The park, known for its stunning rock formations, gushing waterfalls and pristine meadows is usually open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to the National Park Service’s Yosemite website.
Yosemite National Park will restore minimal public access starting Saturday, March 18, 2023. Yosemite Valley will be open from sunrise to sunset starting Saturday, with very limited services available. 1/11
But after severe storms deposited up to 15 feet of snow in parts of the park in late February, all access to the popular tourist destination was suspended and crews have been working to clear roads and restore key infrastructure.
Snow blankets Yosemite National Park on Feb. 23, 2023. | Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
The latest information posted on the Yosemite website says: “Yosemite Valley will be open from sunrise to sunset starting Saturday, with very limited services available. Access will be via Hwy 140 only. Hetch Hetchy will also open, 8 am to 5 pm.”
Wawona tunnel is seen as snow blanketed Yosemite National Park on Feb. 23, 2023. | Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Anyone willing to brave the chilly early spring conditions in the park should be prepared for more winter weather. Current forecasts show snow descending on the valley starting on Sunday and continuing through the first half of the week.
According to Drew Tuma, a meteorologist for ABC 7, Yosemite could get as much as 2 feet of snow between Tuesday and Wednesday.
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