Historic Wawona Covered Bridge

Cute little pioneer town with a handful of old building that were open and a beautiful covered bridge to walk over the creek. We came here just to see the covered bridge but ended up spending over an hour exploring the buildings, wagons, and creek. There are picnic tables around. We had lunch while we enjoy the view of the creek and surrounding area. There is a horse corral in the back that offered trail rides. I believe is was $85 per person. The horses look happy and healthy. There is a gas station, general store, and gift shop with a large parking area across the street.

It was interesting to see an old covered bridge out on the West coast, because they are not that common. That being said, I'm not sure I would drive a long distance just to see it however. The good news is, it's close to other attractions, so if you find yourself going for that reason, then it might be worth a little bit of your time to drop by and see it. The bridge is part of a small collection of other small older buildings that kind of rounds out the experience. It will take maybe no more than 30 minutes or less to wander around to see it all.

Cute Bridge, across you find the old houses where you can see through thr windows all the old things they used to have its so cool felt like I waw living in that time! Also a small stream flowing in the bottom of the bridge with a good view for pics or simply enjoying the view!

Visited late October 2024. Just a short 5 minute walk from Wawona hotel. Beautiful during sunset!

Great little pioneer town with replica cabins and stables. The bridge was just amazing. We felt like the first settlers coming to the West in hopes of owning land in California!!!

The Wawona Covered Bridge is a historic structure built by Galen Clark in 1857 over the South Fork Merced River in the small town of Wawona. This was the crossing along the old road from Wawona to Yosemite Valley during the pioneer days. Interestingly, this historic bridge is one of only 12 remaining covered bridges in the State of California. You'll notice it is not very wide but modern standards. It would have been used by pedestrians and coach wagons during its time. The Wawona Covered bridge has been repaired and numerous damaged parts replaced over the decades. As such, the current structure is safe to see and walk through to the Pioneer Yosemite History Center, an outdoor museum where you can see a handful of cabins and other turn of the century buildings that were situated around Yosemite.

Don't expect anything exciting. Its just a wooden bridge that has a roof. We visited in Nov 2020 when the lake was almost empty. The place is good for photography. There are some historical office buildings, old wagons etc - all wood.

A hidden gem in Yosemite - a covered bridge. On the other side is a historic settlement you can explore. Good view of the river as well.

Very cool museum!!! They have a lot of buildings with descriptions about who was involved in the construction and use of them. They also have carriages, and a very awesome bridge. On the day we visited they also had horses at the stable (about 20!!!) and we got to see them being fed (they were very friendly). Sadly, notes posted on the building stated that they were closed because of incidents of people stealing the stuff that was inside. So none of the buildings could be entered. You should also visit the Chinese Laundry Building (located down the road from the rest of the historical buildings) where you can learn about the contribution of Chinese immigrants in the development of the area. I definitely learned a lot through the exhibits!! Definitely check this place out if you're heading into (or exiting) Yosemite on the Interstate 41 route!!

An outdoor collection of historic buildings. Painstakingly moved, restored from their original locations by Glen Gordo, Ed Whittemore (his assistant) and a crew of workmen. We spent the better part of our afternoon leisurely strolling along whilst admiring the craftsmanship and history embedded in each structure. Even though it was not possible to go inside any of the cabins or structures, there was still plenty to view and appreciate. You can expect to see the following: Wawona covered bridge, various large metal equipment items used in this time period, covered carriage house, horse barns, horse corrals, Chris Jorgensen Studio, George Anderson Cabin, Tom Hodgdon Cabin, Yosemite transportation Company office (Wells Fargo), Bridget Degnan's Bakery, Acting Superintendent's Office, Powder House (Jail), Blacksmith Shop, Cavalry Office and Ranger patrol cabin. You can find some of these sites listed on The National Register of Historic Places. http://www.undiscovered-yosemite.com/yosemite-pioneer-history.html

This history center was so interesting to visit, it is next to historical Wawona hotel which was only 15 minutes away from the lodge where we stayed at. Those historical buildings were from 19th century and so did everything else here. The creek underneath was so pretty to look at. We had to cross the vintage bridge and get to the village. The employees open doors of each building for visitors if you ask them too. And they were more than happy to answer your questions should you have any. There was a stable so you could do horse riding for a fee I think. We just took our time and walked around, everything was so interesting to look at. I can't imagine why this history center is not even popular in Yosemite national park. Try to come here if you ever enter from the park south entrance which is the most popular entrance of Yosemite. Ps. The restrooms outside this center are fully functional and very clean.

Been to Yosemite three times so far and have never been to pioneer village. Alot of history of yosemite in this small village fun to show family.The valley is about a hour drive this is about 10 minutes from the south entrance. A must do fun for everyone.

This is a collection of historic buildings reached via a picturesque covered bridge over the Merced River. The buildings include an artist's cabin (artists captured the imagination of the public regarding Yosemite), a mountaineer's home (moutaineers performed a variety of services for tourists, the greatest of which was taking them around the mountains), a ranger patrol cabin, Wells Fargo Depot, a bakery, and a jail cell (also a powderhouse). The buildings are well labeled with explanations of their purpose and original location out front. This was open despite the federal government closure with a fair number of people taking their dogs out for a walk in the area. When the federal government isn't closed, I understand that this is also a living history museum with folks in costumes. Also, worth noting, this bridge is gorgeous - I haven't seen a covered bridge like this on this coast. I could see it being used for engagement and wedding photos - it is a beautiful bridge.

Cute place to take the kids if you're looking for something free to do. It's a great experience for the kiddos to see what it was like for the pioneers. They have a creek to swim in, in case you go mid-July like we did when it was SUPER hot (then a fire broke out in the valley) they do have horse shoes and items for sale and you can watch the staff make it in front of you- I believe they ranged about $15-$20. The bathroom aren't clean of well maintained so use the nearby store if possible. They had great sites to see and they have descriptions out front of all of the structures/equipment to explain what they are.

A must-see if you're in Wawona with small children. The Pioneer Yosemite History Center is a collection of many buildings (most originally not located in Wawona), which are supposed to comprise a kind of chapter history of old-fashioned life in the park. The stuff to see is: -Covered Bridge -Chris Jorgensen Artist Home -George Anderson Pioneer Home -Hodgdon Homestead Cabin -Blacksmith Shop -Cavalry Office -Ranger Patrol Cabin -Wells Fargo Office -Degnan Bakery -Powderhouse and Jail -Gray Barn -Wagons and Stagecoaches My little boys (ages 2 and 4) absolutely loved the "tiny jail" as they called it, with one small cot and just enough room for a full-grown man to stand up. They also loved the working water pump behind the pioneer home. When we were there, a blacksmith was giving demonstrations, and she was excellent, patiently explaining to the onlookers what she was doing and showing off her handiwork. The nearby stables were a huge hit, too, as was the covered bridge. It was really fun to peek through the holes in the wood to watch the river rushing below. Most other buidlings weren't open, but it was interesting to walk around them.