Love this place!!! They have books, gifts, tshirts, and tons of cool stuff you never knew you…read morewanted. They have a ton of free info about Mono Lake and the Eastern Sierra. The people who work here are awesome as well!

Very pleasant stop at this wonderful bookstore and information center. The sales associate was very…read morefriendly and helpful. The book section offers many area authors, nonfiction books and a small selection of fiction and children's books. There is a beautiful assortment of jewelry, candles, souvenirs, and such. The information area has maps and local lake facts and details. There is curbside parking in front and a few local eateries nearby.

This visitor center, located north of Lee Vining to the east of Hwy 395, is a must stop no matter…read morewhat time of year you pass by. While the visitor center is opened seasonally, they have restrooms in front that remain open year-round and have been clean and well stocked every time I've visited. I believe they close overnight--so please check first. The visitor center has a beautiful gift shop, a ranger desk where you can get all your local exploring and curiosity questions answered, a kids coloring table, places to sit, a film, and natural history exhibits. There is also a vast and beautiful back patio space which provides ample viewing options of Mono Lake, the tufa, and the surrounding mountains and hills. There is a nature trail you can follow with better views of the lake. Cell service is spotty in this area, but there are a few spots in the parking lot where the service comes through. I have really enjoyed visiting here during different times of year. Every time I do, I learn something new from the volunteers and staff... They have always been able to help me identify a new animal I've spotted or give me "insider" information about a new adventure worthy of embarking on.

Mono Basin is such a beautiful and unique area to explore. There's an easy walking path that takes…read moreyou right to the lake, making it accessible and enjoyable. Along the way, you'll see fascinating volcanic rock formations and helpful signs that describe the surrounding vegetation, which really adds to the experience. Peaceful, scenic, and educational--a great stop for anyone visiting the area!

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?

As of November 2024, this is no longer the Yosemite Visitor Center. This is now the Exploration…read moreCenter and Theater, and serves as more of a museum. Those looking for visitor information should walk just a couples minutes up the road to the newer Yosemite Welcome Center. The Exploration Center here has a free museum, with hands-on activites for kids, bookstore gift shop, and a theater showing a 30-min film at select times.

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.

Start here! If this…read moreis your first time visiting Mono Lake, this is the place you should start! The visitor center is full of wonderful information about geological, ecology and cultural history of Mono Lake and its surroundings. The Rangers working in the visitor center are extremely friendly and helpful. You can easily spend a couple of hours in there and not even feel the passing of time! The view from the back yard of the visitor center is great. If you step outside with a camera I am sure it will be clicking fast! If you are into hiking or photography, ask the rangers for a map of the area and their recommendations for best photo opportunity spots.

The Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center is an oasis on Highway 395. When we…read morepulled off the road, the whole area was a little hazy because of smoke from a nearby fire. I could see nothing in their direction other than the visitor center itself. When we walked inside, I saw how large this place was. There were educational displays to explain how tufas form and how salty Mono Lake is compared to the ocean, among other things. There is also a station where you can press buttons to highlight local attractions on a large map. There is also a small theater where you can watch a 20 minute introductory movie about Mono Lake. It is shown repeatedly throughout the day. The movie was informative, but my friend suspected that he had already seen it the last time he was here, 15 years ago. The highlight of the center for me was the photography exhibit in the back. On display were images of the Mono Lake area over the years, by such famous landscape photographers as Ansel Adams, Edward Curtis, Galen Rowell, and Edward Weston. If you are interested in souvenirs, there is a large gift shop as well. For those who are road weary, clean restrooms with flush toilets are available. The building is air conditioned. All the rangers we met here were friendly and helpful. If you have time, hike Panum Crater!

READ FOR PRO TIPS!!!…read more DO THE SCAVENGER HUNT! It's super fun (did it with our 9 & 10 year olds). It is normally $15 but you get a $5 discount if you ask for one. PLUS you get a free coupon per participant for ice cream at Happy Burger Diner and the ice cream scoop is HUGE!!! And 10% off your entire meal if you get anything else :) STAFF IS FRIENDLY They will hook you up! :) Enjoy!

Our family's first experience at this visitor center has been excellent. The gentleman working that…read moreday was super helpful, demonstrated excellent knowledge of the local businesses and professionals. He was also friendly and respectful. As we traveled the area this past Saturday, we had a few questions and decided to stop by this visitor center again. This ended up being our worst consumer experience in years. The woman at the counter seemed very easily irritated, wouldn't allow me to complete my sentences, and stated she didn't know how to get to Stanislaus National Forest. That's understandable, yet ironic since there was a giant map directly behind her labeled with that forest. In the end, she suggested we drive an hour to Bass Lake to speak to a forest ranger there (which would have been an hour in the wrong direction). I was almost in tears when we left. Terrible experience.

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.

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.

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

I was in town for a week and stayed at Murphy's. The staff was excellent, rooms were clean and…read moreaccess to Yosemite was very convenient. It is across from Mono Cone so there is always food for snacking. There are several other restaurants within a block and everyone in town is friendly. I'd stay here again in the future. It isn't fancy but it is safe and clean.

Great accommodations. Clean, well kept and maintained. Roomy and very comfortable. Loved it.read more