Road conditions can change between booking a room and driving to Yosemite. This guide explains which road to check for each entrance and where to find live updates. It is a planning guide, not a live road-status feed. Before every drive, check the official sources below.
Check conditions before you leave
- Yosemite National Park current conditions lists park road and facility updates. For the most up-to-date park road information, call 209-372-0200 and press 1, then 1.
- Caltrans QuickMap shows state-highway closures, chain controls, and traffic incidents outside the park. Also see Caltrans highway conditions.
- Recheck both sources on your travel day, especially after a storm or when planning a high-country route. Follow posted road signs if a navigation app disagrees.
Which Yosemite entrance road are you using?
Highway 120 west: Big Oak Flat
This is the Groveland and Buck Meadows approach to Yosemite Valley and Crane Flat. Big Oak Flat Road is separate from the seasonal Tioga Road crossing through the park. A winter closure of Tioga Road does not automatically mean the western Highway 120 entrance is closed. Weather, incidents, and chain requirements can still affect the route.
Highway 140: Arch Rock
The Merced River corridor runs through Mariposa and El Portal to the Arch Rock Entrance. Check Highway 140 with Caltrans and El Portal Road with the park. A lodging address in Mariposa, Midpines, or El Portal can mean a very different drive to Yosemite Valley.
Highway 41: South Entrance
The Oakhurst and Fish Camp route enters near Wawona and Mariposa Grove. Wawona Road continues toward Yosemite Valley. Check the entire drive, including any chain controls and the separate status of Glacier Point Road if that overlook is part of your trip.
Highway 120 east: Tioga Pass
Tioga Road connects the eastern entrance near Lee Vining with Yosemite’s high country when open. It closes seasonally because of snow; opening and closing dates vary by year. If it is closed, there is no drive across the park from Lee Vining on Highway 120. Do not book an east-side room for a Yosemite Valley day without checking the actual route.
Hetch Hetchy Road
Hetch Hetchy is a separate park destination, not a shortcut to Yosemite Valley. Its gate has limited daytime hours and can close in weather. Check the park’s current conditions and gate hours before setting out.
What about Highway 108 and Sonora Pass?
Highway 108 is a separate Sierra corridor serving Sonora, Strawberry, Pinecrest, and Sonora Pass. It is not a Yosemite entrance. Sonora Pass has its own seasonal closure schedule, independent of Tioga Pass. If your stay is near Pinecrest Lake, plan it as a Highway 108 trip and map any Yosemite outing in full. See our Pinecrest and Strawberry lodging guide.
Choose lodging after checking the route
For a Yosemite Valley trip, compare Groveland on Highway 120, Mariposa or El Portal on Highway 140, and Oakhurst or Fish Camp on Highway 41. The closest entrance is not always closest to the part of the park you want to visit. Our five-entrance guide explains the trade-offs; the west entrance towns guide helps compare lodging bases.
Travel information checked September 2026. Always rely on the National Park Service and Caltrans for current status, chain rules, and closures.
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