YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park officials confirmed today that the Wawona Road (Highway 41) inside Yosemite National Park will reopen to all vehicles between Wawona and Yosemite Valley on Friday, Aug. 24, at 8 a.m.. There will be full access to Yosemite Valley via the Wawona Road. The Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias and the Wawona area remain open. The ...

OAKHURST – Travelers along Highway 41 between Oakhurst and Sky Ranch Road have likely noticed the miles of orange fencing going in along both sides of the road. Caltrans spokesperson Sam Yniguez says it’s in preparation for a paving operation set to begin on Sunday, Aug. 19. Yniguez says the fencing is to protect “environmentally sensitive areas,” and the contractor ...

OAKHURST – With the reopening of Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Yosemite Gateway communities have come together with #YosemiteNOW campaign on social media, to show the world Yosemite’s icons remain unharmed from the fire and to encourage visitation that is vital to the region’s economic recovery. After thirty days of challenging fire and unhealthy air quality, Yosemite ...

FRESNO – With the Ferguson Fire forcing visitors out of many parts of Yosemite National Park, YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) has announced changes to its schedule.E Effective Wednesday, July 25, all YARTS service to Yosemite Valley is suspended until further notice. YARTS will operate on the following schedule on July 25, 2018: Highway 41 (Fresno) Runs 22, 24 ...

LEE VINING – **UPDATE 8:36 p.m. the highway has been reopened. Motorists are advised to watch for debris in the roadway.** Original post: As if travelers wishing to visit Yosemite National Park didn’t have enough to deal with, word has come in that Highway 120 – the Tioga Pass Road from the east entrance to five miles west of Lee ...

The next day we took a train to Siena to see the sights. We were a bit disappointed because we learned — with both Siena and Florence — that the cities are okay, they have a number of pretty spectacular churches, but the real things to see are the items in the museums and they take far longer than we ...

COARSEGOLD – Highway 41 between Coarsegold and Oakhurst has now been reopened in both directions. The roadway was closed just before 4 p.m. this afternoon due to a vegetation fire and the subsequent rollover of a dozer on the fireline. When the road opens, Caltrans will begin by pacing traffic through the area, and it will be open with no ...

CLOVIS – With the unprecedented number of hazard trees, the winter storm damage to many forest roads, and the associated risks of both, the Sierra National Forest (SNF) has issued a Forest Order closing certain roads, campgrounds and day use areas. In January and February 2017 the Sierra National Forest received heavy rain, snow, and winds that resulted in significant ...

Day five and we’re in Verona. We’re here because the maître d’ at my favorite Italian restaurant in New York City is from Verona and said it’s a beautiful city and we had to see it.  Karen, of course, adores me and so was willing to go along with whatever I suggested (I typed that after she proof-read it if you ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park anticipates an extremely busy Memorial Day weekend, so plan to arrive before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. to avoid the heaviest traffic. Once in the park, visitors are urged to park their vehicles at the Yosemite Village, Yosemite Falls, or Half Dome Village parking areas and enjoy Yosemite Valley by using the free shuttle ...