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[Wawona Development Concept Graphic]

Wawona

Wawona has a historic mountain resort character. The atmosphere is serene, the people are friendly, and the service is gracious. The historic hotel complex provides an experience available nowhere else in the Sierra.

Wawona is convenient to Glacier Point, Badger Pass, and Mariposa Grove, and it is a major access point to the southern portion of Yosemite's backcountry.

The interpretive theme at Wawona will be history - the exploration, discovery, and use of the Yosemite region in the 19th century. In this pleasant historic setting, 19th-century structures and objects from throughout the park have been preserved and restored and are being interpreted at the Pioneer History Center and the Thomas Hill Studio.

Wawona will be the location of the Mather District headquarters.

Wawona

Visitor Use Goals

  • Interpret early non-Indian history of Yosemite

  • Provide a year-round traditional overnight experience at the Wawona Hotel

  • Create a historically consistent visual quality within the historic zone

  • Provide year-round camping opportunities

  • Provide picnicking opportunities

  • Use as a staging area for winter skiing trips

    Visitor Use Actions

  • Retain the Pioneer History Center

  • Redesign the parking area for the Pioneer History Center so that users are not required to cross traffic

  • Provide 145 overnight accommodation units by utilizing historic structures and an new structure compatible with the historic district

  • Retain Thomas Hill Studio

  • Retain golf course, YP&CC stables, tennis court, and swimming pool

  • Remove parking from in front of the hotel complex and construct a 145-car area north of the complex

  • Redesign the store, service station, post office, and gift shop and design a new comfort station so that all facilities are compatible with the historic scene

  • Rehabilitate the existing 100-site campground and 30-person group camp for year-round use

  • Relocate campground amphitheater

  • Construct 200-site campground in Section 35

  • Provide additional picnicking and parking areas as needed

  • Provide winter bus service to Badger Pass and year-round bus service to Yosemite Valley

  • Provide 50 day use parking spaces adjacent to Wawona Hotel complex

  • Retain 25-horse campground

  • Provide trailhead parking (50 spaces) at Chilnualna Falls trailhead

    Park Operations Goals

  • Provide for district headquarters and maintenance operation

  • Provide housing for NPS and concession employees when housing is not available outside the park boundary

  • Upgrade utilities to meet NPS and concession needs and state and federal standards

  • Improve the water quality of the Merced River by eliminating sources of water pollution

    Park Operations Actions

  • Construct office buildings for NPS district law enforcement, resource management and interpretive functions

  • Construct a new district maintenance facility, including space for storage of snow removal equipment and sand

  • Provide facilities for employee housing and recreational amenities to accommodate a maximum of 60 permanent and 110 seasonal NPS employees, a maximum of 40 permanent and 170 seasonal YP&CC employees, and 20 permanent and 30 seasonal other employees, only if housing is unavailable outside the park boundary

  • Construct a new water treatment, storage, and distribution system

  • Construct a new wastewater treatment plant with provisions for year-round disposal

  • Connect new and existing visitor and employee facilities and Section 35 structures to the new wastewater treatment plant

  • Retain elementary school

    •  [South Entrance/Mariposa Grove Development Concept Graphic]

    South Entrance

    Most visitors from southern California enter the park through the south entrance at the junction of the road to Mariposa Grove.

    South Entrance

    Visitor Use Goals

  • Provide park orientation and information/reservation system for overnight accommodations and campgrounds

  • Provide staging facilities for Mariposa Grove

  • Provide adequate road to Mariposa Grove for bus service

    Visitor Use Actions

  • Redesign entrance station

  • Construct an information/reservation kiosk and 50-car parking area at south entrance

  • Construct a parking area to accommodate 200 autos, 5 buses, tram terminal, and comfort station

  • Repair and make minor realignment of road from south entrance to Mariposa Grove

    Park Operations Goals

  • Provide housing for essential employees

  • Provide adequate wastewater treatment and disposal

    Park Operations Actions

  • Retain existing ranger residence

  • Develop new wastewater treatment facility

    •

    Mariposa Grove

    Mariposa Grove, one of the finest remaining spectacular stands of giant sequoias, was one of the two original areas set aside in Yosemite's early history. The awesome beauty and quiet of the grove are being protected by only allowing visitors to walk through the grove or ride a tram system with an interpreter. All interpretation will focus on the sequoias and their environment.

    Mariposa Grove

    Visitor Use Goals

  • Retain as the primary location within the park for visitor enjoyment and interpretation of the giant sequoia

  • Provide only visitor facilities consistent with preservation of the unique ecosystem; remove all other facilities not necessary for visitor enjoyment of the resource

    Visitor Use Actions

  • Extend the tram system from South Entrance through Mariposa Grove; prohibit commercial tour buses; accommodate the physically disabled

  • Convert Wawona Point Road to a trail

  • Repair and reconstruct trails through tree grove

  • Remove 150-car parking area

  • Convert existing bus parking area to off-season parking (50 cars)

  • Retain and rehabilitate museum and comfort station

  • Retain information kiosk

  • Remove the gift shop

    Park Operations Goals

  • Upgrade physical facilities to eliminate impacts and meet standards

  • Provide adequate wastewater treatment and disposal outside Mariposa Grove

    Park Operations Actions

  • Replace the existing toilet facilities at the parking area and provide for wastewater treatment and disposal

  • Remove Big Trees Lodge

  • Upgrade and extend electrical and water storage/distribution system

    •

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