It's time to schedule those postponed, delayed or just as-yet-unplanned trips to Yosemite National Park.
Following severe winter storms, record-breaking snowfall, and atmospheric rivers that caused damage to the area, Yosemite partially reopened on Saturday, March 18 after closing on February 23.
"Yosemite Valley will be open from sunrise to sunset... with very limited services available," the park's official account Tweeted. "Hetch Hetchy will reopen from 8 am to 5 pm daily but will only be accessible via Highway 120 west of Yosemite and Evergreen Road."
Currently, visitors can only access Yosemite Valley via Highway 140 and El Portal Road, with a short detour in El Portal. All other roads and areas of the park, including Big Oak Flat and Wawona Roads, remain closed. Visitors can call 209-372-0200 to check road conditions. Road closures and tire chain requirements are also still possible.
And if you're expecting sunny central California weather in Yosemite, you may want to reconsider your packing list. Several miles of paved pedestrian paths in Yosemite Valley are plowed, but all hiking trails are still covered in snow. "Wear waterproof boots and traction devices as even plowed paths can be icy," Yosemite Park recommends. Park officials do not recommend hiking directly on the snow.
Park recovery efforts are ongoing to open more areas of the 747,956-acre national park.