One of Yosemite’s Main Access Roads Is Closed This Week for Rock Scaling Work

One of the primary routes into Yosemite National Park is shut down this week while crews work to clear unstable rock from the hillside above the highway.

Caltrans closed State Route 140 between Bear Creek, near the community of Briceburg, and the Yosemite Cedar Lodge Incline starting at 7 a.m. on Monday, April 27. The closure is expected to last through Wednesday, April 29 while crews perform rock scaling operations to remove loose talus material that poses a safety risk to drivers.

Once the work wraps up, Caltrans engineers will inspect the roadway and surrounding slopes before deciding whether to reopen the highway. There is no guaranteed reopening time at this point, so anyone planning to enter Yosemite from the west this week should plan for an alternate route.

Highway 140 through the Merced River Canyon is one of the most scenic approaches to Yosemite and a favorite among visitors coming from the Central Valley. The closure affects a stretch between Briceburg and El Portal, which is the final community before the park’s Arch Rock Entrance.

Drivers heading to Yosemite this week can use Highway 120 from the west through Big Oak Flat or Highway 41 from the south through Oakhurst as alternatives. Both routes lead to the park’s other western and southern entrances.

For real-time road conditions, Caltrans recommends checking QuickMap on a mobile device or tuning into Highway Advisory Radio at 530 AM, 1610 AM or 1670 AM. You can also call the Caltrans Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-7623.