Amazing and only a short hike! Doable for kids and seniors! You can get so close to the falls and…read morefeel the mist and get pretty wet Rainbow under the falls, I have a feeling this is common here? Happy place!

Yosemite is a tough nut to crack in terms of crowding and cars. We got very, very lucky pulling…read moreinto Bridalveil Falls parking lot and finding parking. (We were not so lucky the next time trying to find a spot for Mirror Lake Trailhead.) I think people have a better chance here to find parking because it is such a short hike and people come, see, leave. So give it a shot! The hike is short and sweet. We were already feeling the mist from the falls as we drew closer to the viewpoint. Then it just became breathtaking. As my son put it "Who knew water just falling off a ledge could be so beautiful?" We were here to experience the height of the water flow. Rainbows were abundant. It is a magical experience.

Highly highly recommend stopping over at this point if you're on your way to Tenaya lake !…read more This point provides absolutely stunning views of the Half Dome and if you observe closely through a binoculars you'll see folks hiking up-to the Half Dome

Named after the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted (best known for designing Central…read morePark NYC). From here you are north and east of the Yosemite Valley looking at Half Dome from the other side. There are trails along the rock and scrabble. A nice stop. One of the recommended stops along the Tioga Pass Road, Olmsted Point does not disappoint. We knew nothing of this when we were there. This was out second visit to the park but the first time to this area. Saw Tenaya lake pics somewhere and headed over to see it ... happened upon several bears .. i large brown bear and later a momma black bear with 3 babies. We spent some time enjoying the lake .. drove up and had it to ourselves without hiking or effort. Easy and special moment. Afterwards we stopped a few time to soak up the view of the Tioga pass... Olmstead point was def worth the stop .. very unusual rock formations. Easy to see .. no effort

This store is located in the South side of Yosemite. My family and I decided to stop by the gas…read morestation next door then to the general store for our souvenirs for our remaining loved ones since we had already been through the valley. We found everything we were looking for and more. Our kids found cool treats and cold drinks to hold us over until we got back to our Airbnb. Prices were better than a few stores in the valley that we stopped at. Service wasn't bad either. Everyone here was very welcoming and friendly and got us through the line after helping us locate a few specific items. Hoping to find lodging in the park next visit and we'll be back through.

This spot is great. The folks who work there are incredible. The music they play is exceptional…read more I came in the other morning early and grabbed a coffee and The Dead were playing, stopped by for ice cream in the afternoon and they were playing Alice In Chains. Obviously, everything here is expensive, but would you expect anything less from a general store INSIDE THE PARK? The dudes are always super friendly and helpful. I'll see y'all next year when I'm en route to the secret spot.

I'm reviewing the historic Mono County Jail, not the newer facility…read more It's a fun place for a quick stop to take the kids and let them experience "jail" while passing through town. Granted, the old jail is probably scarier than the new, but still a good place to get the kids "scared straight." The old jail is a small building which houses a few dank cells and one small wide open shower. The kids thought it was fun, adults found it mildly interesting from a historic perspective. Worth a look if you are nearby, but don't make a special trip to see it. 3 stars.

When you spend enough time in Mammoth, a ski town, you or someone you know is bound to end up in at…read morethe good ole Mono County Jail aka Bridgeport B & B. In the words of the great Mike Ness: "It's on the outskirts of town, by the railroad tracks Where the country moon shines." Yeah, it's in BFE so when you get the call to pick someone up after an especially egregious skiing out of bounds issue, a DIP or a DUI, it's close to an hour long haul up to the county seat to drag their sorry asses back home. On the bright side, the deputies have so little to do they will shoot the shit with you and even tell tales of what your friend did during the arrest/while in the tank. I've heard that they let the women stay up late to watch SNL. But the food, well...meh. But there is a special dietetic menu for those inmates who are watching their carbs. More from Mr. Ness: "Well it's cold and it's clammy Man, it's colder than a pimp's heart But I've gotta do my time There's a lesson to be learned here but what a price to pay. You know, I may never learn" Also - this is where Sean Penn stayed when he went to jail for punching a paparazzi when married to Madonna. He paid extra to have the privilege to do time here rather than in LA County. If only Paris Hilton did the same thing - she could have talked to the lady who got busted for trying to smoke a tea bag by sticking it into a light socket.

Evidence ignored in traffic appeal at Mono County Superior Court Appellate Division (Mammoth Lakes…read moreCourthouse) I appealed a speeding ticket (Vehicle Code 22349(b)) all the way to the Appellate Division. I submitted clear, specific evidence straight from the official CHP Radar Operator's Manual showing serious foundational problems with the radar used by Officer Nyland: - The unit had not been professionally calibrated for over a year. - It was operated on an incline with interference from trees, rocks, and a raging river. - The officer turned off the Doppler/audio sound, which violates standard procedures. On February 25, 2026, Judge Mark Magit affirmed the conviction anyway. The decision only mentioned the officer's testimony that he checked the unit at the start and end of his shift and completely failed to address or analyze the CHP manual evidence I provided. I completed the online traffic school and paid the reduced fine after showing I am disabled and unemployed. The process felt completely one-sided. Mind you, I've never had a speeding ticket in my 43 years of driving. If you're fighting a radar-based ticket in Mono County, document everything. I am also filing a formal complaint with the California Commission on Judicial Performance (CJP) so others know this option exists when key evidence appears to be ignored. On top of the appeal issues, I've had ongoing problems with court communications. Most clerks acted like they were doing me a favor, with constant clerical mistakes, poor attitudes, and delays. One major issue early on: I requested an extension for a court date, but it sat on the DA's desk past the deadline, resulting in a failure-to-appear finding until I complained directly to Court Executive Officer Lester Perpall. This experience left a very bad taste. Drivers dealing with Mono County traffic court -- especially radar cases -- should be prepared. Justice isn't always served.

**DO NOT MISS THE JAIL! If you walk behind the courthouse, you will find the old jail. It's right…read morenext to the police department. The doors are open and you can explore the cells. It's amazingly eerie. The dirty mattresses are still there. If you pay attention to the walls, you can read notes from past inmates. The courthouse (built in 1880) is gorgeous and photographs very well. I absolutely recommend finding the time to walk around the grounds - it's a quick stop. There is a coffee shop a block away so I grabbed some cold brew and took a morning stroll. Very thankful that I did since I might never return to Bridgeport again.

I love visiting Yosemite. So many beautiful trees and waterfalls. There are also some historical…read morebuildings. One ancient building is the Post Office. Built in 1925 there is a historical feeling. I ventured inside and sent off a card to my pen pal in Germany Karen. It's the most interesting spot I sent a postmark from. Postal worker was very friendly and told me how old the building was. The first Post Office I ever visited was in downtown San Diego. I was amazed you could put envelopes in the slot and it would go to the address on the envelope. The E St Post Office was built in 1937 so it was a youngster compared to Yosemite's.

Goodbye. It seemed like such a permanent, concrete word and for just a moment, it jumped off the…read morelinen stationery and into Daisy Degnan's mind. It rattled and echoed for only a moment before she let it form in her throat and roll off of her tongue. "Goodbye," she whispered. No one there at the Yosemite Post Office heard her say it, but saying it out loud made it real; the act of saying it out loud somehow made it less scary. She closed box number 321, and still clutching the letter, made her way outside. She turned too quickly in her plain, navy blue dress and looked down to watch the flour shake free from the pleats, dissipating into the breeze of Yosemite Valley. She watched as long as she could, until each little particle disappeared, floating upwards to El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls -- standing outside the post office she could see them all towering around her. They were old friends. Protectors since birth. Why had she ever left this place? "Miss Daisy Degnan left Yosemite Valley Thursday for an indefinite visit in San Francisco," the newspaper had said. She had memorized it, not because she was particularly fond of the Mariposa Gazette, but because it was all she had ever wanted and it was the fulfillment of that dream; the black-and-white embodiment of her desire to get out of her mother's bakery, and out of the Valley, and go to the city where there were automobiles, dress shops, and even an honest-to-goodness French baker making real baguettes. So, against her mother's wishes she had packed her canvas backpack and taken a ride all the way down the bumping roads to the train station and purchased a ticket to San Francisco. A loud crack suddenly broke her gaze and she looked back towards the post office. It was just the door slamming into its frame; although the post office was still new, the door spring had already malfunctioned and there was no easing it back after it opened. Every time someone went in and out, the door would slam against its frame before slowly sliding back into place. It was 1925 and they could make automobiles that drove all the way from the city to her Valley, but they still couldn't make a door that didn't slam like that? Her mother would be needing her soon in the bakery. She had loathed those peasant loaves as a young woman, and had wanted so badly to try one of the city's proper loaves when she arrived. But when she finally found the Parisian baker and tried his baguette, her heart sank. She found herself longing for the family recipe; Yosemite imparted some kind of magic into each round boule, and she missed it. That was the first time she wondered if she had make a mistake. Before making her way back to her mother's side to help with the next batch of dough, she needed to go see The Old Man. She promised it would be a quick visit, but she also knew that with him, there was no such thing. She followed the road, crossed over the bridge, and headed back down underneath the stones to his shores. "Old man," she said to the river, "he said goodbye. I mean, I didn't want him to. I wanted him to come to me, and for us to live all those dreams we had..." she trailed off. The Old Man quietly took all this information in. This particular stretch of emerald pools was her favorite, because more than riffles, falls, or rapids, the pools of the Merced always listened, but today the muted gurgles urged her to say even more. "Please don't make me say it," she pleaded. She didn't want to say the thing. The true thing; that thing that neither time, nor distance, nor any goodbye letter would ever change. But already she knew she would have to say it. That urge to speak truth was strong; It was the same feeling she had when she finally admitted that leaving the valley had been a mistake. It was the kind of truth that flowed even stronger and swifter than the Old Man and had to be said out loud because keeping it in would eventually shake down the very walls of this valley. She sighed, drew in a breath, and spoke her truth: "I love him. I will always love him. And he didn't choose me." She unfolded the letter and looked one last time at the angle and curve of his initials, and then closed her eyes and released the letter, with its hopes, and dreams, but also with its burdens it to the river. It slowly circled the eddies, and once saturated the cool waters of the Merced carried it out from the grass, over the rocks, and out of her sight. "Goodbye," she whispered, and turned back to the trees of Yosemite Valley where the sun was shining once again. **Author's note: Daisy Degnan is a real person, as cited in the newspaper snippet. Her mother Bridget, ran the bakery in the early 1900s and there's even a cafe called Degnan's Kitchen in Yosemite still today. The rest is fiction, but The Post Office is my favorite place in Yosemite and this is the only way I know how to paint a picture of how I feel every time I go in there.

This 'Post Office' is part of the store at Tuolumne Meadows. There is only a walk-up window on the…read moreoutside of the building. You can buy supplies, eat a burger, and mail postcards all at one location. Many people use this post office to have resupplies sent for backpacking trips along the JMT and in YNP. This location provides many of the same services found in a full location. Normally I would give one more star for the convenience factor except for Michael. Michael works in the post office handling packages and providing customer service. Whatever you do, do not make him angry, or he will refuse to help even at the urging of a National Park Ranger. He definitely has a serious control issue. Based on my July 18th encounter, and his red face, I believe the USPS should be concerned about this employee 'going postal'. The sad thing is that I even submitted a complaint to USPS which they completely ignored.

We came through while backpacking a month ago ish and needed to pick up our resupply. There was…read moreunfortunately a pretty serious issue in that someone had covid (or likely symptoms) so they closed the Store AND the burger place - big problem for backpackers counting on those things for their 200+ mile hike!!! Michael was an angel to all as far as I could tell. He made sure that folks got their resupply boxes and that those who NEEDED food could get it from hiker box supplies. He made sure folks were informed about the unexpected closures, and how to get to Mammoth for supplies if needed and so on - and he was pretty much on his own for handling everything he could around there. I appreciated his help, his good attitude and ability to make things work and help everyone. Thanks Michael as I told you and wrote above, you're like an angel to the PCT/ JMT backpacking community! :-)

The Yosemite Library is small, but yes, it's a real library in the middle of the valley!…read more The library is located on the outskirts of Yosemite Village, behind the Ranger Club house. It is closed during the off season, and is open for very limited hours during the busy season. Books in the library focus primarily on topics that are somehow related to nature or Yosemite. The librarian is super friendly. If you ask her, she'll give you the wifi password, plus some other great tips on how to find wifi around the valley. There are a few computers and chairs, and a few places where one could plug in some small electronics to charge. This is one of the smallest, but also one of the cutest libraries I've ever visited.

Lovely little library. I always try to bring some like new children's books to donate for their…read morefriends of the library sale. When I've gone I've seen very few children's books.