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The majestic peaks and snow-dusted landscapes of Yosemite National Park never fail to inspire wonder. But they inspired concern, too, during the recent 35-day government shutdown. The park kept most of its gates open and fires still crackled in the grand Ahwahnee-era fireplaces of the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, but even Yosemite was not immune to the effects of the shutodwn.
Now the portions of the park that were shuttered during those five long weeks — the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, for example, and some snow play areas — have reopened. Rangers returned to their posts this week. And it’s time to head for the wilderness once more.
Park admission is $35 per car for a weeklong pass. (Hang on to that receipt. You’ll have to show it again every time you enter or exit the park.) An annual pass is $70, but if you’re going that route, go all in and get the $80 American the Beautiful pass which grants you a year’s admission to all the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands.
If you’re heading to Yosemite Valley, Yosemite’s Arch Rock Entrance near El Portal is the popular choice. And charming Mariposa is right on the way, with its covered sidewalks, Gold Rush-era buildings and terrific restaurants — plus a zip-line adventure park and soon, a chic Airstream glampground. Here’s what’s new.
Many Bay Area visitors enter the park through the Big Oak Flat Entrance near Groveland. It’s the closest gate to the Bay Area: 150 miles from Walnut Creek and 165 from San Jose. The Hetch Hetchy gate, which is open Thursday-Sunday, is close by. And the Gold Rush town of Groveland offers historic inns, family resorts and casual eateries — and the Wild West appeal of a 167-year-old saloon.
If you’re drawn by the giant sequoias of Mariposa Grove, which reopened last summer after a three-year environmental rehabilitation project, head for the park’s South Entrance. Like Arch Rock, it’s roughly 180 miles from the Bay Area, and the gateway towns at that end of the park — Fish Camp, Oakhurst and Coarsegold — offer creature comforts of their own, from a new brewery and taproom to wineries, bakeries, restaurants and cozy inns.
And if it’s the glories of Tuolumne Meadows and the great Tioga Pass you’re after, you’ll have to wait until the snowy, high-elevation road that traverses the park, running all the way to the eastern Tioga Pass Entrance near Lee Vining and Mono Lake, re-opens late this spring.
Until then, you’ll just have to be content with the utter splendor of the rest of Yosemite in winter. Carry snow chains. Check road conditions and park alerts at www.nps.gov/yose. And bring your sense of wonder.