We'll be in Yosemite for the first time next Thu-Sat. I've been looking through trail information at http://www.yosemitehikes.com/ but I just found out that Tioga Rd and Glacier Point Rd are already closed so I assume many of the trails I was interested in (like 4 mile trail) will be closed. I've read that the waterfalls will be pretty dry too. Can anyone recommend trails that would be worth the effort this time of year? I have the Mariposa Grove trail on my list.

Thanks.

Bring x-country skis!

Ack! Don't say that. Besides the fact that I've never done cross country skiing, I'm recovering from a back injury so I don't need to be swerving around or taking any spills. A friend said she thought they had guided snowshoe tours from Badger Pass to Glacier Point. That might be interesting if they are running.

Xcountry skiis?

There should still be hikes to take.
Valley Area:
Mirror lake should be nice. Begin at Mirror Lake Trailhead near shuttle stop #17
Cooks Meadow Loop 1 mile: Begin at Valley Visitor Center near shuttle stop #5 or #9
Valley Loop: It's long like 6 miles but flat: Begin at Camp 4 shuttle stop #7
You can always jike ot Vernal Falls: Trail Head near Happy Isle

Wawona Hikes:

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wawonahikes.htm

You can snowshoe around Badger Pass but you will not get to Glacier point; it's a 15 mile round trip. But just snowshoeing on the edges of the ski area and getting to the top will give you a nice view of the Sierra.

Pictures 5 & 6 were taken while snowshoeing around the Badger ski area:

http://tinyurl.com/5phbct

Thanks for the trail info and wonderful pics.

Can we rent snowshoes somewhere and go out on our own or do we need to take a guided trip?

You rent the snowshoes at the Badger ski area and just take off in any direction you want to. I believe that they might also offer guided circuits, but that is completely unnecessary.

Tioga and Glacier Point roads may have closed for the season, but I wouldn't count on there being enough snow for skiing or snowshoeing. Get confirmation from Badger Pass or Yosemite about those conditions before making firm plans.

Certainly, there will still be enough hikes around the valley floor to enjoy.

The NPS website says "all trails are open" so you could still hike up to the top of Nevada Falls and into Little Yosemite Valley. Ot to the tops of Yosemite Falls.

The views are still terrific even if the falls are not full.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/valleyhikes.htm

You can still hike round trip up the 4-mile trail from the Valley to Glacier Point, (although that makes it more like 9 miles).

Check with the rangers when you arrive. If there hasn't been much rain, I'm not sure if Mirror Lakes is worthwhile.

Is Glacier Point Rd closed for the season or could it open up again if the snow melts? Not that I'm putting a lot of faith in the forecast but it's pretty clear so far. I'm not sure I'm up to the round trip or that I want to spend all day on that single trail. If the road is closed but the 4 mile trail is still open, do I assume we'd be hiking in snow at the top? I don't see major snow in any of the live webcam views but maybe it's hidden under the trees.

You might want to read the daily news report on the nps website. There is more info there about closures and weather. A storm is expected over the weekend so I would doubt that the road will be reopened. You'll probably need to check in just before you arrive to find out about current trail conditions.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/parknews/index.htm

"Is Glacier Point Rd closed for the season or could it open up again if the snow melts? "

Once Tioga Pass and Glacier Point rds close for the season - that is it. They won't re-open until next Spring.

I thought so too, but because the first snowfall was relatively early, the NPS website said that the closure would be reevaluated. However given that there is a storm on the way, I doubt that there is any chance.

Here was the news release on October 30.

Date: October 30, 2008


With the arrival of the first winter storm of the season, the Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park will close this evening at 7:00 p.m. The storm is bringing rain to the Sierra Nevada region with significant snowfall expected at higher elevations.

Once the storm has passed, an assessment will be made on the reopening of the Tioga Road.

This year is not early at all. The average closing date for Tioga Pass is Nov 1 and it has closed as early as Sept 9.

Glacier point rd is normally open from June to October but w/ limited access to Badger Pass after that.

Thanks for all the helpful links and information. I picked up a book on Yosemite at the library today which will hopefully make it easier to compare the different trails.

My favorite book on Yosemite is "Yosemite National Park, A Natural-History Guide to Ysoemite and Its Trails", by Jeffrey P. Schaffer.

The hiking trail information is terrific.

One trail that can be good for early/late season hiking is the upper Yosemite falls trail. It's a pretty stiff hike from the valley floor to the top, but the trail is on the south facing side of the valley, and so the snow clears much quicker.