Snowshoeing and Cross-Country Skiing in Yosemite

When snow closes the high roads, a different Yosemite opens up: miles of marked winter routes through red fir and lodgepole forest, sequoia groves under snow, and rim viewpoints you have almost to yourself. The National Park Service lists the Badger Pass and Glacier Point Road area as the largest marked winter network in the park. Once Badger Pass opens — traditionally mid-December, conditions permitting — the snowbound Glacier Point Road is groomed with a wide center lane for skate skiing and beginners, with snowshoers asked to keep to the edges, and the Badger Pass Nordic Center rents equipment and offers lessons. From the same area, a longer ungroomed route leads to Dewey Point, an overlook on the south rim with a view down into Yosemite Valley and across to El Capitan. For a first taste, the NPS offers free ranger-led snowshoe walks from Badger Pass from mid-December through March, depending on conditions and staffing; the Yosemite Conservancy and the Yosemite Mountaineering School lead guided walks as well. North of the valley, Crane Flat on Big Oak Flat Road has marked but ungroomed routes, including the walk to the Crane Flat Lookout and the longer Gin Flat Loop, plus routes that start from the Tuolumne and Merced Grove parking areas, and a snow play area for sledding when conditions allow; sledding is not allowed at Badger Pass, which instead has a concessioner-run tubing hill. In the south, the Mariposa Grove becomes a snowshoe and ski destination via the Washburn Trail and the closed road in good snow years. Two cautions for 2026-27: the Glacier Point Ski Hut will not open this season, and trails south of Glacier Point Road were closed after the autumn 2026 Dome Fire, so ask a ranger which routes are open.

Why go. Winter is Yosemite's least crowded season, and the snow country above the valley is where it feels wildest. Snowshoeing needs almost no experience, the gear is simple, and a ranger-led walk turns it into a lesson in how animals and trees survive the cold. Cross-country skiers get one of the classic Sierra tours in the groomed run along Glacier Point Road, and anyone who reaches Dewey Point on a clear day will remember the view of a white valley floor far below.

Planning it well. Check the park calendar and the Yosemite Guide for ranger-led walk times once Badger Pass opens, and arrive early on weekends and holidays when the Badger Pass lot fills. Carry tire chains: the NPS notes they are often required on the roads to Badger Pass during the ski season. Marked routes generally have snow from mid-to-late December into mid-March, but markers can be buried, and following someone else's tracks can lead you astray, so carry a map, a charged phone and extra layers, and turn back early in storms. Restrooms are available at Badger Pass and the Mariposa Grove parking area, with vault toilets at Summit Meadow and the Crane Flat trailheads. Overnight trips to ski huts require permits or hut reservations.

Who it suits. Families looking for snow play and an easy ranger walk, couples seeking a quiet winter day, and fit skiers and snowshoers ready for Dewey Point. Visitors without chains or winter driving experience should consider a valley-based winter instead, with Mirror Lake and Cook's Meadow on foot. Pair a day at Badger Pass with an evening at the Curry Village ice rink, or a Crane Flat outing with a night in Groveland.