Historical Seasonal Opening and Closing Dates

 

Roads

(See plowing updates during spring road opening.)

Clearing of the Tioga Road begins on or about April 15 each year and usually takes between one and two months. Predicting when these roads will open is not possible, even in late spring, because weather in April and May can affect plowing progress significantly.

Historical Road Opening Dates
Year Note Tioga Opened Tioga Closed Glacier Pt Opened Glacier Pt Closed Mariposa Grove Opened Mariposa Grove Closed Snowpack as of Apr 1
 

Notes by Year

Note: Snowpack shows the percent of average for the Tuolumne River drainage (which includes the higher elevation areas of Tioga Road).
 

2023: Glacier Point Road opened later due to construction. Mariposa Grove Road opened late due to a road failure.
2022: Glacier Point Road was closed for a rehabilitation project.
2020: A reservation was required to enter the park (including passing through on Tioga Road). Glacier Point Road opened on June 5 for those with wilderness or Half Dome permits. Mariposa Grove Road was closed September 6 to October 10 due to the Creek Fire.
2019: Tioga Road opened on June 21 with access to entry only from 10 am to 11 am and 3 pm to 4 pm daily. It opened without restriction on July 1.
2016-2018: Mariposa Grove was closed for a restoration project July 6, 2016–June 15, 2018

Caltrans has a list of recent closing and opening dates for other passes in the Sierra Nevada.

2011-2012: Re-opened December 16, 2011–January 17, 2012.
2010: Mariposa Grove Road opened March 26, then was closed at some point until it reopened on May 19
1999-2000: Re-opened December 23, 1999–January 1, 2000.
 

Campgrounds

The only campgrounds listed are those with opening and closing dates that are based on conditions, which vary from year to year. Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow, and campgrounds in Yosemite Valley are not listed because they open and close on a fairly consistent schedule or are open all year.

(See table with this year's estimated opening and closing dates.)

Table shows the date range each campground was open for each year since 2000
Year Bridalveil Creek Crane Flat Tamarack Flat White Wolf Yosemite Creek Porcupine Flat Tuolumne Meadows
 

Notes by Year

2023: Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, White Wolf, and Yosemite Creek did not open due to heavy snowpack. Tuolumne Meadows was still under construction.
2022: Tuolumne Meadows, Crane Flat, and Bridalveil Creek closed due to rehabilitation projects. Porcupine Flat closed.
2020-2021: Most campgrounds closed during the COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Crane Flat was additionally open from May 25–June 4, July 3–July 7, and July 12–14; it opened late due to sewer repairs
2018: Bridalveil Creek closed early due to the Ferguson Fire; Crane Flat was closed July 29–August 14 as a result of the Ferguson Fire; Tamarack Flat was closed August 3–15 as a result of the Ferguson Fire
2017: Bridalveil Creek was closed August 16–25, then closed early, as a result of the Empire Fire
2015: White Wolf closed early as a result of a fire
2014: Bridalveil Creek was closed July 27–August 3 as a result of a fire; Crane Flat was closed July 26–August 7 as a result of a fire; Yosemit eCreek was closed July 27–August 15 as a result of the fire

2014: Bridalveil Creek was closed July 27–August 3 as a result of a fire; Crane Flat was closed July 26–August 7 as a result of a fire; Yosemit eCreek was closed July 27–August 15 as a result of the fire
2013: Crane Flat was additionally open May 24–27; Tamarack Flat was closed June 8–17 for a tribal event, August 27–September 20 as a result of the Rim Fire, and closed early due to a government shutdown; White Wolf and Yosemite Creek closed early due to the Rim Fire
2011: Crane Flat closed early as a result of a fire; Yosemite Creek open Friday and Saturday nights only beginning September 12
2009: Crane Flat closed early as a result of a fire; Porcupine Flat closed early due to snow
 

Trails

The only trails that are routinely closed in Yosemite are the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, the John Muir Trail between Clark Point and near the top of Nevada Fall (including the "ice cut"), and the Four Mile Trail.

Table shows the date range each trail was open for each year since 2000
Year Mist Trail John Muir Trail (ice cut) Half Dome Cables Four Mile Trail
 

* Notes by year
2022: Mist Trail (from above footbridge/JMT junction to top of Vernal Fall) closed during the day for trail work from August 29 through November 2.
2018: John Muir Trail opened late due to damage
2017: John Muir Trail closed early due to damage, but would have closed for the season on January 18
2016: Mist Trail closed for a few weeks in March due to weather/conditions

 

Last updated: March 22, 2024

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