Parks / Yosemite / Hetch Hetchy Entrance

Yosemite · Evergreen Road (off Hwy 120)

Yosemite Hetch Hetchy Entrance: this week

Daylight only — closes for snow Week of Nov 9–15, 2026

Hetch Hetchy is Yosemite's quiet northwest corner, a reservoir valley at about 3,900 feet reached on Evergreen and Hetch Hetchy roads off Hwy 120. NPS puts it about 1.5 hours from Yosemite Valley.

This week's conditions Risks here now Get GOES before you lose signal

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Rattlesnakes, poison oak and a sunset gate. Download GOES before the turnoff; its wildlife and poisonous-plant guidance works without a signal.

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Official conditions

This week at the Hetch Hetchy Entrance

From NPS pages and alerts fetched Nov 12, 2026. Each line links to its source.

Heads-upHetch Hetchy Road: open sunrise to sunset only, and closed when it's snowing or snow is forecast overnight. Day visitors must leave by sunset; the road is closed to all vehicles overnight. NPS NPS NPS API
OpenNo current trail closures in the Hetch Hetchy area. NPS
InfoSwimming and boating are prohibited in the reservoir (it's a drinking water supply). Pets aren't allowed on the dam or trails. NPS

Entrance fee: Private vehicle $35. Non-US residents 16+ pay an additional $100 nonresident fee unless entering with an annual / America the Beautiful pass. NPS fees NPS API

Weather

Forecast near the Hetch Hetchy Entrance

Snapshot from the National Weather Service, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live forecast loads below if you're online.Full NWS forecast

Period	Temp	Forecast	Wind
Tonight	40°F	Clear	5 to 10 mph
Thursday	73°F	Sunny	5 to 10 mph
Thursday Night	36°F	Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Light Rain	5 mph
Friday	56°F	Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms	5 to 15 mph
Friday Night	28°F	Showers And Thunderstorms then Rain	0 to 15 mph
Saturday	54°F	Chance Light Rain then Mostly Sunny	0 to 5 mph
Saturday Night	26°F	Partly Cloudy	0 to 10 mph
Sunday	56°F	Partly Sunny then Slight Chance Light Rain	0 to 5 mph

Know the risks

What actually matters here in mid-November

The goal is a good trip, not a scary one. These are the hazards NPS highlights for this area and season, and what to do about each.

Getting caught by darkness

Sunset comes early in mid-November and the gate closes at sunset. Turn around with daylight to spare: a twisted ankle on the Wapama Falls trail can turn into a cold night out. NPS NPS

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Rattlesnakes and poison oak

NPS's Hetch Hetchy page tells hikers to watch for rattlesnakes and poison oak. NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters (venomous snakes) + Poisonous Plants (poison oak, ivy, sumac)

Storm closures

Friday's NWS forecast here has rain and thunderstorms with a low near 28°F that night. If snow is forecast overnight, the road may not open. NWS NPS

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

Before you go in

Checklist for the Hetch Hetchy Entrance

Call before you drive209/372-0200, then press 1, 1 for current road conditions.
Be out before sunsetThe road is gated overnight.
Water, sunscreen and a mapNPS's own Hetch Hetchy checklist.
Download GOES before the turnoffSnakebite and poisonous-plant guidance that works offline.

Follow official NPS rules, posted closures and ranger instructions. They override anything on this page.

Park-wide

Yosemite risks everywhere in the park

Black bears in all areas

NPS: bears remain active in all areas of the park. Store food properly, use bear-proof dumpsters, and stay at least 50 yards from bears in forest and meadows — but yell at and scare away a bear that approaches you or is in a developed area. Yosemite has an estimated 300–500 black bears and no grizzlies. NPS NPS

In GOESWildlife Encounters: location-specific risk indicators for bears and other dangerous animals

Rivers and slick rock

Waterfalls are flowing low, as usual for November, but NPS still asks visitors to use caution along rivers and creeks: rocks are slippery even when dry. NPS

In GOESOffline interactive health assessment + 50+ visual how-to guides

Winter storm, chains and ice

NWS Hanford issued a Winter Storm Watch (Nov 11, until Nov 17, 4 am PST) for the park's southern area, and the forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms Friday, with snow possible at higher elevations. Carry chains even with 4WD and expect icy spots on mostly dry roads. NWS NPS NWS

In GOESEnvironmental Health: hypothermia and frostbite assessments

Smoke and air quality

The Dome Fire (Sept–Oct) was 86% contained with minimal activity as of NPS's Oct 13 update, and fire closures remain around the Glacier Point Road area. Air quality can still be affected by fires elsewhere or prescribed burns, so check current AQI before strenuous hikes. NPS NPS AirNow

In GOESRespiratory Hazards: smoke, pollution and pollen (AQI) monitoring

NPS alerts

All active Yosemite alerts

Pulled from the NPS Data API on Nov 12, 2026; the same alerts appear on nps.gov/yose.

Park ClosureTioga Road and Glacier Point Road will temporarily close on Nov. 12 at 5 pm. Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park) and Glacier Point Road will temporarily close on Thursday, November 12, at 5 pm due to a forecast of snow. Call 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1) to check road conditions in the park.
InformationNo overnight parking on Tioga & Glacier Point Roads. Overnight parking is not allowed on Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road, including all parking lots reachable from these roads.

Your outdoor safety companion

When signal drops, GOES steps in.

Rattlesnakes, poison oak and a sunset gate. Download GOES before the turnoff; its wildlife and poisonous-plant guidance works without a signal.

Works with no cell service: interactive health assessment and 50+ visual how-to guides, available offline.
Location-specific risks: wildlife (bears, venomous snakes), hypothermia, frostbite, heat illness, altitude, ticks, poisonous plants, UV and smoke/air quality.
200+ prevention tips across 60+ medical topics, also available offline.
Built by wilderness medicine physicians: founded by Dr. Grant Lipman, former Stanford Emergency Medicine professor and director of its wilderness medicine fellowship; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colin Little, MD, FAWM.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Free to download. Premium features need a monthly or annual subscription after a 7-day free trial. GOES provides guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. Follow official NPS rules and ranger instructions.

Other Yosemite entrances

Arch Rock EntranceOpen — Hwy 140 / El Portal Road
Big Oak Flat EntranceOpen — weekday delays
South EntranceOpen — Winter Storm Watch
Hetch Hetchy EntranceDaylight only — closes for snow

Yosemite overview, closures and park-wide risks →

Sources

Where this week's information comes from

Fetched Thu Nov 12, 2026 (JST), which is Wed Nov 11 evening in US time zones. We don't publish wait times, bear sightings or conditions we can't source. Check the official pages before you go — they're updated more often than we are.