Park Roads

Yellowstone Road Status Map

The map below shows the current status of park roads and road construction. Click on a road segment or icon for more information. Conditions can change quickly, so check back often. Short-term road closures and delays may not be shown.

 

 

FIND OUT MORE

• Current Conditions
• Webcams
• Grand Teton Roads Status
• Winter Driving Safety Flyer

The only road generally open year-round to automobiles is from the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, through the park to Cooke City, Montana (via Tower Junction). Most park roads are closed to regular vehicles from early November to late-April, and are open to limited oversnow travel (snowmobiles and snowcoaches) from mid-December to mid-March. When open, roads are not gated at night and people may enter/exit the park 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Yellowstone has five entrance stations, and it takes several hours to drive between them. Anticipate possible road closures, and check the road status of the entrance you intend to use before traveling.

 

Road & Entrance Status

For up-to-date information, check out the live road status map (above), call [phone] for recorded information, or sign up to receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone by texting 82190 to 888-777 (an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions). Before traveling, it's also a good idea to:

• Check road conditions outside of Yellowstone in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Grand Teton National Park.
• View the park webcams to see current traffic conditions at the North and West entrances to Yellowstone.

 

Road Construction           

It's important to be aware of all planned construction projects, as they can cause major traffic delays throughout the park. Drive slowly through road construction and be alert to workers, heavy equipment, wildlife, and other hazards. The following road improvement projects may affect your visit to Yellowstone:

Lamar Canyon (Winter 2022 - 2023)

A short section of road in Lamar Canyon will remain a paved, single lane through the winter season. A temporary stop light will be in place for traffic control and delays will be minimal.   

 

Find out more about park road improvement projects and the park's plan to address the deferred maintenance backlog.

 

2022-2023 Winter Opening Dates

Conditions permitting, roads will open to oversnow travel by snowmobile and snowcoach at 8 am on the following date:

• December 15: West Entrance to Old Faithful, Mammoth to Old Faithful, Canyon to Norris, Canyon to Lake, Old Faithful to West Thumb, South Entrance to Lake, Lake to Lake Butte Overlook, East Entrance to Lake Butte Overlook (Sylvan Pass)

2023 Winter Closing Dates

Roads will close to oversnow travel by snowmobile and snowcoach at 9 pm on the following dates:

• March 5: Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris
• March 7: Norris to Madison and Norris to Canyon Village
• March 12: Canyon Village to Fishing Bridge
• March 15: All remaining groomed roads close

2023 Spring Opening Dates

Roads will open at 8 am on the following dates (conditions permitting):

• April 21: West Entrance to Madison Junction, Mammoth Hot Springs to Old Faithful, Norris to Canyon Village
• May 5: East Entrance to Lake Village (Sylvan Pass), Canyon Village to Lake Village
• May 12: South Entrance to West Thumb, Lake Village to West Thumb, West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass), Tower Junction to Tower Fall
• May 26: Tower Fall to Canyon Junction (Dunraven Pass), Beartooth Highway (US-212)*
• TBD: Between Cooke City, MT, on US-212 to Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296)*

*see below for more info on these roads outside the park's Northeast Entrance

2023 Fall Closing Dates

Roads will be closed to public vehicle traffic on the following dates:

• October 10: The Beartooth Highway (US-212) between Red Lodge, Montana, and Cooke City, Montana.
• November 1: All remaining roads will be closed except the road between the North Entrance and the Northeast Entrance.
• Travel east of Cooke City, Montana, on US-212 to Chief Joseph Scenic Byway (WY-296) is possible until early November. Check at WY DOT.

 

Roads Outside the Northeast Entrance

After initial opening, weather causes occasional closures. Please check locally or at WY DOT and MT DOT before traveling.

Beartooth Highway

US-212, Cooke City to Red Lodge, Montana

• Open the Friday of Memorial Day weekend to mid-October. Closed for the season.

Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

WY-296, Cooke City, Montana, to Cody, Wyoming, or Laurel, Montana

• Open year-round to from WY-120 to Pilot Creek Parking Lot (4 miles toward Cooke City from the junction of WY-296/US-212). In winter, 9 miles of road are closed to wheeled vehicles (oversnow travel only) from Cooke City to Pilot Creek. This segment of road is open to wheeled vehicles mid-May through early November. Please check locally or at WY DOT.