Caltrans maintenance crews based in Lee Vining are steadily clearing snow from State Route 120 West, Tioga Pass, the crucial corridor leading to Yosemite’s eastern entrance. The annual operation began in earnest after a series of late-winter storms and has already cleared significant portions of the highway. However, challenges remain as the team pushes westward toward the park boundary.
The snowpack in the central Sierra has been robust this year, with recent surveys reporting an average settled depth of 71 inches in the Tuolumne Meadows area as of early April. Crews have encountered deep drifts, rockfall, and debris—common obstacles in the high country after a winter marked by strong storms and fluctuating temperatures.
As of this week, the Lee Vining team has cleared a sizable stretch of State Route 120 West but still faces considerable work before the road can safely reopen to the public. Tasks include rebuilding rock berms and repairing guardrails damaged by snow and falling rocks—essential steps to ensure motorists’ safety once the route is accessible.
Drivers should anticipate intermittent delays as maintenance continues, especially when crews perform rock work along exposed sections of the highway. While State Route 120 West is open to Lee Vining, the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park, including Tioga Pass, remains closed until snow removal and repairs are complete. The National Park Service will provide updates on reopening timelines and visitor access as conditions evolve.
Tioga Road opened on June 10 last year and closed for the winter on November 14. The earliest it opened in the previous ten years was May 4, 2015, and the latest was July 22, 2023.
With the summer travel season approaching, Caltrans encourages travelers to check real-time road conditions using the Quickmap app or the Road Condition Hotline before heading into the Sierra. As weather and work progress, temporary closures and delays are possible.
At 9,945 feet, Tioga Pass is the highest highway pass in California and serves as the eastern gateway to Yosemite National Park. Connecting Mono County to Yosemite’s only east entrance, the pass provides access to the park’s high country, including Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Olmsted Point, as well as excellent spring backcountry skiing. Each year, Tioga Pass typically closes from November through May due to heavy snowfall, making travel to Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite’s east side impossible during winter. When the road reopens, locals and visitors celebrate the return of access to these scenic and less-crowded areas. While Tioga Pass is closed, all other park entrances—including those on Highway 120 from the west, Hetch Hetchy, Highway 140, and Highway 41—remain open throughout the year.
