The Tuolumne Grove parking lot in Yosemite National Park will be temporarily closed beginning Sept. 8, 2014 while improvements are made to the trailhead and parking area. During the month of September, the parking lot will close at 6 a.m. on Mondays and re-open at 5:30 p.m. on Fridays. There will be no weekend work during the month of September. Beginning Oct. 1, 2014 through Dec. 31, 2014 the parking lot will be closed seven days a week. The Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias will remain open, with limited parking available at the Crane Flat Gas Station and other road turnouts.
“These enhancements are long overdue,” stated Superintendent Don Neubacher. “The entrance to the Grove should set the stage for an incredible walk among giant sequoias. This project will create a sense of arrival for visitors, will provide improved restrooms, new interpretive signs, additional parking, improved traffic flow, and an enhanced picnic area.”
The Tuolumne Grove Trailhead and Parking Area project is expected to be completed in May, 2015. The work is being done in conjunction with improvements along the Tioga Road Corridor. In addition to National Park Service funds, support is being provided by the Federal Highways Administration and Yosemite Conservancy.
The Tuolumne Grove has approximately twenty-five mature sequoia trees and receives about 80,000 visitors annually. The Tuolumne Grove is one of three giant sequoia groves in Yosemite National Park. The Merced Grove is located approximately two miles from the Tuolumne Grove. The Mariposa Grove, the largest of the three, is located near the southern entrance of the park.
For additional information about planning your visit to Yosemite National Park, please visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/index.htm.
-NPS
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