Is Yosemite Open?

Short answer is yes. But this summer is going to be different.

If you remember, many parts of the park were open on a very limited basis last year due to the COVID pandemic. It was a complicated equation involving the Park Service, the State of California, and Tuolumne County, all of whom had a vested interest. So while you could go backpacking (within the quotas), most of the campgrounds themselves were closed.

That looks like again this year. The High Sierra Camps, that string of tent camps in and around Tuolumne Meadows, are now officially closed for 2021. They were also closed last year. And it looks like both the lodge at Tuolumne Meadows and White Wolf are also going to be closed. That's the Tuolumne River as it goes through the Meadows below.

“Yosemite Hospitality and the National Park Service have been working closely on operating plans for the summer season with a focus on the continuing impacts of COVID-19. It has been determined that Tuolumne Meadows Lodge will be closed this summer for the health and safety of park staff and lodge guests.”

“Yosemite Hospitality and the National Park Service have been working closely on operating plans for the summer season with a focus on the continuing impacts of COVID-19. It has been determined that White Wolf Lodge will be closed this summer for the health and safety of park staff and lodge guests.”

Camping will be quite limited---only the Tuolumne Meadows Campground will be open on Tioga Road---so no camping at Porcupine Creek, Tamarack, etc. And all camping will be by reservation--no first come, first served sites at all.

Clearly, if you want to visit Yosemite this year, you will be spending a lot of time on your computer, hoping that someone cancels and you can get a campsite or a backpacking permit.