Yosemite News Release
May 19, 2009
For Immediate Release
Media Contacts:
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
Tioga Road to Open in Yosemite National Park
Visitors urged to take safety precautions for upcoming Memorial Day Weekend
Yosemite National Park Acting Superintendent Dave Uberauga announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the
season on Wednesday, May 20 at 10:00 a.m. for all vehicle traffic. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by State
Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada. There will be no commercial services available along
the road until further notice. However, there will be gasoline available 24 hours per day (credit cards only). Additionally,
the Tuolumne Meadows Campground, other campgrounds along the corridor, and the Tuolumne Visitor Center will not be
open. There will be pit toilets available along the Tioga Road. All visitor services, including the campgrounds, store, gas
station, etc. will open over the next several weeks.
Visitors who are planning to visit Yosemite National Park over the upcoming Memorial Day weekend are urged to take
extra safety precautions, especially along the Merced River. With the current warm weather and accelerated snowmelt, the
river is running fast and water temperatures are very cold.
The park is expecting a very busy weekend. Visitors to Yosemite Valley are urged to take the free Yosemite Shuttle Bus
to help with traffic congestion over the weekend. Visitors should remember that the busiest part of the day to enter the park
is during the lunchtime hours. Short delays at entrance stations and heavy traffic within the Valley should be expected.
There are a limited number of first-come, first-served campsites available in the park. However, those are expected to fill
up as the weekend approaches. There are many opportunities for camping and overnight accommodations in the gateway
communities surrounding Yosemite National Park.
