Yosemite Blue Butterfly Inn

05/14/2026

Tioga Road (continuation of Highway 120 through the park) will open for the season to all traffic on Friday, May 15, at 8 am.

Come prepared! There is no drinking water or food service available along the road corridor, and the only restrooms are vault and portable toilets. The campgrounds along the Tioga Road are not yet open. The Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center and Wilderness Center remain closed until further notice. Bring appropriate levels of food, water, and fuel for your trip. Gas is not available from Crane Flat to Lee Vining.

The trans-Sierra route across the park gives access to Tuolumne Meadows and the high country. There is still snow on north facing and high elevation trails, making navigation challenging. Hikers should have GPS, as well as map and compass (and know how to use them).

Please stay on trails, even if they are muddy or flooded, to avoid creating new trails. Do not walk on fragile meadows.

Bears, deer, marmots and birds have gotten accustomed to life without visitors, so please obey posted speed limits and keep your eyes peeled for critters on the road.

Shout out to all of our crews who make opening this road corridor possible each spring!

03/23/2026

Happy First Day of Spring!

Welcome to the first day of spring!🌼

After a quiet winter, spring is a time of transition where Yosemite National Park reawakens into its summertime glory.

Below Yosemite Valley, redbuds splash the banks of the rising Merced River with vibrant reds and pinks, attracting a rainbow of fluttering butterflies and pollinators. As snow begins to melt at higher elevations, thousands of gallons of meltwater cascade down Yosemite Falls and Bridalveil Fall with a thunder that echoes through Yosemite Valley. Though snow still clings to higher elevations and shaded slopes, warmer days invite both wildlife and visitation to the park. The cackles of Steller’s jays mix with the chime of red-winged blackbirds and mountain chickadees. Bears stir awake and begin to forage while deer meander through meadows to chew on the first patches of green grass. Overhead, the first climbers of the season ascend the massive granite face of El Capitan. Come nightfall, their headlamps, thousands of feet in the air, mimic the first stars of the Milky Way just beginning to stretch over the horizon.

Also known as the vernal equinox, visitors will experience nearly equal amounts of daylight and darkness in the park today. Plenty of time to enjoy the beauty of Yosemite!

What do you love most about spring?

03/22/2026

05/31/2025

One of the best ways to enjoy the valley floor!

🛶 Float the Valley Floor like never before!
Rafting the Merced River is one of Yosemite’s most peaceful and picture-perfect activities and it is officially open now!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Great for families and first-time paddlers
📷 Capture views of Yosemite Falls and Half Dome
🌿 Glide past meadows, wildlife, and towering cliffs
⌚ Rafting session times are 10 AM, Noon and 2 PM

Reservations go fast on sunny days—plan to arrive an hour ahead of time to book your raft and make it a splashy summer to remember! 💦

05/29/2025

Tioga Road is Open!

The National Park Service has announced that Tioga Road — the continuation of Highway 120 through Yosemite National Park — will reopen for the season at 8 a.m. on Monday, May 26.

📰 | https://bit.ly/4jlpinL (more info)

All major popular features in the park, including Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias will be open and fully accessible.

To manage the expected crowds and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, temporary vehicle reservations are required for all visitors driving into or through the park from Saturday, May 24 through Monday, May 26, 2025 between 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. Visitors without a reservation may enter the park before 6 a.m. and after 2 p.m.

Visiting Hetch Hetchy does not require a reservation, but visitors may experience delays at the entrance station once parking fills, usually by mid-morning.

To learn more about the temporary vehicle reservation system, click on the link.

04/14/2025

This spring the river road is beautiful and green, and the Merced River is rushing from the winter run off! Call and book your stay with us and see Yosemite in it’s spring splendor!

04/08/2017

Spring in the valley is beautiful! This was in March 2009 when the poppies and wildflowers decorated the river road!
photo courtesy of Joel Fluty Photography
www.joelfluty.com
Joel Fluty Photography

06/24/2013

You don't have to travel far to see the amazing night sky, you just walk out to the deck! Thanks Mike for the beautiful photo!

Another shot from your deck.

06/15/2013

One of our guest, Mike Forton, took this photo of the Northern Oriole that has been visiting our hummingbird feeder this year. Thank you Mike for such a wonderful picture!

Just arrived at the Blue Butterfly. Got this shot of a Northern Oriole on the deck at the Hummingbird feeder. Great place to unwind after a day in Yosemite Valley.