Re: Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park to Open on Monday, May 4

Road Construction Occurring on Portions of Tioga Road

The Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park will open for the season on Monday, May 4, 2015, at 8:00 a.m. for all vehicular traffic. Due to a light snowpack this past winter, the Tioga Road was cleared of snow early into the season. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by State Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada.

Visitors are urged to drive with caution while on the Tioga Road, as there will be rehabilitation work occurring on portions of the roadway. Visitors will experience portions of the road that are unpaved and should be aware that delays are in place. For more information about the construction work and traffic delays on the Tioga Road, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/roadwork.htm.

Snow and icy conditions may still exist on hiking trails at the higher elevations. Visitors are urged to be prepared for snowy conditions and possible treacherous stream crossings while hiking the backcountry in the early season. Vault toilets are available in several locations along the road. Limited visitor services will be available over the next several weeks. Additionally, late spring storms may change the status of the road and cause temporary closures. For updated, 24-hour road conditions, please call 209-372-0200.

All campgrounds along the Tioga Road are closed. All commercial services, including the gas station, store, and village grill, are also closed. There are no anticipated opening dates for any of these facilities at this time.

NPS website indicates Tioga Road campgrounds tentative opening dates in "Jul?". Is that typical? I would like to try camping along the road other than at Tuolumne. Was thinking about in June. Too soon?

"jul" is offseason default setting on website. if you look at historical openings link, most tioga road campgrounds were open by mid-june last two years, some in late may. I don't think roadside camping away from the campgrounds (dispersed camping) is allowed along tioga road. I think most will open by mid-june, limited more by budget and manpower restraints than conditions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/03/2015 01:10PM by mkbgdns.

Quote
mkbgdns
. . . snip . . . I think most will open by mid-june, limited more by budget and manpower restraints than conditions.

I don't know about along Tioga, but Glacier Point and Bridalveil campground have bathrooms with leach fields.
They've both had problems with the water table being high enough that the leach fields don't work.
They can't open Bridalveil until the water table has dropped enough for them to open the bathrooms.
I think that's also led to problems with the bathrooms being closed at Glacier Point.

plus there's the "budget and manpower restraints"

FWIW, Tuolumne BP campground rules.
Last year they allowed you to stay over, (even when main campground was still closed), as long as you tell them you either hiked in and/or came by YARTS.
June weekends only - YARTS starts Mammoth - Valley 120 route...thus TM BP would be open?
BTW, Daily YARTS 120 east side starts July 1.