Biking Glacier Point Road – it is one big hill.
This last weekend the Yosemite Facebook page posted a little note stating that the Glacier Point Rd was going to open for cars today (April 14 2014) and with bicycle traffic permitted the weekend before. A few years back I had biked Tioga Pass Rd in the spring prior cars being allowed on it, so I jumped at this idea. These springtime “Bicycle Only” times are a rare opportunity to visit these roads without fear of starry eyes tourists, RVs, and tour buses. Plus, any stretch of road I have biked seems much faster next time I need to drive it in the car!
Visiting on Saturday Curtis and I arrived fairly late in the afternoon. Given the time and our general biking level (my only constant bike riding trip is a 5 mile loop), we decided not attempt the complete 30-something mile bike ride to Glacier Point. We chose instead to bike to McGurk meadow, a shorter 16 miles (8 miles to the meadow).
Biking Glacier Point Road in the Spring
Parking: There is plentiful parallel parking in front of the restrooms at Chinquapin, where Glacier Point road meets Wawona Rd (Hwy 41). Map
Distance: 5 miles to Badger Pass (10 mi round trip), 8 to McGurk Meadows (16 round trip). Should you want to continue on the internet states it 13-ish to the Taft Point and Sentinel Dome (26 round trip), and 16-ish to Glacier Point (32 round trip)
The first 5 miles of the ride is a single long hill, with one good spot overlooking the Merced River canyon to stop and take a breather. After you reach Badger Pass (5 miles) the road then takes you downhill, past summit meadow to McGurk Meadow. I am assuming sometime after this (maybe at Bridal Veil Creek campground) the road starts another incline to Glacier Point.
A view point of the Merced River about 2 miles into the bike ride.
I chose to end our trip at McGurk instead of Bridal Veil because I was hoping that I could make the long half mile hike out to the meadow. This short hike has neve topped my priority list when traveling Glacier Point Rd, but the name “McGurk” always reminds me of the coach character on a favorite TV show, Home Movies. Sadly, it is still too snowy at the trailhead even on this super dry year. Someday, I will visit McGurk, just not on the day I wore my biking shoes.
The start of the McGurk trailhead. So close, but so far.
It was a fun little bike ride, next time I definitely want to start earlier and go further! Hopefully next year Yosemite will continue to inform cyclists about availability of this bike via it’s facebook page. Otherwise, from my experience I would say if you want to cycle these winter closed roads, the weekend prior reopening for all traffic is fair game. Maybe I will try biking Tioga Rd again in the next couple weeks?
Hello! I am a 30-something outdoors-lady, backpacker, and resident of Groveland, California - 
Keep us posted on Tioga!
Hi Denise, I hope this comment finds you. I am staying at Tenaya Lodge in Fish Camp this weekend (9/17/16) and planning on doing some road cycling from there via Hwy41/Wawona Rd to Yosemite Valley, looping back on Glacial Point Road. I’m comfortable with the distance and climbing but was wondering about safety – road shoulder width and traffic speeds. Any thoughts from your experience?
Many thanks, James
San Francisco
Hi James, that is a tough one. The roads can get very narrow, and traffic skews towards people who are inexperienced/impatient with windy mountain roads. I think getting past tunnel view & tunnel will be a good gauge of if you are comfortable with the tourist crowd. The road narrows most in the last mile between Washburn and Glacier Point, but luckily most people move reasonably slowly through here. Starting at the crack of down will definitely help. Should be an epic adventure ride, good luck!
Thanks Denise, I did have a great ride…I found that drivers were really good – either slowing down or giving me lots of room to pass or both…leaving the Valley I hitched a ride through the tunnel in th back of a convertible…too dark and it was uphill and so I would’ve been moving way too slow for traffic…Glacier Pt Rd. was fine too…about a third the way up the rangers stopped traffic into a parking lot until other cars exited the park so traffic was light.