TRAVEL UPDATES: TIOGA PASS, Glacier Point, Sonora Pass and Ebbets Pass Thanksgiving Weekend
Sierra Rec Magazine, Yosemite National Park, November 19th 2018, – Each year we arrive at today with mixed emotions. Yosemite National Park has announced The Tioga and Glacier Point Roads in Yosemite National Park will close to all vehicular traffic beginning at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 due to incoming winter weather. The roads will reopen as weather and road conditions permit. This is not necessarily a seasonal closure.
This signals the end of the season for us on the Eastside of Yosemite who use the Tioga Pass entrance to many of our Yosemite Park Adventures. Yet it also signals the beginning of snowshoe and ski season which is a beautiful reason to celebrate.
A series of winter storms are expected to pass through the Yosemite area beginning on Tuesday evening through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.
Yosemite National Park is open year-round with snow removal on all other roads within the park. Highway 120 West, Highway 140, and Highway 41 remain open year-round and provide access to Yosemite Valley. The Hetch Hetchy Road is open for day use throughout the winter months.
All roads within the park are subject to chain control or temporary closures due to hazardous driving conditions. All motorists are required to carry tire chains, even if their car is equipped with four-wheel drive, while driving in the park during the winter months.
For updated 24-hour road and weather conditions for Yosemite National Park, please call 209-372-0200
Sonora and Ebbetts Pass also plan on closing for Thanksgiving travel
Caltrans reports that Ebbetts Pass will close at 3pm on Tuesday and Sonora Pass will close at noon on Wednesday.
The weather system is anticipated to fully arrive by Wednesday and then exit by the weekend. Officials say they will assess the road conditions afterwards to see when the passes may potentially re-open. It is not anticipated to be the long-term winter closure.
For the latest information on the incoming weather, from the National Weather Service, click here.