Major highway for Yosemite Park closed due to crack in road

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK -- One of the three major highways into Yosemite National Park could possibly be closed into the summer.

Park officials say Big Oak Flat Road, the continuation of Highway 120 into Yosemite, is closed between the park boundary and Merced Grove due to a crack in the road.

The crack is about 200 feet long and up to four feet deep. The road's surface has also moved two to three inches vertically and horizontally and is continuing to move.

Officials say the embankment below the road has also moved about 15 feet downslope and water is flowing through it.

They say the road is not even safe enough to open it to limited traffic and doing so would lead to additional road failure.

The park will be working with the Federal Highway Administration to start repairs but the road is expected to be closed until at least mid-June and possibly into July.

Visitors entering Yosemite through Highway 120 from the west can reach Hodgdon Meadow and Hetch Hetchy, but not other areas of the park, including Yosemite Valley.

From Yosemite Valley, visitors can drive up the Big Oak Flat Rd to reach the Tuolumne & Merced Groves of Giant Sequoias.

Visitors can still access Yosemite using El Portal Road, the continuation of Highway 140 from Merced or Wawona Road, the continuation of Highway 41 from Fresno.