The Welcoming Committee of Visit Yosemite | Madera County is a wild cast of characters introduced in 2019 to help the tourism bureau highlight the incredible attractions in southern Yosemite and Madera County. Since its inception, the Welcoming Committee has grown from seven to ten members, and in 2021 they began educating visitors on how to Recreate Responsibly in the outdoors and protect the home of local wildlife. The wild cast of characters have appeared in Youtube videos, in a printable activity kit, at select local restaurants on coloring placemats, around Madera County in the form of collectible Trading Cards as part of the Fossils to Falls Road Trip and Yosemite Adventure Contest, and in the new Recreate Responsibly Activity & Coloring Book.
Join the Welcoming Committee as they journey along the Fossils to Falls Road Trip and learn essential tips to recreate responsibly including Leave No Trace principles, wildlife safety, being prepared, avoiding single-use plastics and taking the Junior Ranger pledge. The Activity & Coloring Book is filled with fun puzzles, games, word scrambles and coloring pages, and the answers to the puzzles and games can be easily accessed by following the QR code on the inside cover of the book. The Recreate Responsibly Activity & Coloring Book and crayon pack is available to pick up for free at the Oakhurst Visitor Center (40343 Highway 41, Oakhurst, CA, 93644), along with Visitor Guides, local maps, information about local lodging, dining, attractions and activities.
The Yosemite Adventure Contest runs annually from January 1st through December 31st, with monthly prize drawings during summer months and a chance to win the grand prize of a Yosemite Adventure Vacation package! It is so easy to enter the contest.
1. Collect Welcoming Committee Trading Cards by visiting their home locations around Madera County and Yosemite National Park on the Fossils to Falls Road Trip.
2. Collect 2 Trading Cards for 1 entry, 3 to 9 cards for 10 entries, or collect all 10 cards for 20 entries.
3. Enter to win – 1 of 3 ways:
Stop at the Oakhurst Visitor Center and complete the entry form.
Text your name, address, phone number, email and a photo of all of your Trading Cards to Rhonda (559) 658-0150.
Email your name, address, phone number, email and a photo of all of your Trading Cards to [email protected].
The Yosemite Adventure Vacation Package Includes:
2-night stay in the southern gateway to Yosemite. (We will choose the hotel, cabin, or Bed & Breakfast that best fits your needs.)
Gift cards for local dining and souvenirs!
AND your choice of one of these adventures:
Yosemite: All Day Yosemite Tour for Two with Discover Yosemite Tours.
Extreme Sierra: 1/2 Day Rock Climbing for Two with Southern Yosemite Mountain Guides OR Jeep Tour for up to Four with Yosemite Adventure Company.
Bass Lake: 4-hour Patio Boat Rental on Bass Lake (for the whole family.)
Family Fun: Train Ride for Two Adults and Two Children on the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad.
Wine Tasting: Free Tasting along the Madera Wine Trail, 2 bottles of local wine, and Meet the Winemaker Experience.
The winner of the 2022 Yosemite Adventure Contest was the Lewis Family from Utah! The Lewis Family explored Madera County and Yosemite National Park in August 2022, and their four children collected Trading Cards from all of the locations on the Fossils to Falls Road Trip. During their Yosemite Adventure Vacation in June, they enjoyed a 2-night stay on beautiful Bass Lake, a 4-hour Patio Boat Rental for the whole family, dining at delicious restaurants and exploring local shops for souvenirs.
