Yosemite National Park to reopen after series of storms. Hours will be limited initially

Anthony Galaviz
·1 min read
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After a long wait, officials at Yosemite National Park said Thursday the park in central California will reopen Saturday, but with minimal public access.

Yosemite Valley will be open from sunrise until sunset, park officials said.

The best route to take to Yosemite Valley will be Highway 140 and El Portal Road, with a short detour in El Portal. Hetch Hetchy will also re-open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, but will only be accessible from Highway 120, west of Yosemite and Evergreen Road.

Other roads, such as Big Oak Flat and Wawona, will still be closed., officials said.

Some parts of the paved pedestrian paths in Yosemite Valley are clear of snow, however, other hiking trails are covered in snow. Officials recommend wearing waterproof boots and traction devices since paths can be icy.

Hiking on snow-covered trails is not recommended, officials said.

Yosemite Valley will open 24 hours each day starting Monday, March 20, with limited overnight lodging, even with another round of storms forecast to roll into the region.

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Campgrounds will not open since the area is still buried in snow. Road closures remain a possibility, and officials recommend tire chains.

The park has been closed since Feb. 25 because of the storms that damaged roads and other buildings.

Since Feb. 21, Yosemite Valley has received over 21 inches of liquid precipitation and Tuolumne Meadows has received over 15 feet of new snow., officials said. Twenty-two rockslides occured with debris flows.

Clouds graze the top of El Capitan, left, as Bridalveil Fall, right, flows down into Yosemite Valley and the Merced River while a heavy blanket of snow covers the roadway banks on a rare day of no visitors on Friday, March 3, 2023. Park officials closed the entrances after recent snowstorms.
Clouds graze the top of El Capitan, left, as Bridalveil Fall, right, flows down into Yosemite Valley and the Merced River while a heavy blanket of snow covers the roadway banks on a rare day of no visitors on Friday, March 3, 2023. Park officials closed the entrances after recent snowstorms.
The height of a snowbank nears a sign signifying the flood water level of January 2, 1997 after heavy snowfall, on Friday, March 3, 2023.
The height of a snowbank nears a sign signifying the flood water level of January 2, 1997 after heavy snowfall, on Friday, March 3, 2023.