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 open!

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 on May 9, 2009. Photo by Elin Ljung.
Tioga Pass on May 9, 2009. Photo by Elin Ljung.

According to the National Park Service, Tioga Pass will open May 20, 2009 at 10:00 am, conditions permitting!

EDITOR’s NOTE: THE PASS OPENED TUESDAY EVENING MAY 19TH.

Tioga Pass (Highway 120) is a major route across the Sierra Nevada, and the only road that goes through Yosemite National Park. The road typically closes around the end of November each year, and doesn’t reopen until this time or later in the spring.

So if you’re on the west side of the Sierra, come on over and visit Mono Lake! Those of us on the east side will be gladly driving through on Hwy 120 to visit the foothills, the Central Valley, and the California coast. As always, please drive safely and watch for bears and wildlife through the park. See you soon!