Flood Concerns Will Close Yosemite Valley Starting Friday Night

Yosemite National Park announced in a tweet Tuesday afternoon that the eastern valley will be closed starting at 10 p.m. Friday due to Merced River flood concerns.

Most of Yosemite Valley will close starting Friday, April 28, at 10 pm, due to a forecast of flooding. This closure will last until Wednesday, May 3—possibly longer. Additional flooding and closures may occur later in May or June. (1/4)

— Yosemite National Park (@YosemiteNPS) April 25, 2023

The closure will continue through at least Wednesday, May 3, and possibly longer, the park tweeted.

Additional closures due to flooding could also occur later in May and in June, the park said.

Reservations for lodging and campgrounds will be automatically canceled and will be refunded.

Which Parts of the Park Will Remain Open?

The portions of the park that will remain open are Wawona, Mariposa Grove (by hike only), the Crane Flat area, Hetch Hetchy, and the western part of the Yosemite Valley.  In Yosemite Valley, the closure will be at the El Capitan crossover, and there will be no pedestrian or vehicular access east of that road.

No services will be available in the western Yosemite Valley.

Answers to Yosemite FAQs

Answers to questions about visiting Yosemite are available at this link.

Yosemite Valley Closure Area

(Yosemite National Park)