Please note: This program has been canceled.
We’ve canceled early 2021 programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to helping people connect with Yosemite through naturalist-led experiences again when it is safe to do so. For more information, please see the Yosemite National Park site and our COVID-19 updates. Thank you for understanding!
Program Overview: Slow down for a weekend of strolling through the past in Wawona. On this Yosemite Field School course, you’ll spend two days with renowned storyteller and naturalist Brian Shoor exploring human tales from Yosemite’s southwestern corner, a quiet part of the park that is deeply steeped in history.
On Saturday, take a refreshing 3- to 4-mile walk in Wawona Meadow. As you wander along the meadow at an easy pace, you’ll take your first steps into the history of this part of the park, from Native American tribes that lived and traveled here for thousands of years, to the establishment of Clark’s Station, the arrival of the U.S. cavalry, and the 1906 decision to incorporate state-managed Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley into the newly formed national park. On Sunday, you’ll head to the Yosemite History Center and Wawona Hotel for a relaxed 2-mile walk to explore buildings from the park’s past and hear the stories of artists, trail workers, hoteliers and others who shaped Yosemite over the past 150 years.
Know Before You Go
- When: Saturday, March 13 and Sunday, March 14, 10 am to around 3 pm each day.
- Where: Wawona
- Registration includes: Guided day hikes, park entry (as needed), and three nights of tent camping at a shared group site in Yosemite Valley (March 12, 13 and 14). There is no discount if you choose not to use the included gate pass or campsite.
- Lodging: Tent camping (included), or upgrade to Yosemite Valley Lodge for an additional fee. Camping and lodging dates cannot be adjusted. The upgrade option expires 30 days before the program.
- Experience level: No experience necessary!
View a suggested packing list.
COVID-19: We have implemented special safety measures to keep participants and instructors safe during the ongoing pandemic. For example, participants will hike single-file and keep moving to avoid crowding the trail, and instructors will stop to offer interpretation only when there is ample space to stay at least six feet apart. Please review our COVID-19 program procedures for details.
