Reader Question: Does Yosemite Ever Close?
Seeing as how today is a National Holiday remembering the work of Martin Luther King Jr. I thought this reader question was very appropriate. Kris wrote in to ask, “Does Yosemite ever close?”
The answer is…sorta. Yosemite does not close for holidays or weekends. There are always staff available to help. Most of the concessionaires stores and restaurants may go to modified hours but a lot of services are still available even on holidays.
That said, Yosemite has CLOSED on 2 occasions in recent history, overcrowding and the big flood back in the 1990’s. Both times visitors were turned away at the gates. I have also once been at the gates when only people passing through or headed to the high country were allowed in. Visitors wanting to go to the Valley were being turned back or asked to change their itinerary.
So, if you’re thinking about heading up on a holiday the answer is, don’t worry about it. Yosemite is open 24/7/365. Just be sure to tell your friends how great Tahoe is supposed to be the weekend you plan on heading into the park. 
Thanks Kris!
For a little over 30 years now I've enjoyed hiking, backpacking, fishing, photographing and exploring Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada. Yosemite Blog presents me with the opportunity to share, with you, the beauty and the grandeur of Yosemite and the High Sierra. Read the 