Yosemite to reopen Tioga Road on Memorial Day

Yosemite National Park’s eastern entrance will reopen just in time for Memorial Day, officials announced this week.

Tioga Road — a popular scenic section of Highway 120 — has been closed due to ice and snow since November. It will reopen to all traffic at 8 a.m. Monday, according to the National Park Service.

The road is typically closed each year between November and late May or early June due to wintry conditions, while all other park entrances remain open year-round. The 45-mile road closure extends from the Tuolumne Grove east of Crane Flat to the Tioga Pass Entrance Station.

Preparing the road for reopening is a significant undertaking that includes plowing through multiple avalanche zones, clearing downed trees and rockfalls, and preparing campgrounds and critical facilities for visitors, according to the park service.

This year’s May 26 reopening is about two weeks earlier than last year — and about a month earlier than the year prior, park data show.

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Additionally, the park service will not provide early access to Tioga Road for cyclists this year, as they do some years. Some cyclists were upset by the announcement.

“It’s outrageous that they’re not giving two days to cyclists on the road system without cars this year,” one Reddit user wrote in the Yosemite forum, adding that they planned to write a letter to the park service and their local representative about the decision.

“Cyclist-only days should be a tradition that is celebrated and encouraged, not an afterthought in favor of motorists,” another person wrote.

But officials are bracing for a busy season. Visitors who plan to enter Yosemite between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. this holiday weekend will need a reservation and should be prepared for extended wait times, according to the park service. Those planning to come any day between June 15 and August 15 or during Labor Day weekend will likely need a reservation as well.

Drivers using Tioga Road should plan for limited services along the roadway, bring appropriate levels of food and water and utilize food lockers if away from their vehicle, the park service said.

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Yosemite may also face staffing shortages this year due to cuts at the National Park Service and other federal agencies, according to the Yosemite Conservancy, a nonprofit dedicated to the park’s conservation.

“The National Park Service (NPS) will likely be understaffed in Yosemite National Park this summer,” the group wrote on its website. “Last year, the NPS was already operating at a 30% staffing deficit — meaning any other cuts and restrictions to their staffing and funding will deepen that deficit.”

Park officials urge visitors to be patient and courteous to staff working at entrance stations and throughout the park, noting “they are here to help and ensure a safe, welcoming experience for all.”

“We’re thrilled to welcome everyone over Memorial Day Weekend as we honor the memory of nation’s fallen service members,” read a statement from Yosemite’s acting superintendent, Ray McPadden. “The park team has worked super hard to safely reopen every area of the park. We wish visitors a safe and enjoyable weekend.”