July22, 2023 Opening one of the Latest openings in Park History
Yosemite national Park – July 19, 2023 – Great news! Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park) will open to vehicles on Saturday, July 22, at 8 am. While vault and portable toilets will be available, there will be no water, no store or food service, and no fuel. Be sure to bring all the food and water you need.
The Tuolumne Meadows Wilderness Center will be open (8 am to 5 pm) and a general information desk near the visitor center will be open from 9 am to 5 pm.
Tioga Road has some damage, so watch for one-lane sections, with delays up to 15 minutes just east of Olmsted Point.
There is no estimate when Tamarack Flat or Porcupine Flat Campgrounds will open. Other campgrounds on Tioga Road will not open this year.
It’s still snowy up there! Meadows and some trails are flooded. Snow is persisting in some shady areas as low as 8,000 feet, with extensive, deep snow coverage by 9,000 feet. Stay on trails to protect growing plants and plan for wet feet.
Hiking Trails off Tioga Pass and Tuolumne meadows
Marked trails may be hard or impossible to follow; hikers should have GPS, as well as map and compass (and know how to use them).
If you head there Saturday here are a couple ideas for a great day hike, even if it is Wet and snowy.
- Lyell Canyon / John Muir / PCt trail. this out an back trail will follow the river and is sure to be very wet. But the scenic stroll up Lyell canyon along Crystal clear waters of the Tuolumne river are stunning. Hike 4-20 miles your choice
- Glen Aulin trail to White and Tuolumne Cascade – This rater flat trail until the water falls is beautiful. scenic and the waterfalls are some of hte best water features in the Sierra backcountry. 6 miles to White cascade so 12 mile round trip.
- NorthDome and Indian Arch – This lower elevation hike is a great vista view of Half Dome and includes great tree cover in a hot summer day.
Glacier Point Road
Glacier Point Road opened seven days per week, 24 hours per day, Last Saturday July 15 at 6 am. Expect 30-minute delays, Monday through Friday, 6 am to 9 pm.
Parking at Glacier Point and throughout the park is limited. Arrive early in the morning to avoid long delays and full parking lots.
Glacier Point Road is typically open to vehicles from sometime in May until sometime in November. Plowing typically begins around April 15.
