Bear Valley Visitor Center — Attraction in Fairfax

I wanted to take a moment to share an extraordinary act of kindness that made my daughter's summer unforgettable.

When we visited the Bear Valley Visitor Center to learn about the Junior Park Ranger program, Ranger Mike went above and beyond. He patiently explained every detail of the program to my daughter, understanding how much becoming a Junior Park Ranger meant to her—it was her ultimate goal for the summer.

During our conversation, Mike learned we were planning an ambitious 8-mile roundtrip hike on the Bear Valley Trail to Coastal Trail. Recognizing this might be challenging for a young hiker, he quietly expressed concern that we might not return before the 5 PM closing time, potentially preventing my daughter from completing her Junior Ranger booklet and earning her badge.

In a moment of pure thoughtfulness, while my daughter was captivated by the educational displays, Ranger Mike discreetly approached me with a Junior Ranger badge. He handed it to me with a gentle request to keep it our secret, ensuring that regardless of timing, my daughter would still have the chance to earn this meaningful achievement. His consideration for a child's dreams was truly touching.

The story gets even better—we completed our hike with 45 minutes to spare! My daughter successfully finished her booklet and was officially sworn in by Ranger Fiona in a special ceremony that celebrated this milestone moment. The pure joy and pride on her face was absolutely priceless.

Through this experience, both rangers helped my daughter truly understand the Junior Ranger mission: "Explore the coastal world that connects the land to the sea. Learn about the people and wildlife that live in these rich habitats, and protect the land and sea by setting a good example for others."

Ranger Mike's proactive kindness and Ranger Fiona's enthusiastic celebration created a memory my daughter and I will treasure forever. Thank you both for embodying the spirit of the National Park Service and for understanding that sometimes the smallest gestures create the biggest impact on a child's heart.

With deepest gratitude and...

I haven't been here since I was a little kid. But I remember loving this place and having so much fun. Now I have kids of my own and I had the opportunity to take them for the first time. It did not disappoint! All the displays are still the same as I remember and they're super well done. My kids were running all over the place looking at all the different critter displays and reading all the placards. They had a blast learning so much about the little animals that run around the local woods. It was a great way to break up their break from school and get them out of the house. They also have a nice little gift shop where you can pick up a small token for a relatively inexpensive price. But if you don't want to do that the best thing about the visitor center is that it's completely free and you can walk around and look at whatever you want without paying anything. There is a small donation box as soon as you enter and it's a great way to contribute to this institution to keep it running for years to come. If you need a quick getaway for the day I highly recommend it. The drive is amazing and the visitor center will provide a diversion for a little while. After that if the weather is good there's plenty of hikes in the area and beaches to...

Very modern visitor center. Has some nice displays of native American culture and local plants and animals. The park staff was very informative and gave me plenty of information on where to hike and what to see in this beautiful national park.

I had been interested in scouting one of the hike in campgrounds. The ranger pointed out all of the options on the map for me and briefly described the area around each campground. When I asked if she could recommend one for me to explore as a day hike she immediately pointed me to a parking area near the hostel and conservation center where I could find the trail to Coast campground.

After hiking a picturesque trail and exploring the campground I wondered over to the beach and enjoyed the views. This area was relatively busy on the day I visited. I completed the hiking walking back on a fire road popular with bicyclists.

Now I feel ready to make a camping reservation and spend more time exploring Point Reyes...