Dome Fire closes trails near Yosemite's Wawona — what visitors need to know

The Dome Fire ignited on September 16 near Wawona, the southern gateway to Yosemite, and it's remapping the park for anyone planning a fall visit. The blaze has scorched more than 1,100 acres and closed some of the most accessible trails in the Wawona District, including routes through Mariposa Grove, home to the park's most famous giant sequoias. If you were counting on a quiet September weekend among the big trees, you'll need a backup plan.

The timing couldn't be worse for fall visitors. September typically offers the best conditions of the year: cooler mornings in the 60s, Yosemite Falls reduced to a trickle but Valley trails emptier than they've been since spring, and the aspens turning gold along Tioga Road. Now the southern third of the park is locked down, and smoke is drifting north into the Valley on bad air quality days. Here's what you need to know before you drive in.

Yosemite National Park

More trail miles than most states have highways / Southern district closed until further notice

Mariposa Grove, the park's marquee sequoia destination, remains closed indefinitely. That means no access to the Grizzly Giant, the Columbia Tree, or the California Tunnel Tree until fire crews finish containment work and assess trail damage. The closure also affects the Wawona Campground, the Wawona Hotel, and all trailheads along Wawona Road south of the Chinquapin junction. If you had a Wawona Campground reservation, the park is issuing refunds, but finding a replacement site in Yosemite this late in the season is nearly impossible. Upper Pines and North Pines in the Valley are your best bet, but they book out months ahead.

The fire isn't just closing trails; it's forcing visitors who planned a quieter Wawona experience into the already crowded Valley.

The good news is that Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, and the high country remain open. You can still hike Half Dome if you have a permit, climb the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, or drive Tioga Road before it closes for the season in late October. Air quality has been the bigger wildcard. On days when the wind shifts south, smoke settles into the Valley and visibility drops to less than a mile. You'll want to check the park's air quality page before you leave, especially if you have kids or anyone with respiratory issues. When the AQI climbs above 150, rangers recommend skipping strenuous hikes altogether.

The Dome Fire is about 60 percent contained as of late September, but containment doesn't mean the closures lift immediately. Fire crews need to clear hazard trees, repair trail erosion, and assess structural damage to facilities like the Wawona Hotel. The park hasn't issued a reopening timeline, which suggests the closures could stretch into October or longer. If your trip hinges on seeing giant sequoias, Tuolumne Grove and Merced Grove are your alternatives, though both require a steep descent and climb back out. Merced Grove is the least visited; you'll descend more than 500 feet through a quiet forest to reach about 20 mature sequoias. It's not Mariposa, but it's open.

For visitors already in the Valley, the fire has had a secondary effect: crowding. Wawona typically siphons off a portion of the park's visitors, especially families looking for a quieter base camp. With that option gone, the Valley is absorbing everyone. Parking at Yosemite Falls and Mirror Lake fills by 9 AM on weekends, and the shuttle buses are running at capacity. If you're flexible, shift your plans to weekdays or focus on less-trafficked trails like the Snow Creek Trail or the Valley View Loop. The latter is a flat, easy walk along the Merced River that most visitors skip in favor of the Valley's headline hikes.

What the fire does underscore is the value of timing your Yosemite visit outside peak season. September was supposed to be that sweet spot, but wildfire season in the Sierra now extends well into fall, and closures like this one are becoming more common. If you can't reschedule, treat the closures as a reason to explore parts of the park you wouldn't have otherwise considered. Hetch Hetchy, in the park's northwest corner, sees a fraction of the Valley's crowds and offers granite domes and waterfalls that rival the famous stuff. The reservoir is controversial among park purists, but the scenery isn't.

For those hoping to salvage a Wawona-focused trip, the Merced Grove Trail and the Crane Flat area are your best alternatives. Both are accessible from the Big Oak Flat entrance and offer a quieter experience than anything in the Valley. The Merced Grove trailhead sits just off the highway, and the round trip takes about two hours if you don't linger. The sequoias here are smaller and the grove is less dramatic than Mariposa, but you'll trade spectacle for solitude. On a typical September weekend, you might see a dozen other hikers at most.