Wawona Campground

South Yosemite gateway — Mariposa Grove and big trees

Location: Yosemite National Park, CA (South), CA

Price: From $36 per night

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (2104 reviews)

Season: Year-round (some sites)

The southernmost campground in Yosemite, closest to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and the South Entrance. 93 sites along the South Fork Merced River in a shaded ponderosa pine forest. Far less competitive than Valley or Tuolumne reservations, with easier availability windows. The historic Wawona Hotel is 0.3 miles away. Good fishing in the river. Summer temperatures are milder than the Valley floor.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): weak signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: Verizon. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 0%. T-Mobile 4G: 0%.

Amenities: Flush Toilets, Potable Water, Fire Rings, Bear Boxes, Dump Station, Fishing Access, Pet Friendly (leash), Picnic Tables, Camp Store Nearby

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/wawona-campground-yosemite to be notified when sites open up.

The southernmost campground in Yosemite — closest to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias (2 miles from camp) and the most tranquil option in the park. 93 sites along the South Fork Merced River under ponderosa pines. Significantly easier to book than the Valley.

Chilnualna Falls trail — 5.4 miles to a series of cascades in a granite gorge. Almost no day visitors use this trail because it starts from Wawona, not the Valley. The upper falls rival Yosemite Falls in beauty.

What is new at Wawona Campground: Mariposa Grove tram service returned to full operation 2023.

Wildlife alert: Black bears active. Food in bear boxes mandatory. Raccoons extremely bold at Wawona — never leave food unattended even for minutes.

Fire rules: Campfires in provided fire grates only. Yosemite restrictions apply July–September. Check nps.gov/yose.

Things to do near Wawona Campground: Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (2 mi) — over 500 mature giant sequoias including the 2,700-year-old Grizzly Giant. Chilnualna Falls trail (5.4 mi RT) — best waterfall hike in the south part of the park with almost no crowds. Wawona Hotel (0.3 mi) — oldest operating hotel in the NPS system.

Insider tips for Wawona Campground: Sites 1–20 are along the river and have the best swimming hole access California fishing license required for the South Fork — get one at the Wawona store Often has same-week availability when Valley campgrounds are completely full

Skip Wawona Campground if: You want to be close to Yosemite Valley — Wawona is 27 miles (45 min drive) from the Valley.

Best time to visit Wawona Campground: Jun–Aug — River swimming, Mariposa Grove free of snow, Chilnualna Falls at full flow.. Sep–Oct — Crowds drop, fall colors in the grove..

Common issues at Wawona Campground: Mariposa Grove tram required in peak season — you cannot drive to the grove July–Labor Day. Take the free shuttle from Wawona.

What campers say about Wawona Campground: "Walked to the Mariposa Grove before anyone else arrived. Sequoias at dawn with nobody around. That’s the real Yosemite." — Recreation.gov reviewer "Caught trout in the South Fork right from camp. Much quieter than the Valley campgrounds." — Recreation.gov reviewer

Nearby campgrounds: Wawona Horse Campsites (Yosemite National Park, CA), Summerdale Campground (FISH CAMP, CA), Bridalveil Creek Horse Campsites (Yosemite, CA), Kelty Meadow (Oakhurst, CA).