Wawona Horse Campsites

Wawona Horse Campsites are located in breathtaking Yosemite National Park, in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. The site is situated at the southern end of the park, 27 miles and approximately 45 minutes from Yosemite Valley, at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Wawona was home to the park's headquarters in 1904 and historic structures still stand today. Within Yosemite, visitors gaze upon waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area and much more. The campsites accommodate only those with horses or other stock animals. High lines, flush toilets and drinking water are provided, and each campsite contains a picnic table, fire ring and food storage locker. A general store and gas station are less than a mile away. The horse campsites are closed for the winter. The area is forested with a diverse mix of ponderosa pine, incense-cedar, white fir and whiteleaf manzanita, which offers a pleasant combination of sun and shade. The gentle South Fork of the Merced River flows alongside the campground. Yosemite's trails, cliffs, roads and rivers provide endless recreational activities for any kind of visitor: hiking, biking, rock climbing, fishing, horseback riding, rafting, auto touring and photography are all very popular. The Pioneer Yosemite History Center is like stepping back in time, and a visit to the majestic Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, just four miles away, is a must-do, with a network of trails leading to stately trees with names like Grizzly Giant, Faithful Couple and California Tunnel Tree. Wawona offers several additional hiking trails, including the Wawona Meadow Loop, Swinging Bridge Loop, Alder Creek and Chilnualna Falls. Just 45 minutes away is Yosemite Valley, an awe-inspiring landscape containing many of the famous features for which Yosemite is known, with abundant hiking trails and bike paths, guided bus tours, educational programs, museums, ranger-led activities and an art center with workshops; rafting the Merced River is a fun way to cool down on a summer day when water levels are sufficient. Another scenic 45-minute drive leads to Glacier Point, with its sweeping views of Yosemite Valley, Little Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls, and Clouds Rest. The Tioga Road, in the central region of the park, offers a 39-mile scenic drive past forests, meadows, lakes and granite domes; Tuolumne Meadows embodies the high country of the Sierra Nevada with its broad sub-alpine meadows and granite domes and peaks; and beautiful Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is home to spectacular scenery and numerous wilderness trailheads.