1578r
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.
REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE ADMISSION OF AUTOMOBILES INTO THE
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK FOR THE SEASON OF 1915.
(EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 1915.).
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
WASHINGTON, D. C., July 7, 1915.
Pursuant to authority conferred by section 2475,
Revised Statutes, United States, and the act of Congress approved May 7,
1894, the following regulations governing the admission of automobiles
into the Yellowstone National Park are hereby established and made
public:
1. Automobiles.The park is open only to such
automobiles as are operated for pleasure and not to those carrying
passengers who are paying, either directly or indirectly, for the use of
the machine.
2. Motorcycles.Motorcycles are not permitted to
enter the park.
3. Tickets of Passage.Ticket of passage must be
secured and paid for at the checking station where the automobile enters
the park. This ticket must be conveniently kept, so that it can be
exhibited to park guards on demand, and must be surrendered at the last
checking station on leaving the park. Tickets of passage will show (a)
name of owner, (b) license number of automobile, (c) name of State
issuing license, (d) make of machine and manufacturer's number, (e) name
of driver, (f) seating capacity of machine, and (g) number of
passengers.
4. Fees.Fees are payable in cash only, and will be as
follows for each trip through the park:
For runabouts or single-seated cars | $5.00 |
For five-passenger cars | 7.50 |
For seven-passenger cars | 10.00 |
5. Muffler cut-outs.Muffler cut-outs must be
closed while approaching or passing riding horses, horse-drawn vehicles,
hotels, camps, or soldier stations.
6. Distance Apart.Gears and
Brakes.Automobiles while in motion must not be less than 100 yards
apart, except for purpose of passing, which is only permissible on
comparatively level or slight grades. All automobiles, except while
shifting gears, must retain their gears constantly enmeshed. Persons
desiring to enter the park in an automobile will be required to satisfy
the guard issuing the ticket of passage that the machine in general, and
particularly the brakes and tires, are in first-class working order and
capable of making the trip, and that there is sufficient gasoline in the
tank to reach the next place where it may be obtained, and carry two
extra tires. For this purpose, all drivers will be required effectually
to block and skid the rear wheels with either foot or hand brake, or
such other brakes as may be a part of the equipment of the automobile.
Gasoline can be purchased at regular supply stations as per posted
notices.
7. Speeds.Speeds must be limited to 12 miles per
hour ascending and 10 miles per hour descending steep grades, and to 8
miles per hour when approaching sharp curves. On good roads with
straight stretches, and when no team is nearer than 200 yards, the speed
may be increased to 20 miles per hour. Horns must be sounded at all
curves where the road can not be seen for at least 200 yards ahead, and
when approaching teams or riding animals.
6. Teams.When teams, saddle horses, or pack trains
approach, automobiles will take the outer edge of the roadway,
regard-less of the direction in which they may be going, taking care
that sufficient room is left on the inside for the passage of vehicles
and animals. Teams have the right of way, and automobiles will be backed
or otherwise handled as may be necessary so as to enable teams to pass
with safety. In no case must automobiles pass animals on the road at a
greater speed than 8 miles per hour.
9. Fines.Fines or other penalties will be imposed
for arrival of automobiles at any point before approved lapse of time,
hereinafter given, at the following rates: $0.50 per minute for each of
first five minutes; $1.00 per minute for each of the next 20 minutes;
$25.00 fine or ejection from the park, or both, in the discretion of the
Acting Superintendent of the park, for being more than 25 minutes
early.
10. Penalties.Violation of any of the foregoing rules
or general regulations for government of the park will cause revocation
of ticket of passage, and in addition to the penalties hereinbefore
indicated will subject the owner of the automobile to any damage
occasioned thereby, immediate ejectment from the reservation, and be
cause for refusal to issue new ticket of passage to the owner without
prior sanction in writing from the Secretary of the Interior.
11. Accidents.Men, due to breakdowns or accidents of
any other nature, automobiles are unable to keep going
or to reach the next stopping place on time, they must be immediately
parked off the road, or where this is impossible, on the outer edge of
the road, and wait until the next schedule for automobiles past that
point, or until given special permission to proceed by park guards.
12. These regulations and schedules do not apply to
automobiles passing over the county road in
the northwest corner of the park, en route to the town of Yellowstone,
Montana.
STEPHEN T. MATHER,
Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior.
SCHEDULES AND GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS.
Automobiles may leave the park by any one of the
authorized routes of entrance. Automobile drivers should compare their
watches with the clocks at checking stations.
Automobiles stopping over at points other than the
hotels and permanent camps will be allowed to resume travel only at such
time as permits them to fall in with a subsequent regular automobile
schedule past the point of stop-over. Such automobiles while stopping
over must park out of sight of, or at least 100 yards from, the main
road.
Automobiles stopping over at permanent camps must
leave the same at the proper time to conform
with the published schedules from the nearest hotels. Detailed times of
departure to comply with
this provision will be posted at the particular camps concerned.
When, due to breakdowns or accidents of any other
nature, automobiles are unable to keep going, or to reach the next
stopping place on time they must be immediately parked off the road,
or where this is impossible, on the outer edge of the road, and wait
until the next schedule for automobiles past that point, or until given
special permission to proceed by park guards.
Automobiles will not be permitted for use on local
trips around hot springs formations or other points of interest off the
main roads, except in the case specially noted at Artist Point, in the
morning schedule from the Lake Hotel to Canyon Hotel.
Speeds.Speeds must be limited to 12 miles per hour
ascending and 10 miles per hour descending steep grades, and to 8 miles
per hour when approaching sharp curves. On good roads with straight
stretches, and when no team is nearer than 200 yards, the speed may be
increased to 20 miles per hour. No automobile shall pass another while
in motion going in the same direction.
Horns.The horn will be sounded on approaching
curves, stretches of road which can not be seen for about 200 yards, and
driving or riding animals; also on meeting other machines.
Teams.When teams, saddle horses, or pack trains,
approach, automobiles will take the outer edge of the roadway,
regardless of the direction in which they may be going, taking care that
sufficient room is left on the inside for the passage of vehicles and
animals. Teams have the right of way, and automobiles will be backed or
otherwise handled as maybe necessary so as to enable teams to pass with
safety. In no case will automobiles pass animals on the road at a
greater speed than 8 miles per hour.
In addition to the schedules herein given,
automobiles must keep clear of any horse-drawn passenger vehicles
running upon regular schedules which may be following them; and upon
overtaking any horsedrawn passenger vehicles running upon regular
schedules, automobiles must not attempt to pass or approach closer than
within 150 yards of the same.
Reduced engine powerGasoline, etc.Due to the high
altitude of the park roads, averaging nearly 7,650 feet for the belt
line and east, north, and west entrances, the power of all automobiles
is much reduced, so that about 50 per cent more gasoline will be
required than for the same distance at lower altitudes. Likewise one
lower gear will generally have to be used on grades than would have to
be used in other places. A further effect that must be watched is the
heating of the engine on long roads, which may become serious unless
care is used. Gasoline can be purchased at regular supply stations as
per posted notices.