Wawona Point

Wawona Point is a historic overlook high above Mariposa Grove, with a broad view over Wawona. You reach it on a strenuous climb through Yosemite’s largest giant sequoia grove, so make it the goal of a hiking day rather than an extra quick stop. From Mariposa Grove Arrival Area, the Mariposa Grove Trail is 7 miles round trip, 4–6 hours, and 1,200 feet of climbing.

The main route is wide and relatively smooth. Before it reaches the overlook, it passes named trees including the Bachelor and Three Graces, the Faithful Couple, and the Clothespin Tree. The grove has more than 500 mature giant sequoias, and the trail continues beyond the better-known lower grove into its upper reaches.

From the point, the panorama opens over Wawona. Visitors describe Wawona Meadow and the South Fork of the Merced River below, with Wawona Dome in the view. For a photo, include the meadow beneath the distant ridges; it gives the wide scene a useful sense of scale.

The usual start is Mariposa Grove Arrival Area. A free shuttle runs seasonally from Welcome Plaza to the grove; when it is unavailable, add a 2-mile walk each way with about 500 feet of climbing per leg before the 7-mile hike to the point. Welcome Plaza parking can fill by late morning, so plan the extra approach before you set out.

There are no food services at Welcome Plaza or in the grove. Drinking water is available year-round at Welcome Plaza and at the Arrival Area in summer. Restrooms are at the Arrival Area and near the Grizzly Giant; the latter is a vault toilet, while the Arrival Area has flush toilets in summer and vault toilets in winter. Pets aren’t allowed on grove trails or roads.

In 1864, Abraham Lincoln signed legislation protecting Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley for public use, resort, and recreation. The grove became part of Yosemite National Park in 1906. A 2018 restoration addressed roads, trails, and buildings encroaching on ancient sequoia roots and disrupting the grove’s hydrology.