Needles road?

I've been trying to figure out via calling the NPS and other road conditions lines, googling, etc., whether the road into the Needles is open yet. No luck yet! Has anyone been down there recently and know whether the road is still snowed in, or whether it's been opened yet? Thanks in advance!

The upper and lower roads are still closed...We got a ton of snow up there this year. Should be open in mid-may.

astralincoln wrote:

I've been trying to figure out via calling the NPS and other road conditions lines, googling, etc., whether the road into the Needles is open yet. No luck yet! Has anyone been down there recently and know whether the road is still snowed in, or whether it's been opened yet? Thanks in advance!

The NPS doesn't manage the Needles - it's the Forest Service. Call the Forest Service office in Kernville or Springville for info.

I believe the lower, loyd meadow rd is still closed too. 

Some years, the lower road is closed until Memorial Day, even when there is no snow on the road in late April/early May. 

Thanks everyone!

Guy, I followed the link, and the most recent info seems to be about the spring of 2016. Am I missing something? I don't see any current information.

Guy, you mean Quaking Aspen.  Definitely a good year for snow, though strangely I never got to break out the skis.  Mosquitos will be bad, but probably not by Yosemite standards.  Have a trip to the Meadows planned with the kids in mid July that will likely make them emotionally fear mosquitos for years to come.

SethG wrote:

Guy, I followed the link, and the most recent info seems to be about the spring of 2016. Am I missing something? I don't see any current information.

that thread has the phone #s you call to find out what's open

Oh I misunderstood. Thanks.

Fat... Quaking Aspen....   your right.

Kris added to the ST post... you can get the snow report. 

I just spoke to someone at the Springville Ranger's office, at 559-539-2607. The projection for both the lower (22S82) and upper (21S05) roads is "mid to late May." The lower road was blown out by some of the storms and they are working on it, according to the person I spoke to. Keep in mind that these are hopeful guesses and not firm predictions at this point. The person I spoke to suggested i call in a week or so, when they may have a firmer idea.

Seth... thanks for the update.....   I do know of some people who rode bikes in  the lower road and camped at Needlerock creek... about 13 miles on pavement. Tons of great climbing on Voodo.  This road usta be open sometimes as early as mid-march, that is why all the good climbing on Voodo, after M-day its mostly way to hot. 

Just heard the highway and upper dirt road are now open.  Worth calling the ranger to double check.

Edit:  sounds like I heard wrong

I'll go confirm...

The highway is indeed open but the road to the Needles is still closed and will be "for a while" because "it's probably going to need trees cleared and some work done on it". As per acall to the ranger station 5min ago.

Nathanael wrote:

The highway is indeed open but the road to the Needles is still closed ...

I'm assuming by "highway" you're referring to Hwy. 190, which is driveable all year around (at least to the Needles dirt road), they just close it south of Ponderosa except for a ten mile stretch during the winter and spring.  For those unfamiliar with the area though, that does mean that if you're driving the Lower Needlerock Creek road (which runs below Voodoo Dome and is used to access that in the spring), you have to drive up from the south, through Ducor and California Hot Springs.  

Fat Dad wrote:

I'm assuming by "highway" you're referring to Hwy. 190, which is driveable all year around (at least to the Needles dirt road), they just close it south of Ponderosa except for a ten mile stretch during the winter and spring.  For those unfamiliar with the area though, that does mean that if you're driving the Lower Needlerock Creek road (which runs below Voodoo Dome and is used to access that in the spring), you have to drive up from the south, through Ducor and California Hot Springs.  

Yea I asked about the needles dirt road and she (the ranger) mentioned "the highway" which I assumed meant the stretch south of Ponderosa, though I didn't ask for clarification.

Most years, even dry ones, Hwy. 190 is closed south of Ponderosa until at least Memorial Day.  That doesn't stop you from getting to the Needles road from the north (coming up through Porterville), but you should not expect to be able to get there from the south (coming up through CA Hot Springs) before that date.  Again, coming up from the south would be the way to get to Voodoo this time of year, assuming the lower road is open.  Usually the best time of year to climb there since it's lower in elevation and hotter.  You could probably also use that approach if you wanted to climb something like the South Face on Warlock.