Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Tioga Pass opened Saturday June 5, 2010

Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

The official word is that Tioga Pass (Hwy 120 to Yosemite National Park) will open at 8 am Saturday June 5th, 2010. All facilities along Tioga Road will remain closed indefinitely. The snowpack is quite deep for this late in the season along the road.

Access to Yosemite is also free this weekend in honor of National Trails Day. Other free days this year will include August 14-15, September 25, and November 11.