A main road through Yosemite National Park has closed

A key route through Yosemite National Park will close on Tuesday evening because of a late-season storm that’s expected to bring snowfall into the region.

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Tioga Road, a continuation of Highway 120 through the park, will be closed as of 5 p.m., according to the National Park Service. The iconic road is one of the highest mountain passes in the state and provides access to the eastern side of Yosemite for thousands of travelers each summer, according to the Mono County website.

The closure is temporary, but the Park Service did not say when the road would reopen. According to the National Weather Service, most of the snowfall will be in the central and southern Sierra from Tuesday through Thursday. Other temporary road closures include Highway 108 (Sonora Pass), Highway 89 (Monitor Pass) and Highway 4 (Ebbetts Pass). 

The 47-mile Tioga Road is typically open to vehicles from late May or June to November, and it’s otherwise impassible due to snow, according to the Park Service. 

The late storm comes as Tioga Road just opened for the season on May 14 to bikes and on May 15 to all traffic. The opening date varies each year, though, depending on weather conditions. For example, in 2023, Tioga Road didn’t open until July 22, breaking its previous record from 1917.

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During peak visitation periods, Tioga Road helps spread visitors around the park, easing congestion in Yosemite Valley, and that’s especially important now that the park has done away with its reservation system.

This story has been updated.