Re: Planning first trip to Yosemite

Would some enlighten me as to when the best time to visit Yosemite this summer? Is early June too soon to have access to Tuolumne Meadows? Thank you for offering your opinions.

June might be too early. But the road often opens in late May.

You'll have to wait and see like the rest of us - the weather will do what it wants, and there's no guarantee it will let the road open in time. The snow needs to stop falling so the road can be successfully plowed, repaired and then opened. This year, that didn't happen til much later than usual...

There is a good possibility that Tioga Rd and Tuolumne Meadows will not be opened by early June, especially if we have another winter like last year. If it is important that you visit that area then plan your trip for July or August. If you go to http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/seasonal.htm you will see opening and closing dates for the last 11 years. If you can skip T. Meadows then I would go in early June because the falls are still flowing and it is not as crowded because many California schools are still in session. In the summer it is better to go during the week and skip the weekends if you can.

Opps the list contains opening and closings of the roads for more than 11 years.

If you go that early... often the road may be open... but the trails can be a challenge...

But don't be dissuaded. My dollar store bargain bin advice is to go in June when you can..
and don't worry about Tuolumne Meadows or Tioga Road. There is soooo much stuff to
explore in The Valley and Glacier Pt. road will be open...

Have fun

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Quote
LouisP

Would some enlighten me as to when the best time to visit Yosemite this summer? Is early June too soon to have access to Tuolumne Meadows? Thank you for offering your opinions.

Early June could be too early for access by car to Tuolumne Meadows (but you can always hike to it from Yosemite Valley anytime of the year with a valid wilderness backpacking permit if you're willing to camp overnight – it's too long of a hike for a reasonable roundtrip day hike).

If you want vehicle access to Tioga Road AND still have the waterfalls in Yosemite Valley flowing nicely, the safest bet is to visit Yosemite in the first two weeks of July. The downside of this would be that Yosemite is the most packed with people during this timeframe with the summer season in full swing. Also the mosquitos will be at or near their worst in both Yosemite Valley and probably the high country too.

Still – all things considered – the first two weeks of July is an excellent time for first time visitors to visit Yosemite if they want to take a grand tour of all what Yosemite has to offer.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2011 08:17PM by plawrence.

Where do you live (this is a proxy for how likely are you to make repeat visits, if you'd prefer to answer that instead)? When you visit other national parks what are you typically expecting, roadside scenery, day hikes, views and sights, backcountry camping, etc.?

Its October...nobody knows what kind of winter it will be, when the Tioga road will open, etc. The latest date in the last couple decades is, I think, July 2. Many years see openings by Memorial Day weekend. Last year was, I think, the third week of June. But, whether that should matter or not may depend upon what you see as your reason for wanting to visit.

Thanks all for the input. Someone asked where we live. We live in Houston, so this is an almost a once in a lifetime visit. Our plan is to fly into SF, stay for a couple of days there and then head over to YNP. Stay there for a couple of nights at Housekeeping Camp. I like the idea of getting there before CA schools are let out for the summer. We're not much for rigorous hiking, but we're planning on some easier hikes. I'll be with a 13 and a 10 year old. Thanks again for y'all's help.

I think I'll say listen to the pink chicken, then. There's a lot to see in and near Yosemite Valley, there's also the Mariposa Grove. Go when you want to go (June), if the TIoga road's open then you may choose to spend a day in Tuolumne, but treat it as a bonus and not a necessity.

(Except its not guaranteed Glacier Pt. Road will be open in early June...it depends)

(Edit: earlier brings better runoff for the waterfalls in the Valley, later makes high country more feasible, early June does seem like a reasonable balance given your description of yourself so far)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/2011 08:33PM by ttilley.