Wawona Campground, Yosemite National Park, CA

A Beautiful Riverside Campground

Getting There

We left the bay area early on a Friday morning and were treated to a beautiful drive with no traffic. We often leave in the evening after I get off work, but we really wanted to enjoy the scenery on the way up.

We were not disappointed. The drive was breathtaking once we entered the park. We found ourselves pulling over quite a few times to take in the views. Luckily we were visiting during the time when reservations to enter the park were not needed. If you are visiting during peak times make sure you book your entry.

Some of the roads are one way and others are two way. Getting around can be a bit confusing even for GPS. We found ourselves making a few loops of the park by accident, but with so much beauty to see, we didn’t mind.

Winter Review

Since we were there in March, there was still quite a bit of snow at the higher elevations (5,000 feet and above). The campground is at 4,000 feet so there was no snow there. Only loop A of the campground was open, so we did not a get a real feel for how busy it is in the spring and summer months.

We could not find a good campground map to use for this review, so you will need to look at the scrolling one on Recreation.gov when you book your site. Or just search Wawona Campground map on Google. Since the campground is so spread out the map is quite large.

We really lucked out with temperatures. They ranged from 65 F during the day down to 35 F at night. The weather can be very unpredictable so be prepared for all types of weather.

Walking The Campground

The whole campground is very well maintained, mostly flat and not overly shaded. There is a bit of distance between Loop A and the other two loops. This really spreads out the crowds. The Merced River is easily accessed from most areas of the campground. The river ranges from small rapids to calm pools which looked great for cooling off in the summer.

Reviewing The Campsites

Since there are a lot of campsites, we will just give you a few of our favorites and point out some that would be less desirable for camper vans. I don’t think there is really a bad site, but some are closer to the river which is nice. Most of the sites have the parking pad along the road and not directly inside your site. While it was not an issue I thought I would mention it.  You can see this in the aerial picture above. Yes, I have been informed that there are no drones allowed inside the park. We didn’t see a sign, but apparently it’s a given.

• • Loop A has 30 sites, 7 of which are a group site. This area will get a fair amount of road noise, but site 11 was great for us during the low season when not many cars were passing by. We could easily hear the river which was just 50 feet away. This loop has less shade than the other two if that’s important to you.  Our solar panels had no problem charging our batteries during the day.

• • Loop B has 14 sites and is a short walk up the road and over a small hill. There is an amphitheater there which I’m sure gets a lot of use in the summer. This may be something to consider as it might get a bit noisy. We really liked site 37.

• • Loop C has 54 sites, but they seemed pretty well spaced. There is nice shading in this area, but there is still plenty of sun coming through. Many of the sites have the parking space along the road and not directly inside your campsite. The riverfront sites are great. The only ones we would steer you away from are the ones in the 90’s as they are on an uphill road and sloped.

Open Season

• • Year round, but from mid-October through mid-April only loop A is open.
    

Amenities & More

• • 99 campsites. 4 RV only and 47 tent only.

• • Elevation 4,000 feet.

• • 27 miles / 45 to 50 minutes from Yosemite Valley.

• • There are 4 sites limited to people with disabilities. Loop C , sites 67, 69, 70 and 89

• • Picnic tables.

• • Fire rings.

• • Flush toilets.

• • Wood and charcoal fires are permitted all year.

• • Heated bathrooms.

• • Water spigots. (the only water available when we were there was from the bathroom sinks)

• • Bear lockers.

• • Trash & recycling.

• • Dump station. (seasonal)

• • No electric or water hookups.

• • RV max length 35 feet.

Fees

• • $35 to enter the park. There are stations at the 4 entrances to the park.
    
    
  • $36 mid April through mid October loops A, B, C. Reservations required.

• • $28 mid-October through mid-April loop A. First come first serve.

• • $75 group campsites loop A

Reservations

• • www.recreation.gov

• • 209-375-9535
    

Campgrounds Nearby

• Hodgdon Meadows (open year round)
• White Wolf
• Porcupine Flats
• Tuolomne Meadows
• Yosemite Valley (open year round)
• Crane Flat
• Tamarack Flat
• Bridalveil Creek

Local Things To See And Do

• • Yosemite Valley is 27 miles away which takes about 45 to 50 minutes.

• • Get lunch or a drink at the Ahwahee hotel and you will be treated to an amazing view of Half Dome. See our Half Dome picture.

• • Some of Yosemite’s oldest structures can be seen at the nearby Yosemite History Center in Wawona. Just a 3-4 mile drive on your way to the Giant Sequoias. There is a hotel and market there too.

• • The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias is just a 6 mile drive from the campground. There is a visitor center and miles of hiking trails.

Cell Signal

• • AT&T – 1 bar

• • Verizon – 2 bars