Remember the Leave No Trace Principles and pack out what you pack in.Traveling off trail is a leading cause of hiking accidents in Yosemite. Wilderness, by definition, is an unpredictable and even hazardous place, so stay on the designated trails.The road is down to one lane in between Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake, so be prepared for potential delays. Currently (as of July 2023), there are sections of Tioga Road that are damaged and still under construction.Check the official NPS website prior to visiting for the most up-to-date weather and road conditions.Two stops I’d highly recommend right now are the falls/cascades along the South Fork Tuolumne River and Tioga Pass Falls (aka Quaking Aspen Falls) near the Yosemite Creek Picnic Area. There are multiple points along Tioga Road where seasonal waterfalls are raging. The record-breaking precipitation this year has also resulted in impressive water flow along creeks and rivers.

Marked trails may be hard or even impossible to follow.so make sure to travel with reliable navigation. If you are planning on adventuring here, please stay on trails to protect growing plants and plan for wet feet. Many meadows and some trails are flooded and snow is still present at higher elevations. Make sure to visit the official Yosemite NPS website before your trip for the most up-to-date and accurate information. Watch for one-lane sections on this drive and be prepared for possible delays, especially in between Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake. T he average percentage is 4,7%.As a result of the remarkable winter and spring weather this region experienced, Tioga Road has sustained noticeable damage. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 957 meters. Starting at Lee Vining, the ascent is 19,96 km long. Predicting when these roads will open is not possible, even in late spring, because April and May weather significantly affects plowing progress. Snow clearing of the Tioga Road normally begins on or about April 15 each year and usually takes between one and two months. The weather on this zone is harsh and highly unpredictable and it does not take much time for the bright sun shine to change over to moderate to heavy snow fall.

In 2004, however, the road closed for the winter on October 17, the earliest closing in at least 25 years. In light snow years, the road could be closed in December and open as soon as April. In heavy snow years, the road usually closes in early-October and could open as late as mid-July. Set high in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, the road is generally open to vehicle traffic only from late spring (usually late May or early June) through mid-fall (usually until the first significant snowfall in November). These dates are subject to considerable variation. There are no guard rails along most of the drive, so if you go off the road, it's a thousand-foot drop down the side of the mountain. It is a wide two-lane road with many turnout areas to pull off and soak in the absolutely spectacular scenery.

This is a very beautiful Alpine drive, but the road is up/down and twisty, curvy all the time. There are several trailheads into the Yosemite backcountry which begin at Tioga Pass, including the trail to the Gaylor Lakes to the west/northwest, and the rough trail to the summit of Mount Dana. This scenic drive through forests and past meadows, lakes, and granite domes offers sweeping views. There are many turnouts with broad and beautiful vistas. It’s said to be one of the best drives in California, with hundreds of opportunities to hike and explore Yosemite's backcountry and provides instant access to spectacular Sierra high country. The road was built in 1882-1883 as a mining road and was realigned and modernized in 1961. It’s said to be the highest highway pass in California and in the Sierra Nevada. The road is 108km (67.3 miles) long, running east-west from Lee Vining to Big Oak Flat. Tucked away in the east central portion of California, the road to the summit is called Tioga Road.

Tioga road opening