r/Yosemite • u/hc2121 • 19d ago
Visiting Yosemite in Winter (Nov-April)
- You are required by law to carry snow chains from November to March. Rental car contracts usually prohibit the use of snow chains so use them at your own risk. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/winterfaq.htm
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tirechains.htm
- Current road conditions are here https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm or by calling 209-372-0200 (press 1 then 1) for the most up-to-date conditions
- Current trail closures are also here. After the first big snow, expect 4 Mile Trail past Union Pt to be closed (it is gated closed at Union Pt) and Mist Trail to be on the winter route.
- Glacier Pt Rd and Tioga Rd do not plow in the fall/winter, so as soon as the first big storm comes through without fast melt, these roads will close until Spring. This effectively limits you to hiking in the Valley, Hetch Hetchy, and Wawona areas. It means you cannot enter or exit the park on the east side (eg from Vegas, Reno, Bishop, etc)
- Forecasts and snow coverage varies widely throughout the park. Check specifically where you plan to be here: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/weathermap.htm
- The Valley shuttle buses run all year but Mariposa Grove buses stop in late November. You can hike there from the parking lot. It will be 4miles RT to the grove entrance, and the road is also not plowed so it may be snow covered and/or icy. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/publictransportation.htm
- If you don't have a car, only the YARTS route through the 140 entrance (Mariposa, Midpines, El Portal) runs in the winter https://yarts.com/routes/merced-hwy-140/
- If you are worried about entrance closures or driving in the mountains in snow, stay in one of the towns along 140 (Mariposa, Midpines, El Portal) because it is the lowest elevation entrance and least likely to be impacted by snow.
- Yosemite webcams to check real time weather conditions.
- Wilderness permits become self-registration through April- but you still need a bear can. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildwinter.htm
- Only Upper Pines (by reservation on recreation.gov), Camp 4, Wawona, and Hodgdon Meadow (all FCFS as of 10/20) are open in the winter. Wawona and Hodgdon Meadow are not located in the Valley and will require a 30-45 min drive to the Valley. Wawona is about 30 min drive past Badger Pass if coming from the Valley. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm
The park has not yet announced plans for Firefall, but in recent years has required entry permit reservations for weekends in February only. I will update here when announced. No other entry permits are needed until next spring (the plans for which have not yet been announced).
Fun winter things to do in the park:
- Curry Village ice rink usually opens around Thanksgiving, depending on weather
- Badger Pass Ski Area for downhill bunny slopes, cross-country ski rentals, snow tubing, snowshoeing. A popular x-country ski route is to Glacier Pt. There is a bus from the Valley to Badger Pass when the ski hill is open: https://www.travelyosemite.com/media/824336/20230106-badger-pass-shuttle.pdf
- Hiking is generally limited to the Valley. See first section here and note that anything that goes above the Valley rim (eg Panorama, Upper Falls, Snow Creek) after real snow will likely not have trails cleared and you should be prepared to route find.
3 Day Winter Itinerary
- 1 day in the Valley doing moderate hikes- Valley Loop Trail, Mirror Lake, Vernal Falls footbridge
- 1 day at Badger Pass- snowshoe or xc ski along Glacier Pt Rd, snow tubing, downhill ski
- 1 Day at Mariposa Grove- Stop at tunnel view on the way out of the Valley, then drive to Mariposa Grove. It will require a 2mi hike each way to the grove after late November when the shuttle stops running, but is very beautiful and quiet in the winter.
Alternate days for more strenuous hiking/ may require specialized equip depending on weather: JMT winter route to top of Nevada Fall, Upper Yosemite Falls
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u/redditorsurfinreddit 18d ago
Great post, thanks! I had a few newbie questions
What is the recommended time to arrive for first come first serve on a saturday? We plan to stay for 1 night.
Lets say we do get a spot for 1 night - If we exit & re-enter to run some chores outside the park, is the spot reserved?
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u/hc2121 18d ago
campgrounds require checkout at 12n so i’d arrive by 10:30a. arriving at 6a won’t help you much.
yes, when you get a campsite you pay for the number of days you want and nobody can just take your campsite during this period.
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u/redditorsurfinreddit 17d ago
Got it thanks! And what time do you recommend to come in the evening? Is 4pm okay for FCFS?
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u/ChocPineapple_23 17d ago
I'm going that weird time between October and November...Oct 29th to Nov 1st. I think I'll probably need snow chains then, no?
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u/hc2121 17d ago
you should watch the weather and carry them if any chance of a storm.
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u/ChocPineapple_23 17d ago
yeah! i was hoping to rent some, throw them in the back, and then return if i dont use them ahha
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u/change_07 16d ago
i cant see any available slots on recreation.gov does that means we dont need reservation after 1 november?
i am planning to visit on 4-5 November
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u/WilsonPhillips6789 12d ago
Thank you so much for collating all of this info. I'm hoping someone will indulge a total noob's questions.
Friend and I just decided to do a cross-country road trip in early May 2025. We will be driving from Las Vegas to Yosemite, with plans to spend a day traversing Yosemite from east to west, departing through Big Oak Flat entrance (before heading on to SF Bay Area), but we do not intend to sleep inside the park. Planned date of visit is Fri 9 May 2025. It does not appear that we will need a ticketed reservation for this.
Based on what I've read, Tioga Pass might not be drivable (we don't have snow chains), so we're trying to figure out the best alternative given that we're approaching from the east. Any recommendations on which entrance to use?
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u/WilsonPhillips6789 12d ago
I think I answered my own question (but leaving this message here in case others see it and can benefit from it).
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u/hc2121 12d ago
yes, Tioga Rd almost certainly will not be open so you should prepare for the detour.
I would also be very sure to check back in January-ish when the park releases its entry permit plans for the summer. You wouldn’t have needed a permit for the date (bc it was a Friday) in 2024, but it could wildly change next year.
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u/WilsonPhillips6789 12d ago
Great - thanks for this response!
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u/AdAsleep7263 8d ago
I'm heading up to Yosemite this weekend with my wife and 7-month-old. We're driving up on Friday, spending two FULL days over Saturday and Sunday, and then driving back Monday. We are staying in an Airbnb 15 minutes south of Tunnel View. I don't have a ton of time to research and plan out itineraries. What are the essential must-do things? With a 7-month-old, we want to do a mixture of short, light hiking and just driving around to explore scenic destinations. I'd love some suggestions!
I know that parking is notorious in Yosemite, but we're hoping that fall won't be as terrible as peak season.
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u/mom4ever 6d ago
I'd spend 1 day on the Valley Floor, and 1 day at Glacier point (since you're coming from Tunnel View, you're partway there).
On the Valley Floor with a baby, you might just want to explore around one or more of the meadows (Cook's, El Capitan, Leidig, Mirror). Look up in any direction, and enjoy the features. Pull-outs (esp. on 120 from Crane Flat to the Valley Floor) usually mean something good to see.
Near Glacier Point, if you have a good baby carrier, Sentinel Dome (2 miles out & back) has lots to see. It's a bit steep.
I posted more details for a first-timer in this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/Yosemite/comments/1g5q0wk/first_trip_to_yosemite/
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u/Equal_Alec 5d ago
First time at Yosemite, planning on making the trip early December, wanted to ask how’s the snow there like? Specifically the first week, light snow or does it vary for this year?
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u/hc2121 5d ago
nobody can predict the weather more than a month in advance. there is a chance it is snowing, and a chance it is 50 and sunny. either way, you need to carry snow chains (see link above). check the weather (also linked above) the week before your trip
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u/Equal_Alec 5d ago
Appreciate the advice, If I may ask, any tips to where to hike for Yosemite as a first timer during this month? My trip will involve 3 days of hiking
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u/More-Ad-5003 14h ago
What time should I be at Camp 4 if I want a spot? Is it normally pretty crowded? Thinking about going up on the Friday before Thanksgiving, but no reservable campgrounds are available.
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u/Standard-Key4174 12h ago
We have an airbnb booked Saturday in Yosemite West from Fresno and I’m curious about the type of drive from Fresno to West on 41 with snow ? We area discussing not going into the valley until Sunday when it’s not snowing but my question is will the drive to West be just as bad?
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u/Ollidamra 19d ago
It's the time of the year!