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Highway 140 was transformative to the growth of tourism in and around Yosemite National Park.
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The day after dedication of road in 1926, The Fresno Bee ran a massive photo collage on its Auto and Outing page. The caption read: “Wide and smooth with easy grades, the all-year highway to Yosemite Valley is open at last and motorists may travel over it in high gear.”
An accompanying story said opening of the highway would no doubt “be recorded as the greatest events in the history of the famous Valley since its discovery 75 years ago.” A trip from Fresno to see Bridal Veil, the Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Sentinel Dome or other landmarks was now available “at any time of the year by making a short automobile trip.”
Short, at the time was five hours, “without speeding,” according to The Bee.
One-hundred years later, it still stands as one of the most accessible and well traveled year-round passages through the park.
It runs into Yosemite from the I-5 near Gustine, following the Merced River toward El Portal to the historic Arch Rock entrance and though there are other roads into and through the park, Highway 140 travels along the lowest elevation meaning it can remain open when other roads — Tioga Pass, Hetch Hetchy — are closed by weather and snow.
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On Tuesday, Mariposa celebrated the 100-year anniversary of All-Year Highway, and its importance to the community, with a parade of vintage automobiles, including a 1926 Dodge Roadster that once led tours into Yosemite Valley. The parade culminated with a reception at the Mariposa Museum and History Center.
“Our economy is building around tourism,” said Kim Lawson with the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau. “And a hundred years ago, they had the forethought to think about creating this road that basically created opportunities for local businesses,” she said.
“It’s essentially our lifeline.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 10:50 AM with the headline “VIDEO: Yosemite’s ‘All-Year’ highway opened 100 years ago. Mariposa celebrates Hwy 140.”
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