Tioga Pass
The highest highway pass in California and the only road across Yosemite's high country. Plowing normally starts around April 15, and the opening date swings more than almost any road in the Sierra — April 8 in the 1977 drought, July 22 after the record 2023 winter.
This year
Live plow-season reports load here. For today's conditions, go straight to Yosemite NP's status page.
Conditions change by the hour at 9,943 feet — check Yosemite NP's status page before you drive.
Plow progress: Yosemite NP's plowing updates.
The record
Usually opens in late May or June; the biggest winters have held it shut into July. Stays open until the first big lasting storm, usually mid-November. The winter closure covers Tioga Road between Crane Flat and Tioga Pass.
Will it be open for your trip?
| If your dates start… | The road was already open in | That's |
|---|---|---|
| May 15 | 22 of 68 years | 32% |
| June 1 | 49 of 68 years | 72% |
| June 15 | 57 of 68 years | 84% |
| July 1 | 67 of 68 years | 99% |
| July 15 | 67 of 68 years | 99% |
| August 1 | 68 of 68 years | 100% |
Odds come from the full record below — past springs, not a promise about this one.
Every year on record
| Year | Opened | Closed | April 1 snowpack | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | May 26 | November 12 | 72% | |
| 2024 | June 10 | November 11 | 99% | |
| 2023 | July 22 | November 15 | 244% | Latest opening on the books after the record 2023 winter. |
| 2022 | May 27 | October 31 | 41% | |
| 2021 | May 27 | October 21 | 63% | |
| 2020 | June 15 | November 5 | 46% | Opening delayed by the COVID-19 park closure. |
| 2019 | July 1 | November 19 | 176% | |
| 2018 | May 21 | November 20 | 67% | |
| 2017 | June 29 | November 14 | 177% | |
| 2016 | May 18 | November 16 | 89% | |
| 2015 | May 4 | November 1 | 7% | Driest April 1 snowpack on the books — 7 percent of median. |
| 2014 | May 2 | November 13 | 33% | |
| 2013 | May 11 | November 18 | 52% | |
| 2012 | May 7 | November 8 | 43% | |
| 2011 | June 18 | December 31 | 178% | Stayed open to New Year's Eve. |
| 2010 | June 5 | January 17, 2011 | 107% | Stayed open to January 17 — the latest close on the books. |
| 2009 | May 19 | November 12 | 92% | |
| 2008 | May 21 | October 30 | 99% | |
| 2007 | May 11 | December 6 | 46% | |
| 2006 | June 17 | November 27 | 129% | |
| 2005 | June 24 | November 25 | 163% | |
| 2004 | May 14 | October 17 | 83% | |
| 2003 | May 31 | October 31 | 65% | |
| 2002 | May 22 | November 5 | 95% | |
| 2001 | May 12 | November 11 | 67% | |
| 2000 | May 18 | November 9 | 97% | |
| 1999 | May 28 | November 23 | 110% | |
| 1998 | July 1 | November 12 | 156% | |
| 1997 | June 13 | November 12 | 105% | |
| 1996 | May 13 | November 5 | 111% | |
| 1995 | June 30 | December 11 | 178% | |
| 1994 | May 25 | November 10 | 51% | |
| 1993 | June 3 | November 24 | 159% | |
| 1992 | May 15 | November 10 | 58% | |
| 1991 | May 26 | November 14 | 79% | |
| 1990 | May 17 | November 19 | 45% | |
| 1989 | May 12 | November 24 | 83% | |
| 1988 | April 29 | November 14 | 31% | |
| 1987 | May 2 | November 13 | 51% | |
| 1986 | May 24 | November 29 | 137% | |
| 1985 | May 8 | November 12 | 97% | |
| 1984 | May 19 | November 8 | 85% | |
| 1983 | June 29 | November 11 | 224% | |
| 1982 | May 28 | November 15 | 131% | |
| 1981 | May 15 | November 12 | 77% | |
| 1980 | June 6 | December 2 | 144% | |
| 1979 | May 18 | — | — | |
| 1978 | June 3 | — | — | |
| 1977 | April 8 | — | — | Drought-year opening on April 8 — earliest on the books. |
| 1976 | April 10 | — | — | |
| 1975 | May 29 | — | — | |
| 1974 | May 17 | — | — | |
| 1973 | May 18 | — | — | |
| 1972 | April 20 | — | — | |
| 1971 | May 14 | — | — | |
| 1970 | May 16 | — | — | |
| 1969 | June 7 | — | — | |
| 1968 | May 10 | — | — | |
| 1967 | June 17 | — | — | |
| 1966 | May 28 | — | — | |
| 1965 | May 29 | — | — | |
| 1964 | May 15 | — | — | |
| 1963 | May 30 | — | — | |
| 1962 | May 23 | — | — | |
| 1961 | April 21 | — | — | |
| 1960 | May 13 | — | — | |
| 1958 | June 22 | — | — | |
| 1957 | May 25 | — | — |
Record drawn from NPS Yosemite: historical seasonal opening and closing dates · NPS Yosemite: Tioga Road plowing updates . Last checked August 14, 2026.