# Yosemite National Park this week

> Week of Nov 9–15, 2026 · CA · Snow on the way: Tioga and Glacier Point roads close Nov 12 at 5 pm. Facts fetched Nov 12, 2026 from official NPS and NWS sources.

HTML version: https://parks.goes.health/parks/yosemite/

Yosemite is open 24 hours a day, but the high country is shutting down. NPS announced that Tioga Road (Hwy 120 through the park) and Glacier Point Road temporarily close Thursday, Nov 12 at 5 pm because snow is forecast. Wawona Road (Hwy 41), El Portal Road (Hwy 140) and Big Oak Flat Road (Hwy 120 west) are open. Carry tire chains: they can become mandatory at any time, even for 4WD. Sources: [NPS Yosemite alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)

## Entrances open this week

- [Arch Rock Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/yosemite/arch-rock-entrance.md) (El Portal / Mariposa (Hwy 140)): **Open — Hwy 140 / El Portal Road**. Arch Rock is the Highway 140 entrance from Merced, Mariposa and El Portal, along the Merced River. NPS puts it about 20–25 minutes from Yosemite Valley.
- [Big Oak Flat Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/yosemite/big-oak-flat-entrance.md) (Groveland (Hwy 120 west)): **Open — weekday delays**. Big Oak Flat is the Highway 120 entrance from the Bay Area via Groveland, next to Hodgdon Meadow. With Tioga Road closing, Hwy 120 inside the park now leads only toward Crane Flat and Yosemite Valley (about 45 minutes away).
- [South Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/yosemite/south-entrance.md) (Fish Camp / Oakhurst (Hwy 41)): **Open — Winter Storm Watch**. The South Entrance on Highway 41 from Fresno, Oakhurst and Fish Camp leads to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Wawona, and then Yosemite Valley, a little over an hour north.
- [Hetch Hetchy Entrance](https://parks.goes.health/parks/yosemite/hetch-hetchy-entrance.md) (Evergreen Road (off Hwy 120)): **Daylight only — closes for snow**. 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.

## Closed or limited this week

- **Tioga Pass Entrance (Hwy 120 east, from Lee Vining).** Tioga Road temporarily closes Thu Nov 12 at 5 pm for forecast snow, and no overnight parking is allowed on it. NPS says the Tioga Pass Entrance is closed from approximately November through late May or June, so there's no entrance page for it this week. Sources: [NPS Yosemite alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [NPS Data API (parks, operating hours, fees)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/developer/api-documentation.htm)
- **Glacier Point Road.** Temporarily closes Thu Nov 12 at 5 pm for forecast snow. Part of the Glacier Point Road area remains under a Dome Fire safety closure. Sources: [NPS Yosemite alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)

**Entrance fee:** Private vehicle $35. Non-US residents 16+ pay an additional $100 nonresident fee unless entering with an annual / America the Beautiful pass. Sources: [NPS Yosemite fees & passes](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm); [NPS Data API (parks, operating hours, fees)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/developer/api-documentation.htm)

## What matters in Yosemite right now

- **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. Sources: [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [Yosemite bears](https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/bears.htm)
  - In GOES: Wildlife 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. Sources: [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
  - In GOES: Offline 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. Sources: [NWS Hanford: Winter Storm Watch (issued Nov 11, until Nov 17 4 am PST)](https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.507&lon=-119.632); [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [National Weather Service point forecasts (api.weather.gov, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.weather.gov/)
  - In GOES: Environmental 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. Sources: [Dome Fire update, Oct 13, 2026](https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/news/dome-fire-update-october-13-2026-morning.htm); [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm); [AirNow fire & smoke map](https://fire.airnow.gov/)
  - In GOES: Respiratory Hazards: smoke, pollution and pollen (AQI) monitoring

## Active Yosemite NPS alerts

From the NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12, 2026. Live: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

- **[Park Closure] Tioga 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.
- **[Information] No 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.

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

## Get the GOES app before the gate

**When signal drops, GOES steps in.** Black bears active in every part of the park, slick granite by the rivers, and a winter storm on the way. GOES works offline, so its assessment and how-to guides still help if a fall or a cold soaking happens out of signal.

GOES — Outdoor Health & Safety is your outdoor safety companion: an offline interactive health assessment, 50+ visual how-to guides, 200+ prevention tips across 60+ medical topics, and location-specific risk indicators (wildlife, cold, heat, altitude, ticks, poisonous plants, UV, smoke). Built by wilderness medicine physicians: founded by Dr. Grant Lipman; Chief Medical Officer Dr. Colin Little, MD, FAWM.

- iOS (App Store): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/goes-outdoor-health-safety/id1576527901
- Android (Google Play): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goes.mobile
- About GOES: https://goes.health/platform

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.

## Sources

- [NPS Yosemite alerts (NPS Data API, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
- [Yosemite Current Conditions (updated Nov 11, 2026)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/conditions.htm)
- [NPS Yosemite fees & passes](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/fees.htm)
- [NPS Data API (parks, operating hours, fees)](https://www.nps.gov/subjects/developer/api-documentation.htm)
- [Yosemite bears](https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/nature/bears.htm)
- [NWS Hanford: Winter Storm Watch (issued Nov 11, until Nov 17 4 am PST)](https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=37.507&lon=-119.632)
- [National Weather Service point forecasts (api.weather.gov, fetched Nov 12)](https://www.weather.gov/)
- [Dome Fire update, Oct 13, 2026](https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/news/dome-fire-update-october-13-2026-morning.htm)
- [AirNow fire & smoke map](https://fire.airnow.gov/)
- [NPS Yosemite National Park](https://www.nps.gov/yose/index.htm)
- [Yosemite driving directions, fuel & GPS warning](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/driving.htm)
- [Yosemite operating hours (Hetch Hetchy daylight hours)](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hours.htm)
- [Yosemite: Hetch Hetchy day hikes](https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hetchhetchy.htm)

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*GOES provides guidance. It is not a substitute for professional medical care. ParkReady Guides is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Park Service. Always follow official NPS rules, posted closures and ranger instructions. Conditions change quickly; check the linked NPS pages before you go. In an emergency, call 911.*

ParkReady Guides by GOES Health · Week of Nov 9–15, 2026 · facts fetched Nov 12, 2026 from NPS and NWS. Agent overview: https://parks.goes.health/llms.txt · Conditions feed (JSON): https://parks.goes.health/conditions.json