SNOWSHOEING YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Snowshoeing Yosemite in the winter is a serene experience.  Gone are the crowds, cars and the bustle of human activity.  Yosemite Valley is often found shrouded in fog and sometimes snow during the winter months.  The snow is more prevalent in the higher elevations such as Badger Pass or what is now known as the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard Area (~7200ft).  Yosemite provides a free ranger-led snowshoe program when there is enough snow, and they even provide the snowshoes! Check the Yosemite events schedule here.

GETTING TO BADGER PASS

CHAINS

Chains may be needed depending on the snowfall as per California law.  If the snow is high enough there will be an active ranger checkpoint at the intersection of Wawona Road and Glacier Point Road.  I got by without chains in an AWD Subaru with M+S rated tires but there were tons of cars putting on chains.  If you need to put on chains, there is a small lot for cars to park and install them.

PARKING

The lot is huge and parking at the Yosemite Ski and Snowboard area is plentiful even during midday.

TRAIL:

We arrived at the ranger station 10 min before the scheduled start time to pick up and put on our snowshoes.  The posted meeting point is in front of the ranger station, which is to the left of the ski rental lodge.

The snowshoes were decent and made of metal, not the wooden display shoes shown in front of the Ranger station. A Ranger was standing outside distributing and assisting people putting on the snowshoes.

Once everyone is all set with the shoes, the Ranger gave a short speech of what to expect, and we were on our way.

We got lucky as it had snowed heavily the night before and the path consisted of untouched snow.  The walk is a slow pace, and there were frequent stops to allow people to catch up or take pictures.  Along the route, the Ranger educated us on the unique Sierra ecosystem, it’s wildlife and conservation efforts of the National Parks Service.

All in all, the trail was an out and back ~1 mile trip.

TIPS

WATERPROOF SHOES

Be sure to wear some waterproof shoes or boots.  The snowshoes attach on to any piece of footwear but will get wet over the course of the hike because of the snow.

WATER

While it may seem like a slow stroll, it’s a lot of effort walking through snow, as you have to lift your leg up high to clear the snow at some points. I do suggest to have some water handy just in case.

SKI/SLED AFTER

The Ski area is the starting and ending point for the snowshoe walk and a perfect time to go skiing after.   If not there are a few stop off’s on Glacier Point Road for sledding.  There is also a cafe and ski rental station on the premise.

TRAIL PROFILE

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RESOURCES

NPS.gov events listing in Yosemite