If it is your first time visiting Yosemite, I definitely recommend making a stop here. There is so…read moremuch staff throughout the center to help you find what you want to do while exploring this part of the park. Plus, they are experts in what is the most popular thing to do during your visit. I highly recommend stopping at all the exhibits throughout the center, the Ansel Adams gallery, and the museums about the history of the park. Plus, there are two gift shops to buy all your souvenirs. There is a theater that will go through the history of the park, which was pretty cool and informative. Once you are done exploring the exhibits, make sure to follow the trails to the nearest trail to capture some cool photos in nature and even walk over to Yosemite Falls. All in all, definitely a must-see and can be spent in one day to hit all the landmarks in this area. You will be entertained and amazed by the beauty of Yosemite National Park. Happy trailing and sight-seeing! Embrace the nature!

The visitor center and the Ansel Adams gallery are must-visit stopping points on anyone's tour of…read morethe Valley! We were lucky to arrive at the tail end of an outdoor presentation (on 3/8), where a very nice employee let everyone pet a bear skin. It was really interesting, as the fur was a lot rougher than I imagined. He was friendly and answered a few of our questions about the Yosemite wildlife. Lovely guy. The inside was airy and had some fun things to buy. Most employees we met were nice. The one star off was for the rude man who worked at the info desk (along with the nice presenter I mentioned earlier after he was done with the presentation outside... unfortunately, he was helping someone else). I asked Rude Man a few questions about some trails, and he was just not friendly. At. All. He answered in monosyllables with a low-key mean, impatient attitude. I've no idea if it's race-related (we're Asian), or if he just didn't want to be there. Either way, it didn't belong in a welcome center and he was pretty unsuited for customer service. Why work at an info desk, in a customer-facing role, if you're going to be grumpy?

I love Visitor Centers but I think this one's focus is more on preserving you over heightening your…read moreexperience on your visit. I gave a friend a hand drawn map to a waterfall. My friend traveled 250 plus miles to see it. The staff here discouraged her from going because it's "dangerous." Next: I ask them about a waterfall near Nelder Grove. The employee tells me she's been there one hundred times. There is no waterfall! The map from the Friends of Nelder Grove website said it existed. I went out there, followed a trail that started next to a creek bed and found the Fall! Unless you want a restaurant recommendation, pass this Center by!

The folks that work here are probably the friendliest greeters I've experienced at a Visitor's…read moreCenter. Their knowledge and tips made our trip to Yosemite more enjoyable, without the hassle of getting lost or wondering what are the most significant views at Yosemite. Definitely, Mariposa Grove sounded like the best to drive, if you have a handicapped placard and other notable sites with waterfalls or majestic views. It's worth stopping into visitor centers to screen out difficult walks or those locations which may not be as worthy, such as the swinging bridge.

This welcome center is nice and big with plenty of information about the park. My kids ran into a…read morePark ranger at Glacier point and were asked if they wanted to become a junior ranger of course they agreed . A book for them to complete was handed to them and once done they can bring it into the welcome center. They had a mini ceremony it was such a great cute experience for the kids. You need to do this for your little ones when in yosemite. Note to self always have a map with you. They have some here.

Great Welcome Center on the South entrance of YNP. Stop by if you need maps, guidance on how to…read morenavigate the park or other information. If you're not familiar with the park- I highly suggest you stop by and grab a map so that you can coordinate your stops.

Friendliest guides ever. There were three seniors who were very delightful and informative in…read morehelping us out when we had questions. Maps after maps and markings were given and discount coupons offered to make use of and good with conversations. I'm glad we stopped over at this visitor information to gather information on the nearby parks all over central CA

Nice little pit stop if you need any information and there is also a small gift shop in there.read more

The kids love collecting Junior Ranger badges, so we always make a point to visit the visitor…read morecenter. This time, we were fortunate to meet the most knowledgeable and professional park ranger we've ever encountered. He patiently explained the park's highlights to the kids, showed them how to estimate the age of trees, and shared so much fascinating information about sequoia trees. He also gave us excellent advice on the best route to take. We truly felt lucky to have met him.

What a great experience at Devil's Postpile NP. Easy 1/2 mile hike with some climbing, steep…read moreportions of trail. What an incredible experience. Steep climb to top but worth it. Ample parking in dirt lots. Cool info signage about the area. Seeing this phenomenon was amazing. Two miles further to Rainbow Falls. Devil's Postpile is closed 10/6-10/11, major road work repairs.

We came here in July and really enjoyed this monument. It is so interesting with all the columnar…read morebasalt. The columns tower over 60 feet and these columns were formed approximately 100,000 years ago from a volcanic lava flow that cooled. The lava flow cracked into these multi sided columns. When you stand on a column you will see it forms a perfect octagon. WOW! Nature is so incredible. To get here, we took the shuttle from the main Mammoth Lakes Lodge. It was an easy ride down here and back. Parking is available at the lodge. The only vehicles that were allowed on the road besides the shuttles were for campers who had reservations and sites. Take your time when you are here to really study these structures. I highly recommend when visiting Mammoth Lakes.

On a dark and snowy day....Okay so it wasn't snowy...and the roads were clear, but the snow was…read moredefinitely piling up on this late December day. The visitor center was a welcome respite with working and open restrooms (clean!), and the visitor center in full swing. In this center, there is a desk with topographical maps and a park ranger available to answer questions. I had a few and the ranger patiently and fully answered every question I had...once again proving why National Park staff are the best! There is a really nice but small gift show (I'm thinking it is run by the conservancy, but I didn't really pay attention. Lovely mugs, stuffed animals (called stuffies if you're Gen A), socks, beanie hats, earrings and many books. Beyond the desk and gift show, there's a wonderful space to watch educational videos and learn more about the area, and a hands-on museum for kids of all ages to teach you about the history and nature of the area. My child loved the brass statues of animals, and made me pet every single one before we left. Make sure you head all the way to the back--there's an activity room that has an amazing mural. Take your time and see how many animals you can spot--pika, yellow bellied marmot, mountain lion, black bear, woodpecker, rattlesnake, frog, ringtail and so many more...that you may see when you are out exploring the park. There is more than enough parking....well for today anyways. I've been here in the summer when parking is hard to find. Across the way, there's the official park gift shop, a restaurant (fairly newly refurbished but closed for the winter), a post office, and a general store with basic camping supplies, food, snacks, and a few other items. If you are entering the Kings Canyon/Sequoia National Park from Hwy 180, or if you've driven up from the southern part of this tri-park system, this is a really good place to stretch your legs, learn a little, stock up on supplies, and grab a snack. 5 stars!

Great visitor center, shop, museum, and overall facility. Helpful ranger helped us plan our 1.5…read moredays to help us get the most out of the SEKI area - their advice helped us avoid the majority of crowds and gave us the best flavor for such a short time. A must-stop before you go along on your adventure. Nice restrooms are attached to the VC and there is a separate restaurant, gift store, and small grocer across the street.

The staff member working this past weekend was knowledgeable about the area, fun to talk to, and…read morevery helpful with suggestions for places to go for whatever you wanted to see during your visit to the area. He had lots of interesting anecdotes and was, overall, very pleasant to converse with.

9/29/2022 Stopped to…read moretake a bathroom break... Always clean and friendly staff! I love all the cool merchandise... Today's purchases: Baseball hat, and shea butter for cuticles. Sales clerk was friendly and asked if we wanted to become members of the Mono Lake ? If you purchase $25 worth , $25 would go towards the Mono lake protection... Why not... of course! Now, this will be another must stop to support Mono lake! Also got a free dvd about Mono Lake...

A must see for any art enthusiast…read more A small but mighty visitor center filled with various souvenir's and books available for purchase. Plus a small restroom and a generous exhibit of Thomas Hill paintings. They also have an information desk and Wilderness permit desk.

I had never been e-biking before and have to admit I was pretty intimidated. I was weary at first,…read morebut it was seriously so much fun. Zooming through the sierras and exploring all the back roads in Mariposa County is a unique experience everyone should partake in. Chris takes care of his riders like family. He made sure I was dressed appropriately for the wind, made sure I had enough water, and fed me snacks. I'd recommend anyone traveling to the area to book a e-bike tour through Yosemite E-biking!

I had a fun time E-Biking with Chris. He took me down an awesome trail that had great views.read more