Map of Yosemite reopenings: Yes for Highway 120 to the valley, no for Half Dome and Tioga Road

Yosemite National Park lifted some closures this week, though the heavy snowpack is delaying other openings for the summer season.

Open (green numbers)

1/ Big Oak Flat Road. The 4-mile stretch of Highway 120 between the Big Oak Flat entrance station and Merced Groves reopened at 7 a.m. Friday, June 9. It had suffered damage over the winter that required repair and prevented access to Yosemite Valley. Drivers should expect delays as the last stages of work continue.

2/ Mariposa Grove shuttle. The shuttle is running as of Friday, June 9. Road damage had caused a delay of more than three weeks in the seasonal opening. Only people with disability placards can drive their own cars to the grove.

3/ Yosemite Valley campgrounds. Lower Pines, North Pines and Housekeeping Camp have been reopened as flooding of the Merced River subsides. On Friday, June 9, the river was a foot below minor flood stage at both Happy Isles and Pohono Bridge, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Still closed (red numbers)

1/ Half Dome cables. The installation of the posts and cables that allow hikers to reach Half Dome’s summit has been delayed because of heavy snow. The permits required for the Half Dome hike have been canceled through June 13. Hikers who have permits for days when the trail remains closed will not have to pay the $10-a-person fee, but there is no refund of the application fee and no priority will be given for substitute dates.

2/ John Muir Trail. The segment between Clark Point and the Panorama Trail junction (near the top of Nevada Fall) has been closed because of trail instability. The Mist Trail remains open for hikers to Nevada Fall.

3/ Tioga Road. Highway 120 between Crane Flat and Lee Vining will reopen “later than usual,” the park said, but no date has been set. The park’s plowing update says: “In the previous snowiest years, Tioga Road opened in late June or early July. There is no way to provide a more precise estimate for this year.”  The closure affects park attractions including lodging and camping at White Wolf and Tuolumne Meadows and the trailheads for the high Sierra camps.

4/ Glacier Point Road. In addition to the plowing of heavy snow, this road has construction work to be completed and will not open until July at the earliest. The closure applies to bicyclists and pedestrians as well as vehicle traffic.

For updates on closures, see Yosemite’s “Plan Your Visit” webpage.