Tioga Pass via CA Highway 120 and Tioga Road is open as of today, July 22, 2023. It had been closed for winter since October 31, 2022.
Tioga Pass is the highest pass in the Sierra Nevada range, at 9,943 feet (3,031 meters) above sea level. It is usually the last past to open up after seasonal winter closures.
Sierra Mountain Passes
The Best Roads
Sonora Pass is Open
Sonora Pass, on Highway 108, opened today, June 9, 2023. It had been closed for the winter since November 14, 2022.
This is our favorite pass over the Sierra Nevada. We’re looking forward to riding it soon. Expect wet and sloppy conditions in lots of places until the last of the snow melts.
Conditions should improve rapidly as the weather continues to warm up and the remaining snow disappears.
Ebbetts Pass is Open
Ebbetts Pass, on Highway 4, opened today, June 8, 2023. It had been closed for the winter since November 17, 2022.
Ebbetts Pass is a fantastic road, especially if you are on a motorcycle. It’s technically challenging, with tight, steep switchbacks. Some of the grades are greater than 23 percent.
The scenery is beautiful, traffic is generally fairly light, and the riding is some of the best in the Sierra. Be aware that in some places the road is less than two lanes wide. It is common to meet oncoming traffic taking up more than half of the road. Or needing to wait a while before you can safely pass a slow-moving vehicle.
Monitor Pass is Open
Highway 89 over Monitor Pass opened today, May 12, 2023 after being closed for the winter since December 8, 2022.
Remember that this pass often gets closed and reopened with late-season winter storms.
About the Passes
The Sierra Nevada mountain range has 22 major paved mountain pass roads that offer travelers fantastic scenery, great driving and riding, and unparalleled opportunities to explore and enjoy. Because the Sierra has such dramatic topography some of … Read More
The Northern Sierra
Where are the best motorcycle roads in the Northern Sierra? Where will you find the nicest scenery, the least traffic, and the best riding? Which roads are buried in snow all winter long? Which roads are crowded with tourists all summer … Read More
The Central Sierra
We think the Central Sierra has the best motorcycle roads in the entire mountain range. The quality—and quantity—of twisty, long-distance rides here is amazing. This could be some of the best riding in North America. There are 22 passes in the … Read More
The Southern Sierra
The Southern Sierra is a curious place, full of wonder and contradiction. And some great motorcycle roads. We love it. This is the highest, most intimidating part of the Sierra Nevada. But the feet of the mountains are in the deserts of Southern … Read More