This is a must stop if this is the first time traveling through the Owens Valley. Many informative…read moredisplays inside and a cool cross section of the pipes used for the aqueduct. Little gift shop inside and rangers here to answer questions. I usually stop here to use the bathroom but they were out of service two weeks ago. Fortunately, there are plenty of places in town down the street to use the bathroom.

The Eastern Sierra Visitor's Center is a great place to gather information before stopping at…read moreWhitney Portal, Alabama Hills, Big Pine, and Death Valley National Park. They carry detailed maps and souvenirs for purchase, and there are rangers on site who are available to answer any questions that you may have in regards to trails and weather conditions. I stopped here before attempting to hike from Whitney Portal to Lone Pine Lake. The rangers let me know that there would be too much snow and that a snow storm was brewing in Whitney Portal and that they didn't advise anyone to hike there at that time. They encouraged me to explore the Alabama Hills instead which I happily ended up doing. I was very grateful that stopped there first because it would have been scary to get stuck in the snow and/or snow storm up in Whitney Portal. You can also acquire Mount Whitney and hiking permits here. There are restrooms on site but they weren't open at the time that I was there, so they had portable restrooms right outside. There's a few small exhibits that you can check out as well if you have time. The rangers were very helpful and I will definitely stop by again during a different time of the year before heading to Whitney Portal.

The world's largest tree by volume!!! Located in Sequoia National Park. It's breathtaking. The hike…read moredown to the tree was pretty easy. The fog made it even more beautiful. It's estimated to be between 2,200 and 2,700 years old. There's a small fence around it, so unfortunately you're not allowed to go right up to it to compare yourself in size or touch it, which is probably for the best to preserve and protect it.

This is the world's largest tree by volume! Standing at 275 feet tall and to be over 2,200 years…read moreold! It is definitely a must see! All of the sequoias are gorgeous and huge, but the General Sherman is breathtaking. It is an easy walk to the tree from the parking lot. The hardest part is crowd control, but what are you going to do, you're in a tourist spot. There was a long line of people waiting to take a pic in front of General Sherman's Tree with the official sign. I choose to stand off to the side and after the ranger patiently gave out interesting facts about the majestic tree in her loudest and but friendly voice I was able to stand in front (without the official sign that said General Sherman) of the tree, and happened to capture the ranger in the pic. Please, find a way to see General Sherman while you are in the Sequoia National Park.

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.

Never say never! In 2020 I wrote a review on Sequoia National Park and essentially mentioned that I…read morewould never come back for various reasons. I can honestly say that six years later, my perspective completely changed. The first time we went, I was with my young boys and they did not enjoy the long hike. The Park Ranger had given us a suggestion to go through trails that were too difficult for our family. This time, we parked at the Giant Forest Museum and followed the trail to the Big Trees Trail. This trail is 1 km long and the trail circles the Round Meadow. It was amazing! This was exactly the type of trail would have loved in 2020. This time, I brought my aunt with me and we did our research to ensure we embarked on a trail that was easy for everybody. The Big Trees Trail is exactly that! There were people on wheelchairs, young children, and families. There are plenty of large sequoias for amazing pictures, fallen over trees that children can walk through like a tunnel, and there was even a tree trunk with a smooth interior, and children were using it as a slide. Big rocks were sprinkled throughout the trail, and kids and adults were climbing on them and taking amazing pictures. It took about one hour to get through this trail, and it was breathtaking. After that, we drove to the General Sherman Tree parking lot and walked to see it. One thing I would change for our next visit: purchase pass online to save some time at the gate.

I've never seen a Sequoia tree and we were going to fix that. I absolutely love this national…read morepark. There were so many different hiking trails and great for people of all activity levels. I like meeting all the trees and some were named. It was like a scavenger hunt to see the creative names. The trees are just spectacular. I am definitely coming back and want to hike all the trails. I'm not a camper and while my friends camped, I slept in the car. We spent time at the Sentinal camp grounds and I made my first fire. They were busy during Labor Day.... Please come and create your own adventure.

It is a very beautiful place that I recommend everyone visit; however, for those who aren't used to…read moreregular exercise, the climb up might be a bit challenging.

Super cool hike. Definitely DO NOT MISS. It was very well designed where there is a section of…read moreuphill rock followed by stairs so you never get super winded. The views at top are nice but the views along the journey are AMAZING. MUST VISIT IN Sequoia national park.

Definitely a must to stop by here if you're going up to Yosemite. Hopefully you get Phyllis to help…read moreyou as she is a human chatgpt. Seriously though, she helped me plan my trip with many recommendations and tips and also adjustments to consider with my baby girl. Don't forget to stop by!

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!

I mean, c'mon! Who doesn't wanna drive through a tunnel log????…read more After hiking Moro Rock trail, we were trying to get to Tharp's Log in Crescent Meadow before the sun set and bears came out. On our way we saw the Tunnel Log with NO ONE AROUND!!! This was too good an opportunity to pass up. Out came the video camera and phones and silliness ensued! By the time we got through with the horseplay, a mother and daughter, visiting from China arrived. After many smiles and stumbled translations, we became photographers for each other's special memories - how fun! This is part of the magic of our national parks - getting to be proud ambassadors for our beautiful treasures! We clicked off some final shots before dusk turned, well...duskier, then bid our new friends farewell before moving on to find that other gem we were seeking. Too late! Mama and cub were just around the next curve! Once more, back through the tunnel then on to lodging just as night fell. Cheers! "CC"

There are cars waiting along the street to drive through the tree log. you can make a loop follow…read morethe bypass sign. There were people climbing on top of the log which was a bummer for those who wanted to take picture. overall, this is a fun experience

Absolutely stunning and incredible experience! I personally don't enjoy tours, but let me tell you…read moreeveryone needs to experience this tour at least once in their lifetime! My 5 year old and 7 year old did just fine. I honestly can't fully articulate how I felt during the experience, but it was 100% worth the drive. Our tour guide was amazing! She explained everything in such simple terms that even my children could completely understand what she was talking about. I was amazed knowing that I was standing underneath a natural cave it was such an incredible experience! It can get pretty chilly inside, but since we went during summer break, it actually felt perfect. Definitely an experience I'm glad we got to share as a family

First time for us four at Sequoia NP and we loved our experience in Crystal Cave. The staff overall…read moreloved what they do and you can tell. Right from the get go the staff welcomes your group and is telling you instructions to take care of yourself, your group and the caves/park. They greet you with enthusiasm and you learn so much. Please arrive on time! For parking there's quite a bit of spaces. There's restroom nearby so you can go before heading out. You can bring your backpack onto the trail but can't bring it inside the cave. So you can either bring it and leave it on the floor outside the cave or in your car. The trail can be a little challenging for some but very doable. Can be a little challenging for some children and some older adults. This also includes for the caves.The staff are there to watch for your safety but they do warn you about your surroundings. The cave is very cool to explore but there will be some tight spaces you will navigate through. So I don't recommend bringing a stroller and make sure your kids are able to walk and stay near. They will definitely enjoy the cool nature stuff inside! There's a gift shop stand near the entrance of the trail. You can buy nice souvenirs, snacks, and support! Overall we loved our tour and we would comeback again for this. Thank you to all the staff of Crystal Cave for all that you do and taking care of this natural beauty.

Having never tempted your family from this direction, I stopped at the visitor center in Mariposa…read more So glad I did, Jacob was full of information, knowledge, and tips for both things local and for Yosemite. Got a bunch of brochures which I always love, and save, and got to look at and purchase some cool merch. Bonus: there is an awesome looking escape room right there. Do not miss this stop!!!

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!

They are great!!!! Handles all travel wants/needs excellently... you won't be disappointed.read more

I've used Hansen for all my travels and even family trips that have been emergency. It's nice to…read morenot have to worry about arrangements when there's an emergency in the family. Very professional, honest and caring hands down.