Park Loop Road will close on December 1 unless there is a major snowstorm before then. When it is closed, there are two miles left open, from Schooner Head overlook to Otter Cliff Road. Access to this section is via Schooner Head Road in Bar Harbor. Jordan Pond can also be accessed via Jordan Pond Road in Seal Harbor. During November, park roads may close temporarily depending on the weather.

It should be noted that this is the first fatal bear attack ever reported in the park. Millions of visitors have a safe and wonderful experience in Denali. The park requires all backcountry visitors to are required to particpate in “Bear Aware” training.  With caution and common sense, the vast majority of visitors have no issues. At the same time though, it must always be remembered and respected that you are in a wild and untamed place, with no guarantee of safety. Most people would consider that one of the best draws of a national park.

However, this feature is not a natural one. It was created when the river was rerouted for the construction of Utah Highway 24. The river has since cut a deep slot in the sandstone above the falls, resulting in a very scenic, but quite dangerous area. The area closure resulted from three nearly fatal incidents in the summer of 2011.

While it’s understandable that the park service needs to protect visitors, it’s unfortunate that everyone loses access to this beautiful area. Frankly, it’s very obvious that the area is dangerous, and that swimming there is a terrible idea. Nevertheless, apparently people do it anyway. Because of this, everyone, even those able to exercise care and common sense, can no longer make this area part of their visit. I’ve personally been to this area several times, and never felt in danger. But then, I exercise common sense. This area is no more dangerous than hundreds of other sites in the national parks. Perhaps now, when people drive by this spot and see it closed, they will think twice before doing dumb things at other areas.

The road is closed between the Foresta Junction and El Portal. This means that Yosemite Valley, along with the most of the rest of the park, in inaccessible via CA-120. Hodgdon Meadow Campground, the Merced Grove, and the Tuolumne Grove are still accessible from the CA-120 entrance. All other areas of the park are accessible only through CA-140 from Merced, or the Wawona Road/CA-41 from Oakhurst. The road is expected to reopen before Easter Weekend.

In addition to the traffic slow downs, the construction will also cause the complete closure of Glacier Basin Campground. As this is the second largest campground in the park, this will put tremendous pressure on the other campgrounds, which already routinely sell out in the summer months. Reservations are recommended immediately, if you know your dates for the summer.

The park is approaching its 100th anniversary, in 2015. Major road work has been completed on most other park roads, and this is the last major piece of the construction before the centennial. This project will of course have no affect on the other roads in the park, other than perhaps increasing visitation to the other park areas.