Top: Skiers at Badger Pass in 1940. Photo: Ralph H. Anderson, NPS (public domain).
Good news for winter visitors: Badger Pass is open. After a lack of early snow kept the ski area closed for the entire 2024–25 season, this winter got off to a slow, dry start too. Badger Pass relies entirely on natural snow, because snowmaking isn’t allowed inside the national park. Nordic skiing and snowshoeing opened on January 9, and the lifts started spinning on January 16, a few weeks later than usual.
Skiing has deep roots here. Yosemite had a ski school by 1928, a ski lodge opened at Badger Pass after Glacier Point Road was built in 1935, and the area’s “Upski” of 1936 is often called the first ski lift in the West. It’s still a relaxed, family-friendly hill, and a great place to learn.
Badger Pass at a glance
- Elevation: 7,200 to 8,000 feet, with 800 feet of vertical
- Terrain: 10 runs (about 35% beginner, 50% intermediate, 15% advanced) plus a beginner-friendly terrain park
- Lifts: five, including one triple chair, three double chairs and a handle tow
- Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily
- Season: usually mid-December to mid-March, depending on snow
Lift tickets, lessons and rentals
Badger Pass is one of the more affordable places to ski in California. Prices reported for the 2025–26 season:
- All-day, all-lift ticket: $64 for adults, $38.50 for ages 7 to 12, and free for kids 6 and under with a paying adult
- Half-day ticket: $56 for adults, $33.50 for ages 7 to 12
- Lower lifts only: $30 for adults, $15 for kids, ideal for first-timers
- Locals’ midweek pass: $35 for people living within 50 miles of Yosemite
- Lessons: packages from about $95 to $115 for adults and $85 to $105 for ages 7 to 12, plus a program for little skiers ages 4 to 6
- Rentals: skis or a snowboard with boots run about $42.50 for a full day, and helmets are extra
Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing
In winter, Glacier Point Road is plowed only as far as Badger Pass. Beyond that, the snow-covered road becomes a groomed cross-country route all the way to Glacier Point, a 21-mile round trip with views of Half Dome at the end. Yosemite grooms about 22 miles of cross-country track in all, and many more miles of marked trails branch off into the forest. Nordic trails are generally free to use with your own gear.
Snowshoers have plenty of options too, from short walks near the lodge to classic outings like the trail to Dewey Point. Guided snowshoe walks, cross-country lessons and rentals are available at Badger Pass, and experienced skiers can book a guided overnight trip to the Glacier Point Ski Hut.
Getting there
- Badger Pass is on Glacier Point Road, about 5 miles from the Chinquapin junction on Wawona Road (Highway 41).
- Always carry tire chains in winter, even if the roads look clear. Chain controls can go into effect quickly when storms move in.
- For current road conditions, call the park’s road and weather line at 209-372-0200.
- The standard park entrance fee applies.
Information as of January 2026. Prices, hours and conditions can change, so check with Badger Pass and the NPS conditions page before you go.
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