Officials announced this week that the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park will reopen on Memorial Day.

Tioga Road (a popular landscape on Highway 120) has been closed since November due to snow and ice. It will reopen at 8 a.m. Monday, according to the National Park Service.

Due to cold conditions, this road is usually closed annually from November to late May or early June, while all other park entrances are open year-round. The 45-mile road closure extends from Tuolumne Grove east of Crane Flat to the Tioga Pass entrance station.

Preparing for reopening roads is an important undertaking, which includes ploughing multiple avalanche areas, clearing trees and rock landings, and preparing campgrounds and critical facilities for visitors, according to Park Services.

Park Data Shay shows that the reopening on May 26 this year was two weeks earlier than last year, about a month earlier than last year.

Additionally, Park Services will no longer provide early access to Tioga Road for cyclists this year, like they did in a few years. Some cyclists were upset by the news.

"It's outrageous that they didn't offer bikers two days of cyclists without cars this year," a Reddit user wrote on the Yosemite forum, adding that they plan to write a letter to the Park Service and its local representatives.

Another wrote: “Only a day of cycling should be a tradition of celebration and encouragement, not a favor to the motorist.”

But officials are in the busy season. According to the Park Service, visitors planning to enter Yosemite between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. this holiday weekend need to book and should prepare for a long waiting time. Those planning to come from June 15 to August 15 or any day between Labor Day weekend may also need to book.

Drivers using Tioga Road should plan on limited service along the road, bringing proper food and water, and using food lockers if away from the vehicle, the Park Service said.

Yosemite may also face staffing shortages due to cuts by the National Park Service and other federal agencies, according to park protection nonprofits.

"This summer, the National Park Service (NP) may be understaffed in Yosemite National Park," the team wrote on its website. "Last year, the NPS had run at a 30% staffing deficit, meaning that any other cuts and restrictions on its staffing and funding will deepen that deficit."

Park officials urged visitors to be patient and polite with the staff at the entrance station and throughout the park, noting that “they are here to help everyone and ensure a safe, enthusiastic experience.”

“We are pleased to welcome everyone on Memorial Day weekend as we deliver on the memory of the fallen service members of the nation,” said Ray McPadden, acting director of Yosemite. “The park team has worked hard to reopen every area of ​​the park safely. We want visitors to have a safe and enjoyable weekend.”