Of all the places I’ve camped in Yosemite so far, I think Wawona may actually be my new favorite.
I had come up here hoping for more peace and quiet than at the campgrounds in the valley, and I found it.
Both of the sites that I camped in at Wawona were spacious and private, other than being kind of close to the Highway.
One afternoon, I took my camping chair and an adult juice box down to the river between the camping loops, and had several hours of privacy.
The next day, I drove up to the Visitor Center and free history museum, and loved it.
Several historical buildings from the valley have been relocated to Wawona for preservation, including some of the Degnan’s.
Even the old Chinese laundry building has been preserved as a museum.
Unfortunately, all of the buildings were locked. Due to hantavirus and plague outbreaks, there haven’t been any tours for years.
I hiked the trail from the visitors center to Swinging Bridge, and back down Chilnuana Falls Road.
The hike to Swinging Bridge was gorgeous. Forests that had been burned down were full of fresh new plants on the floor.
I saw tons of snow plant, purple pipevine, and fallen Sequoias that, even on their sides, were twice as tall at me.
I wondered what I would do if I had to climb over a tree like that in the wilderness.
I started the hike to Chilnuana Falls, but I didn’t get very far. I was alone, and I felt very strongly that I was being followed by a mountain lion.
I decided to turn around, and save that hike for another time.
My last day in Wawona, I hiked all of the trails in Mariposa Grove. My phone was dead, so I don’t have a single picture.
The hike up to Wawona Point was absolutely incredible. It was some of the most stunning scenery I’ve ever seen in my life.
The redwoods in Wawona are much wider than the ones on the coast, but not quite as tall.
They’re taller than the trees in Sequoia, but not quite as wide. Every redwood forest is unique in its own way.
There are no restaurants in Wawona, except for at the Wawona Hotel, which is also worth visiting just for fun.
The grounds and lobby are public. I sat in the hotel lobby for hours one night, charging my phone and camping lanterns.
Aside from the hotel, there is also a library which is open two days per week, and a small convenience store with great souvenirs.
Wawona is definitely one of my new favorite campgrounds in Yosemite. I would love to come back during the off season, when things are even quieter.
Camp Host Diaries 