Once-in-a-year ride in Yosemite on Tioga Pass Road (updated 2024)

Bicycling on opening day- pictures, itinerary, and planning tips

Picture by the author (like all other pictures).

TLDR- If you are here for just the links:

1. Check here for the opening date or sign up at istiogaopen.com to get notified
2. [new 2024] You need a reservation to enter Yosemite on some days. Check here.
3. The starting point of the ride (free car parking) is Tuolomne Grove Trailhead. No water available.
4. Camp 4 reservations are here (lottery on the previous day only, 10% success rate). If unlucky, camp on Evergreen road anywhere by the roadside
5. Strava route

Yosemite has always held a special place in my heart. From the mammoth granite peaks to the crystal clear alpine lakes, from the beautiful wildlife to the giant sequoia trees, from the starry nights to spectacular sunsets, each time I visit the park, it captivates me in a new way.

In the past, I have explored the park by vehicle and on foot. Although I love to bicycle, I had heard that the park was not well-suited for bicyclists because of the large amounts of (speedy) vehicular traffic and because most scenic roads lacked a shoulder. Naturally, I thought I would never get to explore it on my bicycle. Until yesterday.

“Krishna, you should join us for the ride to Tioga”, my friend Sam said, just as he pulled up to me during one of our Friday coffee rides. That was the first time I heard about it, so I enquired a little more to understand the ride. As he explained, everything about the ride seemed enticing- a bicycle ride through one of the most popular roads in Yosemite National Park WITHOUT any vehicles, mild gradients, spectacular views, and some pleasant weather. It didn't take much convincing after that for me to make up my mind.

The itinerary

Cloud’s Rest on the left and Half Dome on the right. At Olmstead Point.

The plan was fairly simple. We would ride the Tioga Pass Road (also known as Highway 120) on one of the three days reserved for bicyclists only before the road opened to all vehicular traffic (the road is typically closed for six months during the winter because of snow).

1. We drove to the entrance of Yosemite on the day before the opening
2. We camped at Evergreen road which is just a few miles before the entrance to the park. The road was not a National park, but part of a National forest, where dispersed camping was free. But remember to bring your own water!
3. The next day morning, we packed up our tents and drove for approximately 20 minutes to the Tuolumne Grove Trailhead. That was the starting point of our bicycle ride.
4. We rode from 8am to 7pm on Tioga Pass Road (more details in the next section). Sunset was at 8:15pm, so that gave us a sufficient buffer in case of hiccups on the ride.
5. After finishing our ride, we drove back home the same day.

The ride

The road had a considerable amount of uphill- 8,200 feet over 100 miles. I had never done that much climbing or riding in a single day, so I was quite hesitant to commit to such a treacherous ride. Thankfully, the whole ride was an out-and-back on Tioga Pass Road. So I could turn back sooner if I wanted to (I did). There were about four natural options for turning around based on the terrain:

1. Olmstead point (50 miles)
2. Tenaya Lake (60 miles)
3. Tioga Pass (90 miles)
4. Lee Vining (120 miles)

The weather and the euphoria kept me going until Lee Vining, and although I find the back side (past Tioga pass) much more beautiful because of its raw, rugged, martian terrain, I wouldn’t have regretted turning around earlier if I had to — it’s all beautiful!

The first section until the Olmstead point has winding roads as you make your way up the coniferous mountains. You are gifted with a grand view of the Cloud’s Rest vista at the top.

The second section until Tenaya lake is all downhill. Depending on the sun and clouds, the lake water keeps changing colors, so keep an eye out for that!

The third section until Tioga Pass is again uphill, but this time you will be biking through rich green meadows.

The final section until Lee Vining is a hair-raising downhill through the canyon carved by Lee Vining Creek. Be careful- the winds can be quite turbulent in the canyon (as reported by my friends).

Planning tips

When does the road open?

Typically in late May or early June. The exact opening date will appear on this website depending on snowpack and plowing progress.

Weather

The temperature can swing wildly during the ride. I observed significant shifts between the leeward and windward sides of the mountains. Ditto when clouds covered the sun. Altitudes also play a role. So does the time of day. Bottom line- carry layers! I packed a base layer, cycling jersey, a windbreaker, a thermal layer, and gloves. I used all except the thermal layer at different stages of the ride. I might carry an additional layer of socks or use woolen socks if I do the ride again. I did not have to face other weather elements like rain or snow, so if you see that in the forecast, plan accordingly.

Nutrition

Enjoying my spicy sandwich at Tenaya Lake

I consider this a long ride so I carried four spicy sandwiches, three tubes of energy gels, and two energy bars. For breakfast, I had had three energy bars (if you are looking for recommendations, “peanut butter banana choco-chip” from CLIF is my favorite!). After the ride, I ate a bagel and a couple of chocolate cookies. I was not disappointed with my choices! I think it is sufficient to say you won’t be disappointed too if you carry a few extra grams of food than risk biking hungry. That is never fun.

Water

There are plenty of creeks, waterfalls and lakes along the ride. The longest I rode without seeing a water source might have been ~8 miles. So I carried two bottles of water and iodine tablets to purify the water. Thankfully, I did not have to use my iodine (I hate its taste) as my friends carried squeezy water filters.

We had some extra water in the car to drink before and after the ride as there was no water filling stations at the car park.

When to turn around?

We have all been there. We are enjoying our ride on a new landscape and the curiosity of what is around the next bend propels us forward. At some point, we glance at the watch or the sun and it strikes us that we should turn around soon to make it back safely before it gets dark. Despite doing some simple math to estimate the time required to get back, we disregard it and keep biking forward to avoid FOMO. Here are the times when we turned around to help you plan your ride.

We started the ride at 8:30 am from the Tuolomne Grove Trailhead. I turned around at 3:30 pm from Lee Vining. On the way back I stopped to take plenty of photos and made it back to the trailhead at 8:30 pm. The sunset was at 8:15 pm, so there was plenty of daylight even after I returned. I hope this helps you land on a reasonable worst-case turnaround time.

Permissions

To drive up to the Tuolomne Grove Trailhead (starting point of the ride), you need a day-use reservation (costs $2 in 2021). Annual passes are valid. Parking at the trailhead is free. Biking on Tioga Road requires no permission.

If you are going to camp on Evergreen road the night before the ride, that requires no reservations too. Just pick a safe spot away from the road.

Self-care

Finally, remember to stretch after your ride!