Sight · Yosemite National Park
A focused indoor stop for the valley’s history, geology, and wildlife.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
“You're nearing Yosemite Village, a useful stop for ranger advice, a meal, or a look at the Valley's human history.”
Yosemite Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yosemite National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yosemite audio tourRecorded for this place
Yosemite Village“You're nearing Yosemite Village, a useful stop for ranger advice, a meal, or a look at the Valley's human history.”
Plays as you drive up to Yosemite Exploration Center in the Parkwolf Yosemite Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“We just drove through Yosemite and it made our trip listening to this app as we drove through. Like having a tour guide in the car with you.”
Guide
The Yosemite Exploration Center is an indoor exhibit hall in Yosemite Village, in the building formerly known as the Valley Visitor Center. It is a good stop when you want context for the landscapes and wildlife you will see outdoors. If you need ranger help or trip-planning information, go to the separate, newer Yosemite Valley Welcome Center.
Interactive displays cover how Yosemite’s landscape formed, how people have related to the valley over time, and how wildlife adapts. You will find material on meadows, animals and sequoias. Tactile relief panels and audio elements add ways to explore beyond reading the displays.
The separate theater behind the Exploration Center screens The Spirit of Yosemite, a free overview of the park. The theater offers captioning and audio description; assistive-listening devices are available from the Exploration Center information desk.
The Yosemite Conservancy bookstore inside sells books, apparel and gifts. It is an easy add-on while you look through the exhibits.
Wildlife
732 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,747 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
332 sightingsCoyoteMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
11 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
276 sightingsPikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
677 sightingsYellow-bellied MarmotMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yosemite. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyCook's Meadow Loop1.3 mi · 45 min · 0.1 mi awayAn easy meadow loop with Yosemite Falls and Half Dome views.
EasyLower Yosemite Fall Trail1 mi · 30 min · 0.5 mi awayA short paved loop to the base of Yosemite Falls
ModerateYosemite Valley Loop Trail11.5 mi · 6 hr · 0.5 mi awayA long, mostly level circuit beneath granite walls and valley waterfalls.
ModerateYosemite Valley Loop Trail (Half Loop)7.2 mi · 3 hr · 0.5 mi awayA mostly level traverse beneath Three Brothers and El Capitan.
ChallengingYosemite Falls Trail7.2 mi · 7 hr · 0.9 mi away60 switchbacks climb to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall
ChallengingEl Capitan Trail via Yosemite Falls15.4 mi · 10 hr · 0.9 mi awayA full-day summit hike past Yosemite Falls to El Capitan.
ChallengingEagle Peak Trail12.6 mi · 8.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA long climb to Eagle Peak’s view across Yosemite Valley.
ModerateColumbia Rock Trail2 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.9 mi awayA steep mile opens Yosemite Valley and Half Dome in one sweep.
Sight · At the trailheadThe Ansel Adams GalleryOriginal Adams photographs and practical camera lessons.
Ranger station · At the trailheadYosemite Valley Wilderness CenterGet permits, bear canisters, and ranger advice before a backcountry trip.
Sight · 0.1 mi awayYosemite MuseumBaskets, Miwok-Paiute history, and a reconstructed village in one stop.
Sight · 0.1 mi awayYosemite CemeteryA small cemetery holds the people behind the valley’s early story.
Food · 0.1 mi awayDegnan's KitchenFast-casual Yosemite Village food stop for sandwiches, pizza and coffee.Sight · 0.2 mi awayCook's MeadowA level meadow walk gives you the classic Half Dome view.
Store · 0.2 mi awayVillage StoreGroceries, camp supplies and gifts under one roof.
Visitor center · 0.2 mi awayYosemite Valley Welcome CenterPick up maps, meet a ranger, or self-register for winter permits.Parkwolf’s Yosemite ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
