Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wawona
Wawona, about 27 miles south of Yosemite Valley, is the park's historical center, home to
the park's first headquarters (supervised by Captain AE Wood on the site of the Wawona
Campground) and its first tourist facilities. The park will soon restore part of the Mariposa
Grove by removing summertime parking and creating a new trail system with improved
signage; visitors will be shuttled from parking areas at Wawona and a new lot outside the
South Entrance.
Mariposa Grove
FOREST
The main lure here is the biggest, most impressive cluster of giant sequoias in Yosemite.
The star of the show - and what everyone comes to see - is the
Grizzly Giant
, a be-
hemoth that sprang to life some 1800 years ago. You can't miss it - it's a half-mile walk
along a well-worn path starting near the parking lot. Beyond here, crowds thin out a bit, al-
though for more solitude, arrive early in the morning or after 6pm.
Also nearby is the walk-through
California Tunnel Tree,
which continues to survive
despite having its heart hacked out in 1895.
In the upper grove you'll find the
Fallen Wawona Tunnel Tree
, the famous drive-
through tree that toppled over in 1969. For scenic views, take a 1-mile (round-trip) amble
from the fallen tree to Wawona Point.
10am-4pm May-Sep)
has displays about sequoia ecology. The full hike from the parking lot
to the upper grove is about 2.5 miles.
Parking can be very limited, so come early or late, or take the free shuttle bus from the
Wawona Store or the South Entrance. The grove can also be explored on a one-hour
guided
tour
(
209-375-1621; adult/child $26.50/19;
May-Sep)
aboard a noisy open-air
tram.
Pioneer Yosemite History Center
MUSEUM
24hr, rides Wed-Sun Jun-Sep)
