Current Conditions

Alerts

 

 

Current view of Yosemite Falls
(Yosemite Conservancy webcam)

 

Road Status

 

Tire chains may be required

Carry tire chains in your car and be prepared to use them (even if your car has four-wheel drive): chains may become mandatory at any time. Emergency or plastic tire chains are not acceptable. Drive carefully even when there are no chain requirements: you may encounter icy spots on mostly dry roads.

 

Call 209/372-0200 (press 1 then 1) for the most up-to-date conditions (the information below only reflects planned or long-term closures)

Wawona Road (continuation of Highway 41 from Fresno) No stopping or parking between southern park boundary and Wawona.	Open
El Portal Road (continuation of Highway 140 from Merced)	Open
Big Oak Flat Road (continuation of Highway 120 from Manteca)	Open
Yosemite Valley Roads	Open
Hetch Hetchy Road When open, hours are 8 am to 5 pm.	Open
Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park)	Closed
Badger Pass Road Glacier Point Road is closed for the season beyond Badger Pass	Open
Mariposa Grove Road When open, road is open only to vehicles displaying disability placards. All others must use the free shuttle from Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza (near South Entrance).	Closed

Feeling lost? Find driving directions. You can also view a map showing road conditions outside of Yosemite.

 

Seasonal Information

• Rivers & Waterfalls: Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Bridalveil Fall, and Yosemite Falls are flowing high for this time of year.
• Tuolumne Meadows Winter Conditions: Weekly blog post from the park's high country winter rangers.
• Bears: Bears remain active throughout the park, including Yosemite Valley and Badger Pass. Be sure to store your food properly and to remain at least 50 yards from bears in forest and meadows (but yell at/scare away a bear that approaches you or is in a developed area).

 

Fire and Smoke

Prescribed fires and pile burning are planned for this winter, which may cause smoky conditions at times, mainly in Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and Crane Flat areas. Burn piles are planned for February 6–10 near Yosemite Village, east of The Ahwahnee, Foresta, and south of Wawona. Yosemite air quality may be affected by fires elsewhere in the region or by prescribed fire in Yosemite; hazy or smoky conditions are always possible.

• Current air quality in Yosemite
• Smoke outlook
• Yosemite fire news
• Fire closure map (There are currently no fire-related trail closures.)

Fire and Smoking Restrictions

There are no fire restrictions currently in effect beyond the normal fire regulations.

Current Air Quality in Yosemite Village

 

View More Data

 

Campground Information

• Yosemite Valley:

  Open: Reservations required: Upper Pines, Camp 4 (reservations required February 1–28)
  First-come, first-served: None

  Closed: Lower Pines, North Pines

• Outside Yosemite Valley:

  Open: Reservations required: Wawona, Hodgdon Meadow (reservations required February 1–28 for both)
  First-come, first served: None

  Closed: Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite Creek, Porcupine Flat, and Tuolumne Meadows

Check today's campground availability by calling 209/372-0266.

View estimated opening and closing dates in 2023 for all campgrounds.

Reservations are available up to five months in advance and are strongly recommended. If you don't have a reservation, get details about camping without a reservation.

Visit Yosemite Hospitality's website for lodging information (including information about Housekeeping Camp and High Sierra Camps). Reservations are available and recommended up to 366 days in advance.

 

Trails and Wilderness Conditions

Trails in Yosemite may be closed when there are hidden hazards or when they are impassable due to rock fall, snow, ice, or fire. Open trails aren't necessarily free of hazards--by entering the wilderness, you assume responsibility for your safety and must use good judgment. Trails not listed below are open, but may be snowy and very difficult to find from about November through May/June (and may have other hazards).

Yosemite Valley Area

• The Lower Yosemite Fall loop trail is mostly closed due to hazardous conditions. On the western side of the loop, it is possible to walk partway toward Lower Yosemite Fall (with a view of the falls).
• The Mist Trail from its junction with the John Muir Trail above Vernal Fall footbridge to the top of Vernal Fall is closed due to icy conditions. The John Muir Trail between Clark Point and Panorama Trail junction (near the top of Nevada Fall) is closed due to dangerously icy conditions. It is possible to hike to the tops of Vernal and Nevada Falls via the winter route, although these may also be snowy and/or icy.
• The Four Mile Trail is closed.
• The boulders around the base of Lower Yosemite Fall (the off-trail area between the footbridge/viewing area and the waterfall) is closed.
• The trail to Bridalveil Fall is closed due to the Bridalveil Fall Rehabilitation Project until summer 2023.
• The Half Dome cables are down for the season. They are usually available for use starting Memorial Day weekend in May. A permit is required to hike to the top of Half Dome when the cables are up.

Wawona and Mariposa Grove Area

• The trail from the Mariposa Grove toward Wawona is closed. The western portion of the Perimeter Trail (from the Galen Clark Tree to near the Grizzly Giant Loop Trail) is also closed. Please stay on trails: hazards may exist off trail in the Mariposa Grove. View a map for details. The Washburn Trail reopened on August 18.

Glacier Point Area

• The Glacier Point Road, including land and trails adjacent to the Glacier Point Road (within 100 feet from centerline on both sides of the road) are closed. (The Pohono Trail remains open, including where it crosses Glacier Point Road just above Glacier Point. This is the only exception for trails crossing the road.)
• Camping is prohibited at Glacier Point (and anywhere else within four trail miles of Glacier Point or within one mile of the road).

Crane Flat to Tuolumne Meadows Area

• Soda Springs Road and Lembert Dome picnic area are closed.
• Elizabeth Lake Trailhead (in Tuolumne Medows Campground) is closed. Start from the visitor center or Dog Lake parking areas instead.

Climbing Closures

Climbing closures are in effect on several routes each year from March 1 through July 15 to protect peregrine falcons. Additionally, a free wilderness climbing permit is required for all overnight big wall climbs.

More Information Sources