply furrowed reddish-brown bark and fire-scarred base towering above…

    Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

    6.8 mi 1,220 ft gain 3.5 hr

    Moderate Out & back Kid friendly

    Yosemite's giant-sequoia walk, in the Wawona corner of the park. The lower-grove 2.2-mile loop reaches the headline trees — the Grizzly Giant and the walk-through California Tunnel Tree — while the full 6.8-mile route climbs past the Galen Clark Tree to the Wawona Point vista. A free shuttle runs from the Mariposa Grove parking area, which fills by mid-morning. Over 300 sequoias grow here, some close to 2,000 years old.

    View on AllTrails →

Trail descriptions are field-tested summaries; verify current conditions and closures with NPS before hiking.

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Camping

Camping in Yosemite

  • Wawona Campground

    In-park · Frontcountry

    Wawona Campground

    Reservation $36/night 95 sites

    Southern Yosemite near the Mariposa Grove sequoias and the south entrance — open year-round and away from the valley crowds.

    • Flush Toilets
    • Water
    • Dump Station

    Data Source: Recreation.gov

    Campground Details
    Reserve on Recreation.gov

    You'll be redirected to Recreation.gov

  • Wawona Horse Campsites

    In-park · Horse Camp

    Wawona Horse Campsites

    Reservation $50/night 2 sites

    Stock sites in southern Yosemite near Wawona for travelers bringing horses or mules — reserved with your animals.

    • Flush Toilets
    • Water
    • Dump Station

    Data Source: Recreation.gov

    Campground Details
    Reserve on Recreation.gov

    You'll be redirected to Recreation.gov

Campground listings sourced from the Recreation Information Database (RIDB). Recreation.gov is the only authorized booking site — confirm fees, dates, and site counts there before reserving.

See all campgrounds

Save on Entry

One pass covers Yosemite — and every other US national park.

The America the Beautiful annual pass pays for itself in two or three park visits. Free entry, free passenger fees, and no more fumbling for a credit card at the kiosk.

America the Beautiful National Park Pass — the 2026 annual pass card Buy your pass → Learn more about the pass

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