Seasonal Challenges in Yellowstone
|
Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015 Contact: Stacy Vallie, 307-344-2015
National Park Service Yellowstone National Park ---------------------------------------------------- Seasonal Challenges in Yellowstone The beauty of winter has descended on Yellowstone in the form of early season snowstorms that have passed through the area. For the next few days, park visitors should be prepared for winter weather and driving conditions, including temporary road closures and delays. Limited facilities are still open at Canyon, and Mammoth Hot Springs. At Old Faithful, lodging is available until October 18. After that, the Geyser Grill, a gift shop and the visitor center will remain open until November 1. At Mammoth, the Yellowstone General Store, clinic, campground, and Albright Visitor Center are open all year. A complete list of facility and road closing dates can be found on the web at www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/open_closedates.htm. The road between Madison and Norris is closed for the season due to road construction. The Beartooth Highway (outside Yellowstone’s Northeast Entrance), from Long Lake to the summit at the Montana/Wyoming state line, is set to close for the season at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 13. The road between Tower Fall and Canyon over Dunraven Pass, is also set to close for the season at 8:00 a.m. on October 13. Weather permitting; it may be open intermittently through October 25. Please inquire at park visitor centers or call the park’s road update line at 307-344-2117. The road from Gardiner, Montana, at the park’s North Entrance, to Cooke City, Montana, at the park’s Northeast Entrance, is open to wheeled vehicles all year. This provides access to a wide range of recreational opportunities including wildlife viewing and fall hiking. For the upcoming winter season, Xanterra Parks & Resorts provides lodging, food service, and guided winter recreation opportunities inside Yellowstone National Park. Details are available online at www.travelyellowstone.com or by calling 866-GEYSERLAND. As visitation is winding down and wildlife watching opportunities are still plentiful, this can be an especially good time to visit Yellowstone for those who come prepared. While the western alpine weather can change quickly and dramatically, there are likely to be many more beautiful days to enjoy the park before the interior roads close for the season on November 1. We do, however, highly recommend that visitors check the following resources before traveling: Yellowstone’s 24-hrs road updates line at: 307-344-2117
|
Did You Know?
You cannot fish from Fishing Bridge. Until 1973 this was a very popular fishing location since the bridge crossed the Yellowstone River above a cutthroat trout spawning area. It is now a popular place to observe fish.