When a rainstorm rolled through our camp on the Arkansas River, we didn’t scramble. Our bikes and camp chairs went into the Wawona 6’s huge front vestibule, and that was the end of it. That vestibule is what this six-person car camping tent is built around, and we leaned on it all summer in Colorado and on a road trip through Idaho’s Sawtooths to the Oregon coast. Before you order, know this: it’s slow to pitch, so set it up in the backyard once or twice first.
Take me back to the family tent full guide
Best family camping tent overall
The North Face Wawona 6
A front porch with a tent attached. Budget extra setup time and you won't regret it.
Capacity: 6 | Floor: 75.7 sq ft | Vestibule: 44.7 sq ft | Peak height: 76 in | Packaged weight: 19 lb 6.4 oz
Good for: Car camping families who bring bikes, chairs, and a pile of kid gear and want a dry place to put all of it.
Skip if: You won’t use the vestibule, or you don’t want to haul a heavy, bulky tent.
Is the Wawona 6 waterproof?
In our testing, yes. It handled rain and wind better than we expected for this much fabric, and we never had a leak, even with the partial rainfly. It does get warm inside, so open the vestibule up during the day when the weather allows.
Where we tested the Wawona 6
Most of our nights in the Wawona were in Colorado this summer, with a good chunk of them on the Arkansas River. That’s where the rainstorm came through. One of our bikes, the kids’ bikes, and a couple of chairs all fit under the vestibule, and nobody had to scramble.
From there it came along on a long road trip from Colorado up through the Sawtooth Mountains and over to the Oregon coast. That’s a lot of different weather: hot, dry days, cool nights, and coastal damp. It handled all of it.
We slept on a mix of inflatable backpacking pads, and one night we brought in an air mattress. It went right through the big front door. A Pack ‘n Play would fit too, though we didn’t test one.
Wawona 6 features that actually stood out
The vestibule is the whole story. It’s big enough to work as a garage, a mudroom, and a playroom, and Cypress (5) and Oren (2) packed it with toys every single day. If you camp for more than a night or two with kids, having a covered place for gear outside the sleeping area is huge.
Inside, there are plenty of storage pockets too, including ceiling pockets that hold headlamps and lights, so the small stuff stays off the floor. There’s also plenty of headroom. One of us is 6’2″ and can stand up, and most campers will be able to as well, which makes getting dressed a lot easier. In wind, there’s some flapping because there’s so much material, but it was quieter than we expected for a tent this size.
What doesn’t work on the Wawona 6
Setup is slow, and the instructions don’t help much. One of us usually pitched it alone, and it took 20 to 25 minutes. It helps if you’re tall, and two people make it much easier. The kids like pushing the poles through the sleeves, right up until the poles become toys.
The other annoyance is the pockets on the back door. They’re great for storage, but when you unzip that door, stuff falls out. Zippers or Velcro across the top would fix it.
How to care for the Wawona 6
The North Face says to clean dirt and dust off with a sponge, mild soap, and lukewarm water, then rinse with a clean wet sponge. Don’t put it in a washing machine. Wipe down the poles too, and let everything dry completely before you pack it away. Store it loosely in a large cotton sack or a box somewhere cool and dry, and use a footprint or ground cloth to protect the floor.
Tent care tip: With this much fabric, there’s a lot of surface for dirt to cling to. Dirt holds moisture against the tent, so a quick pass with a leaf blower before you pack it up goes a long way.
Does the Wawona 6 pack down?
Not really. It’s one of the larger, heavier tents we’ve used. The stuff sack opens at the top with a cinch cord, but it doesn’t really stay shut or compress anything, so it takes up real space in the car. This is a car camping tent, period.
Wawona 6 sizing guide
For us, the Wawona is a palace for two to three people, pleasant for four to five, and a little tight at six, depending on how big everyone is. A family of four has room to spread out and still stash gear in the vestibule. If you’ve never owned a big tent, tape the 116 x 94 inch floor out on your living room floor to see it for yourself.
Who is the Wawona 6 best for?
The Wawona is for car camping families who actually use a vestibule: bikes, chairs, coolers, muddy boots, toys. It handles real weather and gives everyone room to stand up. If you want a quick pitch or a lighter tent, look elsewhere. If you want a basecamp, this is it.
Pro tip: Empty the back-door pockets before you unzip that door, or you’ll be picking headlamps out of the dirt.
How the Wawona 6 compares to other family camping tents
| The North Face Wawona 6 | REI Co-op Westward 6 | REI Co-op Base Camp 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $585 | $549 | $569 |
| Floor area | 75.7 sq ft | 80.83 sq ft | 84 sq ft |
| Vestibule area | 44.7 sq ft | 35.08 sq ft | 27 + 17 sq ft |
| Peak height | 76 in | 77 in | 74 in |
| Packaged weight | 19 lb 6.4 oz | 19 lb 10 oz | 20 lb 11.5 oz |
| Footprint included | No | No | No |
| Our fit verdict | Palace for 2–3, pleasant for 4–5 | Comfy for 3–4, manageable for 5–6 | Comfy for 4–5, a little tight at 6 |
| Overall rating | 4.8/5.0 | 4.3/5.0 | 4.5/5.0 |
Ben Dawson
I'm Ben Dawson: dad of two, former full-time van liver, and co-author of three Falcon Guides, including Hiking with Kids: Glacier and Waterton Lakes National Parks. I've worked in outdoor media for more than a decade, and I've been testing gear with Roxy since 2017 as a gear reviewer and analyst. These days most of my testing happens with a kid on my back or a tent full of them. I've carried and hiked with my kids more miles than I can count, from Canada to Mexico and plenty of places in between. My rule is pretty simple: if the kid is uncomfortable, or you are, nobody's having a good time out there. I tell you what works, what doesn't, and who it's actually for.
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