Yellowstone is reconstructing its roads, which means you will likely encounter delays and nighttime closures. Consult the maps below as you plan your drive to minimize delays.

For more road information, including what roads are open during each season, see our Operating Hours and Seasons page. Call the 24-hour Current Road Report hotline at (307) 344-2117 for the latest information on conditions affecting roads within the park. See the 2009 Road Improvements Map (388 kb pdf) for projects that may affect travel this summer.

Motorcyclists are advised to use EXTREME CAUTION on loose gravel in areas of construction.

Flashing black roads are closed to wheeled vehicles during the winter season.

Some park areas, entrances and roads are not accessible year-round!! From early November through late April, all roads south through the park are closed to wheeled vehicles, including the road to Old Faithful Geyser. During the winter season only two roads are plowed:

• between the North Entrance and Cooke City, MT
• from Mammoth Hot Springs to the parking area at the Upper Terraces

Norris–Madison: Gibbon Canyon

August 17: ROAD CLOSES FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON!

The road between Artist Paint Pots through Gibbon Canyon to the Tuff Cliff Picnic Area closed at 10:00 p.m. Sunday night, August 16. This section of road will remain closed to all traffic 24 hours a day through the November 2 fall closing date of most park interior roads.

Read the full press release

The closure is needed in order to remove an existing bridge and build a new span across the Gibbon River. This section of road will remain closed until it reopens to snowmobile and snowcoach travel in December.

Beartooth Highway (US 212)

For construction updates on this highway only, call 888-285-4636. Northeast Entrance through Cooke City: May 27–September 25, open with 30-minute delays Monday– Friday, but no weekend or holiday work. Call 888-285-4636 for possible night closures starting July 13.

Milepost 25–43.1 (state line): June–November, open but expect delays.

All Summer:
Expect Road Improvement Projects on Many of the Major Travel Routes to Yellowstone Park Entrances from Montana and Wyoming

For information about Montana Road projects, call 1-800-226-7623 or visit www.mdt511.com

For information about Wyoming Road projects call 1-888-996-7623 or visit www.wyoroad.info/

For information about all road projects in Grand Teton National Park, call 307-739-3614. The park’s newspaper, Teewinot, includes a road construction map for further reference and can be found online at www.nps.gov/grte, or picked up at any park entrance station or visitor center.

General Information

Road construction is perennial in Yellowstone National Park. In general, park roads have either been recently repaired or reconstructed, or are scheduled for repair or reconstruction. Approximately 80% of main park roads (about 185 mi or 295 km) are in a structurally deficient state, with poor quality road bases failing under the weight, speed, and volume of modern traffic for which they were not designed. Harsh winter weather and short construction seasons provide additional challenges.

These needs are now being addressed under a 20-year, $300 million Federal Lands Highway Program for Yellowstone National Park. In addition to the major construction addressed below, park road repair crews will be working in other areas of the park throughout this and subsequent seasons. Thank you for your patience with our road construction efforts.

Other road closures or delays are possible. For current road information, call: 307-344-7381.

Additional construction zones and schedules may be announced as construction contracts are awarded.

We recommend that visitors check the following resources before traveling:

• National Weather Service forecast for Yellowstone and Grand Teton: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/riw/?n=ynp_gtnp
• WYDOT Road Information 888-WYO-ROAD or http://www.wyoroad.info/
• M-DOT Road Information 800-226-7623 or http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/