Yosemite late May, 2019 road closures
May 26, 2019, 3:47 pm
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
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Yosemite late May, 2019 road closures
The NPS has closed 2 of the 3 west side entrance roads due to late season snow. SR 41, the Wawona Road, is closed near Wawona and SR 120 is closed near El Portal. This leaves SR 140 through Mariposa as the only open entry to the Park for the rest of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The east side entrance via Tioga Pass remains closed.
The closures will be assessed daily but weather conditions remain iffy for the next few days.
The closures will be assessed daily but weather conditions remain iffy for the next few days.
May 28, 2019, 11:48 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 30
Anyone have any thoughts on when SR 120 will open up for the Eastside entrance? I am doing a trip of Bristlecone pines -> Yosemite -> Lake Tahoe so would be hugely out of the way to not be able to enter on the Eastside. I have never been to Yosemite but am considering adjusting our itinerary if the the Eastside entrance doesn't open. Just based on how much snow and looking at the Tioga Pass updates online, it doesn't look promising. We are traveling in mid-June but would have to cancel Yosemite hotel by June 9th to not get charged cancellation fee.
Edit: I see in the Yosemite $300 hotel thread that you and someone think it won't be open in June which was my fear. Do you have any recommendations of how you would adjust the trip? We were going to stay just outside Yosemite for two nights. We are flying in from LA and leaving from Reno so have to move South -> North. I guess my considerations were staying a night in Mammoth Lakes and adding a night to Tahoe (stay South, we are already doing two nights in Incline Village). Thanks.
Edit: I see in the Yosemite $300 hotel thread that you and someone think it won't be open in June which was my fear. Do you have any recommendations of how you would adjust the trip? We were going to stay just outside Yosemite for two nights. We are flying in from LA and leaving from Reno so have to move South -> North. I guess my considerations were staying a night in Mammoth Lakes and adding a night to Tahoe (stay South, we are already doing two nights in Incline Village). Thanks.
Last edited by Txstars; May 28, 2019 at 12:15 pm Reason: More info found
May 28, 2019, 1:44 pm
#4
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
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Really, the only alternatives would be to go back south on SR 395 to cross the Sierra at Tehachapi Pass near Mojave, then drive back north to Yosemite through the Central Valley - or go north to SR 50 and cross there before driving south to Yosemite through the same Central Valley. I would probably choose to go south to the desert and cross at Tehachapi because I know that route will be open. The more northerly route via Echo Summit is usually open but will be iffy. Yosemite might not be worth it this time.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
May 28, 2019, 2:08 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 30
Really, the only alternatives would be to go back south on SR 395 to cross the Sierra at Tehachapi Pass near Mojave, then drive back north to Yosemite through the Central Valley - or go north to SR 50 and cross there before driving south to Yosemite through the same Central Valley. I would probably choose to go south to the desert and cross at Tehachapi because I know that route will be open. The more northerly route via Echo Summit is usually open but will be iffy. Yosemite might not be worth it this time.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
May 28, 2019, 2:16 pm
#6
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
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Yup. I haven't heard of any closures on 395 other than occasional temporary stops during storms. The other thing you will want to know about is chain restrictions. They are almost never required in June but this has been a weird year. I'd keep checking Caltrans road conditions as your dates get closer. Division of Traffic Operations - Road Information - California Highway Information
May 28, 2019, 3:43 pm
#7
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,856
Really, the only alternatives would be to go back south on SR 395 to cross the Sierra at Tehachapi Pass near Mojave, then drive back north to Yosemite through the Central Valley - or go north to SR 50 and cross there before driving south to Yosemite through the same Central Valley. I would probably choose to go south to the desert and cross at Tehachapi because I know that route will be open. The more northerly route via Echo Summit is usually open but will be iffy. Yosemite might not be worth it this time.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
Really, you may want to be absolutely certain that the Bristlecone Pine Area is open for your visit. It is over 10,000 feet. They don't get near as much snow in the White Mountains as in the neighboring Sierra but they do get some.
May 28, 2019, 4:02 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,735
Anyone have any thoughts on when SR 120 will open up for the Eastside entrance? I am doing a trip of Bristlecone pines -> Yosemite -> Lake Tahoe so would be hugely out of the way to not be able to enter on the Eastside. I have never been to Yosemite but am considering adjusting our itinerary if the the Eastside entrance doesn't open. Just based on how much snow and looking at the Tioga Pass updates online, it doesn't look promising. We are traveling in mid-June but would have to cancel Yosemite hotel by June 9th to not get charged cancellation fee.
Edit: I see in the Yosemite $300 hotel thread that you and someone think it won't be open in June which was my fear. Do you have any recommendations of how you would adjust the trip? We were going to stay just outside Yosemite for two nights. We are flying in from LA and leaving from Reno so have to move South -> North. I guess my considerations were staying a night in Mammoth Lakes and adding a night to Tahoe (stay South, we are already doing two nights in Incline Village). Thanks.
Edit: I see in the Yosemite $300 hotel thread that you and someone think it won't be open in June which was my fear. Do you have any recommendations of how you would adjust the trip? We were going to stay just outside Yosemite for two nights. We are flying in from LA and leaving from Reno so have to move South -> North. I guess my considerations were staying a night in Mammoth Lakes and adding a night to Tahoe (stay South, we are already doing two nights in Incline Village). Thanks.
May 30, 2019, 5:47 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: UA
Posts: 324
BTW, we drove it in a front wheel drive Sentra. In a snow storm. It was white knuckle driving over the Kit Carson Pass. We saw about 1 car every 20 minutes or so. Make sure you have plenty of gas, because theres a long way between gas stations.
But if it wasnt snowing or windy, its probably a decent road.
Jun 2, 2019, 6:13 pm
#10
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,856
We took 88 from Tahoe to Jackson 2 weeks ago. There were signs describing a closure East of the 89/88 interchange. Best to check if its open all the way to the Eastern valley.
BTW, we drove it in a front wheel drive Sentra. In a snow storm. It was white knuckle driving over the Kit Carson Pass. We saw about 1 car every 20 minutes or so. Make sure you have plenty of gas, because theres a long way between gas stations.
But if it wasnt snowing or windy, its probably a decent road.
BTW, we drove it in a front wheel drive Sentra. In a snow storm. It was white knuckle driving over the Kit Carson Pass. We saw about 1 car every 20 minutes or so. Make sure you have plenty of gas, because theres a long way between gas stations.
But if it wasnt snowing or windy, its probably a decent road.
Jun 21, 2019, 10:57 am
#11
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Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
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NPS announced that the Tioga Pass Road (Highway 120) will be open starting today, Friday June 21, 2019, for two hours per day only. The route will open from 10 am to 11 am and from 3 pm to 4 pm daily until further notice. The route will be closed other times to allow for continuing snow removal efforts. There are NO services and NO parking permitted anywhere along the entire route.
Jun 30, 2019, 10:40 am
#12
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The Tioga Pass Road through Yosemite will be open with NO restrictions starting at 8:00 am on Monday, July 1, 2019.
Services such as campgrounds, visitor centers and stores will start opening for the season over the next few days and weeks.
Services such as campgrounds, visitor centers and stores will start opening for the season over the next few days and weeks.
Nov 28, 2019, 12:06 pm
#13
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Location: Central California
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Just a quick note to close this out.
The NPS has announced that the Tioga Pass Road, the Glacier Point Road and other high country routes are closed for the season due to snow. A number of higher elevation services and campgrounds are also closed. At least for the current holiday weekend, all western entrance routes via highways 41, 120 and 140 have chain requirements in place. That could change if the weather improves.
Yosemite Valley is beautiful in the winter and definitely worth a visit but visitors should be prepared for snow driving on the way in.
The NPS has announced that the Tioga Pass Road, the Glacier Point Road and other high country routes are closed for the season due to snow. A number of higher elevation services and campgrounds are also closed. At least for the current holiday weekend, all western entrance routes via highways 41, 120 and 140 have chain requirements in place. That could change if the weather improves.
Yosemite Valley is beautiful in the winter and definitely worth a visit but visitors should be prepared for snow driving on the way in.