Changes Afoot for Summer Visitors to Yosemite Park

You may want to schedule your summer trek to Yosemite National Park earlier rather than later this summer because Yosemite Falls is expected to peak early, and access to Half Dome will be restricted starting in July.

The waterfall was expected to reach its maximum flow this weekend or Memorial Day weekend, somewhat earlier than usual because of the warm spring and a snowpack that is about 5% below average in the park, spokeswoman Deb Schweizer said last week. The falls generally run from January or February to October and reach peak flow in June, she said.

Climbing cables for Half Dome were expected to be up by this weekend (barring a last-minute storm), permitting ascent to the top. But from July 8 through Sept. 19, the final mile or so of the trail will be closed 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for repairs to the rock stairs, Schweizer said; the trail will continue to be fully open on weekends.

A downside to an early-summer visit to Yosemite is that there may be traffic delays on the park’s Northside Drive in the next few weeks because of installation of a sewer line, Schweizer added. Vehicles will initially be confined to one lane, then later rerouted to Southside Drive between El Capitan and the Pohono Bridge.