Yellowstone National Park Road Information

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Gibbon Canyon Night Closures End Wednesday - 01 September 2010

Work is nearing completion on the section of road between Norris and Madison through Gibbon Canyon in Yellowstone National Park.

Earlier this month, traffic began traveling over the new road alignment and the new 253 foot bridge over the Gibbon River.

Overnight closures end as of 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 1st. However, visitors can expect up to 30 minute construction delays through October 23, including over the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Paving of the new road and the nearby Beryl Springs Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of September.

The redesigned Gibbon Falls Overlook and parking area, two new picnic areas and the long closed Gibbon Falls picnic area are all set to open to visitors October 23, weather permitting. All interior park roads close for the season Monday morning, November 8th.

Another important component of the road project began when traffic began traveling over the new road alignment.

Wetlands, rare plants, thermal areas, and even the path of the Gibbon River itself were disturbed when the old road was built in the 1930s. Work is now underway to remove the old road and bridge and restore the 2-mile section of river corridor.

The land along the river is being reshaped back to the way it was before the old road was built, and thousands of native plants grown from seed are being planted in the area. When completed, about three acres of wetland habitat will have been restored.

Madison to Norris Construction

Visitors to Yellowstone will be impacted by one major road construction project this year between Madison and Norris through Gibbon Canyon.

Visitors can expect up to 30-minute delays from the time the road opens to travel on Friday, April 16 at 8:00 AM through October 20, 2010.

This section of road will also be CLOSED to travel between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM EVERY NIGHT (except as noted below) from April 16 until September 1, 2010.

There will be NO DAYTIME DELAYS OR OVERNIGHT CLOSURES during the Memorial Day or July 4 holiday weekends.

During this period, visitors should allow extra travel time in case they need to reroute through West Thumb and Canyon. Maps and additional construction details will be available at all visitor centers and online. Park road information is always available 24 hours a day by calling: 307-344-2117.

East Entrance / Sylvan Pass Construction

A small road project on the park’s East Entrance road over Sylvan Pass may also result in up to 30-minute delays during the spring, summer and fall. No night time closures are scheduled. There will be no construction or delays during holiday weekends.

Canyon / Fishing Bridge Construction

A third project in the park is expected to result in some delays during the last two weeks of June. Funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will be used to repair and repave the section of road between the Uncle Tom’s Trail parking area and Artist Point along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Visitors can expect up to 30-minute delays on the South Rim Drive, as well as some delays on the road between Canyon and Fishing Bridge. All work is expected to be completed prior to the July 4 holiday weekend.

Yellowstone National Park 2010 Opening Schedule

Yellowstone National Park is our first and grandest national park. Only a part of Yellowstone is open all year. The North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana is Open Year Round. The road from Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs and from Mammoth to Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana is maintained for winter vehicle travel. In winter, vehicles are usually required to have snow tires and may be required to have chains to enter the park. The road though plowed and maintained, will be snow or ice packed in areas. The North Entrance is open 24/7 365 days a year, but there may be temporary closures due to weather or other conditions. Also of note, you cannot travel east of Cooke City, Montana until late spring when the road east of Cooke City is plowed open for vehicle travel. Please Note: This schedule is subject to change due to weather, fire, or other conditions.

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Yellowstone National Park 2010 Closing Schedule

This is the latest 2009 Entrance and Road Closing Schedule from the park service. Please Note: This schedule is subject to change due to weather, fire, or other conditions.

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Yellowstone National Park 2010 Construction Schedule

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Yellowstone National Park 2010 Road Information

Yellowstone National Park is a large park at 2.2+ million acres and 251 miles of roads. At this point in time (2009), the roads are the best they have been for a very long time. There has been a lot of new construction and the park service has tried to do overlays on the other areas that were in bad need of repair.

All of Yellowstone roads are two lanes. There is limited space for pulling off the roads, and limited passing zones. There are a few roads with shoulders for bike riders. There are roadside pullouts for viewing areas, or wildlife, or for parking for hikes. Slower traffic is strongly encouraged to be courteous and think of other drivers and visitors and to utilize pullouts.

There are several areas where there are steep grades and winding narrow roads. These areas are: Sylvan Pass (8,530 feet / 2,600 meters), Craig Pass / Continental Divide (8,391 feet / 2558 meters), Mammoth Hot Springs to Gardiner, Montana (6,239 feet / 1,902 meters). The road from Mammoth Hot Springs to Gardiner is narrow with some fairly sharp turns, it is best to use low gears as your brakes will heat up. Some visitors who arrived in Gardiner wanted to find a garage to look at their brakes as they were hardly working by the time they got to Gardiner. All that was needed was time to allow their brakes to cool as they had overheated from usage on the drive down.

If you look at the above park map, you will note that the park roads are roughly in a figure eight, with an Upper Loop, a Lower Loop, and a Grand Loop. The total road mileage in the park is 251 miles, the Upper Loop is 70 miles around, the Lower Loop is 96 miles around, and the Grand Loop is 142 miles around. The park top speed limit is 45 miles per hour, with many areas with lower speeds. The speed limit is strictly enforced, you will not want to get a ticket while on vacation and most animal deaths in the park involve vehicle accidents. Be careful and enjoy your time in Yellowstone.

During the main tourist season (mid Jun - mid Sep) the roads are crowded. There will be times that wildlife will be on the road, they have the right of way. There will also be what is known as buffalo jams, elk jams, bear jams and wolf jams. You cannot stop and park your vehicle in the middle of the road to take pictures or watch. You have to pull completely off the roadway so you are not blocking traffic. Utilize pullouts, parking areas, and/or road shoulders if available.

It is hoped that this information will be helpful in planning your trip and time in Yellowstone. Be careful, have fun and enjoy the beauty, magic, and wonders of Yellowstone!

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by John William Uhler

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