Yellowstone undergoes closures to prepare for spring tourism influx
As of Wednesday, most entrances, roads and visitor service centers and shops in Yellowstone have closed to the public. Visitors can access the park once again in several weeks, weather permitting.
Yellowstone National Park
A look at the United States' first National Park: Yellowstone.
Yellowstone National Park is undergoing its annual closure to wrap up its winter season.
As of Wednesday, most entrances, roads and visitor service centers and shops in Yellowstone have closed to the public.
Shutting down parts of the park is a temporary move, as it will provide time for the Yellowstone team to prepare the park's 2.2 million acres for spring and summer tourism.
‘YELLOWSTONE IS AN AMAZING PLACE’: AMERICA'S OLDEST NATIONAL PARK CELEBRATES 150 YEARS
Plowing operations at Yellowstone National Park.
(NPS / Jacob W. Frank / FOX Weather)
Preparations over the next several weeks will involve bulldozers, industrial-strength snowblowers and other equipment clearing out the winter snowpack.
Weather permitting, the park will fully reopen on Friday, April 21 at 8 a.m. MT.
In the meantime, here are the roads and facilities that have temporarily closed for the winter, along with those that will remain open.
Roads and facilities that have closed
Icy slopes are seen at Yellowstone National Park in 2022.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
Visitors should note that the following roads and entrances are closed:
- South entrance - Located in Wyoming.
- West entrance - Located near West Yellowstone, Montana.
- East entrance - Located in Wyoming.
- All roads in the park
Here are the visitor services that have closed:
- At Mammoth Hot Springs (near the North Entrance) - The gift shop, ski shop, Map Room barista/bar.
- In the Old Faithful area (southwest part of the park) - Bear Den Gift Shop, Geyser Grill, Visitor Education Center, The Snow Lodge and Cabins.
- All warming huts.
Roads and facilities that will remain open
The wooden entrance sign to Yellowstone National Park, USA.
(Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The following roads and entrances are open year-round:
- North entrance - Located at Gardiner, Montana.
- The road running from the North entrance through Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction to Cooke City, Montana (weather permitting).
These facilities will remain open:
- At Mammoth Hot Springs (near the North Entrance) - The Albright Visitor Center, Yellowstone General Store, post office, medical clinic and self-service fuel pumps.
- Tower-Roosevelt Service Station self-service fuel pumps.
Spring in Yellowstone
FILE - A Grizzly bear mother and her cub in Yellowstone National Park.
(KAREN BLEIER / AFP / Getty Images)
Yellowstone National Park offers a number of attractions and activities throughout the year.
In spring, visitors can enjoy the warmer weather by having a picnic and watching wildlife, such as bears and bison. Visitors may also like to walk on the trails, ride bikes or take a boat onto a lake.
Experiences like these will make the park's temporary winter closure worth the wait.