Tioga pass

[usdriver]

Hello all - this is an excellent forum.

We are flying out from the UK next month (very excited!) and are planning to drive from Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley to Yosemite Park on 29th October as part of our trip. We would like to go through the Tioga Pass as it is the most direct route and, by all accounts, a beautiful drive.

However, we are worried about the road being shut and, even if it is not closed, is it a perilous drive at this time of year?

Should I be worried about the drive? I have not used car chains before but am used to driving through mountains etc. Is it particularly treacherous?

If the Tioga pass is shut, we will go round - either via Sonora pass, or via Tahoe, or by going south and round to Oakhurst via Fresno - we have not decided but does anyone have any thoughts on these other routes?

[viv1969]

My husband and I went over Tioga Pass around the same time in 2002 and it was fine. (We'll be in the same area as you this year, about week after you...lol).

The park has a policy to keep the Tioga Road and the Glacier Point Road open until the first major snowfall after November 1. During September and October, there may be temporary closures due to snow. After November 1, both roads will close when predicted weather indicates a series of snowfalls that would necessitate continuous plowing. The 20-year average for closing of the Tioga Road is November 15.

[Midwest Michael]

Welcome to the RTA Forum!

Tioga Pass is one of the most popular routes between SF and Vegas, as such its one of the most popular topics on the forum.

Viv's assessment is good advice, you should be fine, the road should not be dangerous in any way.

If you want more advice, I'd put Tioga into the forum's Search engine (green bar, under your name), you'll come up with lots of threads with good information, like this one which has some links you might find helpful.