Record Season Draws to a Close
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Contact: Al Nash, 307-344-2015
National Park Service Yellowstone National Park ---------------------------------------------------- Record Season Draws To A Close In Yellowstone The signs of fall in Yellowstone are everywhere. Patches of autumn color and brown grasses dot the evergreen forests. Bugling elk can be seen or heard close at hand or in the distance. Black and grizzly bears can occasionally be spotted in meadows as they prepare to enter dens for the winter. Shuttered windows and doors on many visitor facilities are another sign that fall is in full swing. Few visitor facilities in the park remain open late into the season. All facilities at Lake, Fishing Bridge, Tower/Roosevelt, and Grant Village have closed for the season, although 24-hour pay at the pump fuel is available at all otherwise closed service stations. The Old Faithful Inn, gift shop, deli, and dining room, as well as the Lower Service Station close Sunday, October 17; the Upper General Store closes on October 18. The Old Faithful Snow Lodge, cabins, and restaurant close Sunday, October 24. The Geyser Grill, Bear Den Gift Shop, and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center close for the season Sunday, November 7. The Canyon Visitor Education Center and Canyon Service Station will remain open until Sunday, October 17. The Outdoor Store, which also has some snacks and fast food items, stays open until November 7. All other services in the area have closed for the season. In Mammoth Hot Springs, the hotel, dining room, cabins, and service station close Monday, October 11. The Gift Shop and Terrace Grill close Monday, October 17. The General Store, post office, clinic, and the Albright Visitor Center are open all year, with a few exceptions. Check the park newspaper or website for specifics. Madison Campground is open until Sunday, October 24. Slough Creek Campground closes for the season on Sunday, October 31; while Lewis Lake remains open until Saturday, November 6. The campground at Mammoth Hot Springs is open all year. Visitors should not experience any construction delays over Sylvan Pass on the East Entrance road, as that road project is nearing completion. Construction through Gibbon Canyon between Norris and Madison is also winding down, with up to 30-minute delays possible through October 23. The road between Tower Fall and Canyon Junction over Dunraven Pass closes for the season Tuesday morning. All other park roads except the road from Gardiner through Mammoth to Cooke City will close for the season Monday morning, November 8, at 8:00 a.m. The park’s North Entrance and the road to Cooke City remain open to wheeled vehicles all year, weather permitting. There could be up to 30-minute delays this fall on the road between Tower Junction and Cooke City due to a bridge replacement project. Fall weather in and around Yellowstone can be unpredictable. Visitors should be prepared for winter weather and winter driving conditions, and are advised to have flexible travel plans. Updated information on park roads is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117.
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Did You Know?
At peak summer levels, 3,500 employees work for Yellowstone National Park concessioners and about 800 work for the National Park Service.