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!

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?

The Yosemite Welcome Center was a fun little spot to check out while we were in Yosemite last week…read more It is located in Yosemite Village next to the Museum and Post Office. It was a nice big open building with different counters to stop and ask about different information regarding Yosemite and the surrounding areas. They also sold t-shirts, magnets, books and even puzzles. My daughter picked up a Junior Rangers activity book for free which was really! They had all the information on different hikes, plus different programs each day like the Ranger Walk, Bear Walk and the Family Ranger Talk. We only stopped in briefly, but next time we will be staying longer to check out more of the programs. I highly suggest stopping in next time you visit Yosemite! We'll be back next time!

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.

Rainbow Falls is a must do if you're in the area! We also stopped at Devils Postpile, and it was…read moredefinitely worth seeing while you're there :) Make sure to bring plenty of water, wear comfortable shoes, and be ready for the hike down to the actual waterfall once you get to the top, you'll go down to the actual water. The hike back up is a bit of a workout, but it's 100% worth it. The views are beautiful! The water is chilly, but we got getting in. Such a fun experience, and one of our favorite stops on the trip!

Pro tip: Take the shuttle (approximately $15 per person round-trip). You take it from the Main…read moreLodge and they run every 20-30mins from 7amish to 730pmish (as of Aug 2025). You want to get off at Red's Meadow and hike to the falls. It's easy-easy/moderate and is the shortest distance to the falls. Do not take it from Devil's Postpile because it will add 1.5 miles of open sun hike to the falls. Once there, reward yourself with glass of wine and lunch. The water is cool to cold (depending on the time of year) and refreshing. Highly recommended

The Wawona entrance to Yosemite and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias was a new to me area of…read morethe park, when I visited in Mid-June 2026. Without the reservation system this year, even a weekday brings lines at the entrance kiosk. It was about a 45 minute wait. But, once entering the park, the Mariposa Welcome Center parking area had ample parking. The grove's gateway is just a couple of minutes from the Wawona entrance where there's a gift shop, restrooms and the shuttle bus to the grove (only runs seasonally.) I found the shuttles to run efficiently, albeit crowded. However, unless you want to hike up a steep paved road and add 2 miles to your hike, they're the only way up to the grove, as private vehicles are not allowed to drive or park there (those with disabilty tags are the exception.) The lower grove was packed and features the popular and iconic trees such as the Grizzly Giant and Tunnel Tree. It was too chaotic to really enjoy fully, but I was on my way to Wawona Point and the upper grove, so didn't linger in the main area too long. Once past the Grizzly Giant loop, the crowds exponentially thinned out and the forest became peaceful. It's a beautiful area and has a decent length hike to the upper grove, where the Guardians Loop trail was the standout along with Wawona Point (featuring a scenic overlook of the Wawona area.) The upper trails reminded me of a shorter version of Sequoia National Park's "giant forest loop." The trails were well kept and featured an array of wildflowers, green meadows and of course the iconic sequoias. You can make a longer loop or out and back and see most of the area in a longer day hike. It's a quieter and beautiful area of Yosemite that gets overlooked in comparison to the touristy lower grove and the valley. It is about a 45-50 minute drive to connect back down to the valley so you can visit both in one day, but I decided to linger and take my time in the beautiful upper grove areas. Either way, Mariposa Grove is a worthwhile stop in your Yosemite itinerary

We came here during the government shutdown. Shuttle services was still operating although the…read moreVisitor Center was closed. We had stayed in Oakhurst for the night, so this was a stop before going to Yosemite Valley. We had to park at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza where the Visitor Center was and took the free shuttle to get to the start of all the trails. We saw some deer on the way! The giant sequoia trees were a magnificent sight to see, and the trails were nice and defined.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Sequoia National Park was one of the absolute highlights. The drive into the park is spectacular. Climbing from the valley into the Sierra Nevada, the scenery changes with every curve of the road until suddenly you find yourself surrounded by forests of giant sequoias. It is an unforgettable entrance and sets the stage for everything that follows. We stayed between Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks and dedicated five full days to exploring both. It was the perfect amount of time because every day brought new trails, new views, and another reason to stop in amazement. Of course, we visited the famous groves, including General Sherman, the largest tree on Earth by volume. Even though these areas are popular, we purposely visited before schools were out for the summer and avoided weekends, so the crowds were very manageable. Even so, my favorite hikes were the quieter ones, where there were fewer people and it felt like I had the forest almost to myself. There is something deeply humbling about standing among these giants. Some of these trees have been alive for more than 2,000 years. They were already ancient long before our country even existed. I found myself slowing down, placing my hand on their massive trunks, sitting quietly, and simply absorbing the peace of the forest. Whether or not trees have energy is up to each person to decide, but I certainly left feeling calmer, smaller, and full of wonder. Beyond the giant sequoias, the park offers spectacular granite cliffs, rushing rivers, alpine meadows, waterfalls, and an incredible variety of wildlife. Every trail seemed to reveal something different, making each hike feel like its own adventure. Sequoia National Park is more than just a place to check off a list. It is a place to slow down, look up, breathe deeply, and remember just how extraordinary nature can be. If you have the time, don't rush through it. Spend several days exploring both Sequoia and neighboring Kings Canyon. The giant trees may be the stars of the park, but the entire landscape is magnificent. This is one of those parks that stays with you long after you leave.

A day of driving down Highway 180. Found scenic turnouts, a beautiful river, Boyden Cavern, lovely…read moreplants, scenic views and of course giant sequoia trees! Boyden Cavern has a super steep walkway entrance. So for those of you with any physical issues it could be a huge problem. (We didn't go inside this trip) The view of the river from this area is lovely. They also have a gift shop with various treasures and bathroom stalls near the parking lot. This part of the road is only open part of the year. From late April to mid November depending on the snow fall level. Definitely bring your own water, snacks and a bag lunch. Can't beat the view!

Mount Hoffmann, Yosemite: 2026 Aug 13…read more From Yosemite Valley, take highway 120 to the Crane Flat turnoff onto Tioga Road. Continue driving until you get to the May Lake trailhead. You can park and use the toilet before you start your hike. Heavy-duty, wildlife-resistant containers are available to store your food in. Elevation at the trailhead is 8,710 feet. Mt. Hoffmann elevation gain is 10,845 feet. It is a 10,850-foot peak near the geographic center of Yosemite National Park. Mount Hoffmann is named after Charles F. Hoffmann, cartographer. Charles F. Hoffmann named lake number 5 May Lake. May Lake nestles below Mt. Hoffmann. The hiking distance is only 5.6 to 6 miles round trip but this is a difficult and strenuous hike. The unmaintained boulders with loose rocks make this short hike challenging. The elevation and thin mountain air makes it hard to breathe and may cause your heart to beat faster. You may tire easily. This can also lead to altitude sickness if you do not rest and adjust. Make sure you hydrate constantly. Our pace was slow as we scramble up this 10,850-foot peak. Mt. Hoffmann's unmaintained steep and rocky granite boulders with loose rocks was extremely challenging for me. We didn't get to the very top. I heard thunder and felt droplets of rain, and decided to climb back down to avoid slipping on the rocks. The final push of about 200-feet involves climbing on loose gravel and granite rock that are covered with decomposed granite, one of the most insidiously slippery substances. These are some of the steepest and most treacherous climb, but if you make it to the top, you will be rewarded with a panoramic 360-degree views of Yosemite, including distant views of Half Dome and Tenaya Lake. The Mt. Hoffmann trail also includes some bonus views of May Lake. On the climb up, we saw a Marmot hanging out on a rock. He was a large, stout guy -- looking more like a house-cat than a squirrel. This guy probably weighs around 11 pounds. He was tame and quiet -- just holding on to the rock and allowed us to take pictures of him and even video-tape him. He must be used to humans scrambling up and down 'his' rock every day. On the way down, we moved to the side for horses to trot up the mountain. The poor horses were weighted down by heavy-looking camping gears. I hope they're well cared for and appreciated by humans who use their services. Along the way, stop and admire views of Clouds Rest and Half Dome. From afar, the distant mountains look majestic with a soft blue hue against the sky. We may attempt this hike again but I'll need to be better prepared for it. Source above: Wikipedia, Google

Yosemite Valley Tour (Tram) OUTSTANDING tour of Yosemite…read moreValley. Starts at Yosemite Lodge, tickets required but worth every penny. You ride in an open air trailer with audio description by a US Park Service Ranger. It was HOT and ice cold towels provided along with ice cold water made it a bit more bearable. Anthony was our driver and is THE MOST PROFESSIONAL DRIVER I have ever encountered in all my travels. Gentle starts and stops, constantly in motion at both our stops giving out water and extending and retracting the trailer's step for our use. Providing the audio portion of the tour was Ranger Emile. She's a real GEM! Her depth of information, humor and wit made the tour and grand event. She loves Yosemite and it shows! Equally as hard working at our two stops to make sure everyone stayed hydrated because of the excessive heat. [Note to her Mom, you did great raising her! Make sure she sees this review!] If you go to Yosemite, make time to go on this tour. You get more and better pictures than from your car and learn the history of the Park. One last thing, drive to Glacier Point. The view is awesome and worth the drive.

Devil's Postpile is real underappreciated gem in the Mammoth Lakes area IMHO. It is a great entry…read morepoint to hike out to some gorgeous sites like Rainbow Falls and prisine lakes like Superior Lake. Unfortunately for those who are visiting, one must be aware of shuttle service that does not run all week. The schedule details are on the NPS site. I wanted to leave this review to recognize the heroic actions of a few of the crew from the NPS. Our backpacking party (including my two small children) were stranded on a Tuesday because of the suspended shuttle service back to the Main Lodge. Crow (one of the NPS staff manning the facilities at the ranger station) really saved our butts and invited us to stay at one of their private campgrounds (with nice facilities) for a night until they could be allowed to drive up in a convoy at 3pm the next day. Crow and his crew drove a party of six hikers up to the Main Lodge that afternoon. He really is my family's biggest hero this summer!

Construction on Thursdays = Major Delays. Not recommended for families with babies or toddlers…read more We arrived at the Village at 8:30 a.m. to catch the 8:45 shuttle to Devils Postpile, only to be told the first shuttle was delayed until 10:05. Since we were already committed, we drove to Main Lodge instead, where we found a huge line from everyone waiting on the delayed shuttles. At every step, we asked staff for updates, but no one warned us how bad the delays would be. We were told the shuttle ride would take about 20 minutes, but it ended up taking over an hour because of stop-and-go traffic from construction. The return trip was even worse. We boarded the shuttle at 1:30 p.m. and didn't get back to Main Lodge until after 3:00 p.m. The shuttle was hot, overcrowded, made multiple stops, and even returned to Devils Postpile before heading back. Staff seemed just as uninformed as visitors, and no one could provide accurate wait times or expectations. Our timeline: * Arrived at the Village: 8:30 a.m. * First shuttle departed: 10:05 a.m. * Reached Devils Postpile: Just after 11:00 a.m. * Boarded return shuttle: 1:30 p.m. * Returned to Main Lodge: Just after 3:00 p.m. The ticket agent refunded our shuttle tickets and admitted they didn't realize how severe the delays were because multiple agencies are involved. If you're traveling with young children, especially babies or toddlers, I'd avoid visiting on Thursdays during construction. It turned what should have been a simple outing into an exhausting, all-day ordeal.