Yosemite National Park Ice Skating
Skate outdoors in magnificent Yosemite Valley.
For over 70 years, winter visitors to Yosemite National Park have been skating under the amazing shadow of Glacier Point and the world-famous Half Dome monolith.
Sights are even sweeter from November to March each year when the snow blankets Central California’s Yosemite Valley. The cold air beckons in a new winter ice skating season as it has since the early part of last century. Back then, park employees would flood the parking lot of the Curry Village campground.
Decades after it began, a permanent structure was built for recreational skating. Yosemite Valley Concessions now offers a standard-size rink with barriers, rubber walkway and fire pit. They also have a “warming hut,” but it the benches around the fire pit are warmer and drier than in the building. Cozy up by the fire before and after gliding around the rink, but you’ll need to bring your own hot chocolate and snacks. Food concessions are limited to expensive vending machines. Coffee pots are in the pro shop, along with gloves and hats for sale, but this building was closed and locked through our session.
The Valley store is available a short drive away. Not only are there plenty of food items there, but souvenirs fill nearly half of the large building. The better bathrooms in the valley are located by the store, through the back doors and to the left.
Adult admission is $8. Children under age 12 can skate for only $3. Weekday sessions are afternoons, from 3:30-6:00pm, and evenings from 7:00-9:30 pm. Weekend include skate times of 8:30-1:00am and 12:00-2:30pm, in addition to the afternoon and evening session. The weekend schedule also pertains to major holidays.
The schedule may be altered in extreme weather. If it’s raining or snowing heavily, park officials may need to close the facility until the zam can regroom the ice. Under normal circumstances, though, the ice is very good. It only sees about twenty minutes of sunlight per day, so it stays hard and fast. If you suspect alterations in the schedule, you can call (209) 372-8319 to make sure the session’s still on.
I skated there a few days after a rainstorm had blown through the valley. My outside patterns were greatly affected by pock-marks in the ice that reminded me of the vibrations we experience when roller blading. This being said, though, the middle section of the rink was smooth as glass – a huge feat for keepers of an outdoor ice rink.
Note to young hockey players: Bring your own skates. Rentals include traditional recreational boots and dull blades. They don’t offer hockey skate rentals. Beginning skaters are less likely to take a header on the ice because many of the blades at Yosemite have rounded toe picks. Yosemite Concession Services, run by Delaware North, also offers bike helmets for the kids free of charge. I strongly suggest all kids (and adults who plan on falling more than actually skating) be required to wear helmets on any rink, especially on ice that is very tough and slick like the Yosemite rink.
Before you hit the ice (pun intended), make sure you bring very warm clothes. It’s always possible to shed layers if you get too warm, so don’t be afraid to bundle up! Gloves and scarves are an absolute must as the high temperature in the valley might not reach much about freezing.
In fact, visiting the Valley in the wintertime is much less crowded for this very reason. It is, however, no less spectacular. Drive past Bridalveil, Yosemite Waterfalls and the ice formations that glitter and spike the rocks in the creeks below them. Animals, particularly deer and coyotes, are foraging for bits of food this time of year. Ravens are the self-proclaimed clean-up crew, but don’t intentionally feed them.
Another word of caution: Be very careful when driving on alpine roads in the winter because ice slicks form in shaded areas and near waterways. Still, winter in Yosemite Valley is an incredible experience. Ice skating there is the cherry on top. For a complete list of winter activities in Yosemite National Park, go to www.yosemitepark.com.
