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Yellowstone to close most entrances, roads Nov. 1 to prepare for winter

The park annually closes roads at this time of year to prepare them for the winter season and snowmobile and snowcoach travel, which will begin Dec. 15.

By Angeli Gabriel Source FOX Weather

FILE: Tourism rebounds in Yellowstone National Park after extreme weather events

Yellowstone National Park is a diverse land bordering three states. In the age of social media, getting a chance to see the park's famous bison, moose or bears is a highly desirable experience for the millions of tourists who travel there. But recent extreme weather events like flooding kept the tourists away, now the months ahead look bright as we look at the challenges the park has faced and what lies ahead. FOX Weather’s Robert Ray reports. 

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Halloween will be the last day park visitors will be able to drive through most of the roads in Yellowstone National Park, the National Park Service announced on Tuesday.

They noted that the West, South and East entrances to the park, plus nearly all of its roads, will be closed to regular traffic starting on Nov. 1 until Dec. 15.

Roads that will remain open during this time run between the North Entrance in Gardiner, Montana, and the Northeast Entrance in Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana.

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Vehicles on the road in Yellowstone National Park. (National Park Service)

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The wooden entrance sign to Yellowstone National Park, USA. (Jon G. Fuller / VWPics / Universal Images Group)

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FILE - View of Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone National Park, US, on June 19, 2020. (Karla Ann Cote/NurPhoto)

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FILE - A Grizzly bear mother and her cub walk near Pelican Creek October 8, 2012 in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. It was established in 1872. Yellowstone extends through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. The park's name is derived from the Yellowstone River, which runs through the park. AFP PHOTO/Karen BLEIER (Photo credit should read KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images) (KAREN BLEIER / AFP)

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Fall foliage is seen in trees along a river bank in Yellowstone National Park in 2022. (Robert Ray)

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A road cuts through the majestic landscape of Yellowstone National Park in 2022. (Robert Ray)

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Elk graze at Yellowstone National Park in 2022. (Robert Ray)

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Yellowstone National Park (Robert Ray)

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Tourists filming two bison fight in Yellowstone National Park. (Cindy Shaffer via Storyful)

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A NPS ranger points to map for a visitor sitting in his vehicle at a entrance station to Yellowstone National Park. The park is using a license plate system to keep traffic in check as the park reopens. (Image: NPS Yellowstone National Park) (NPS Yellowstone National Park)

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Park visitors photograph a bison crossing a road in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. (Robert Alexander)

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A river runs through Yellowstone National Park in October 2021. (Robert Ray/FOX Weather)

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The largest hot spring in Yellowstone National Park is Grand Prismatic Spring. Its vibrant colors are caused by bacteria that can survive in the spring's extreme temperatures. (Inger Vandyke / VW PICS / Universal Images Group)

The hiatus is part of the park’s annual road closures during this time of year, allowing park officials to prepare the roads for the winter season, along with snowmobile and snowcoach travel, the NPS said.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

NPS officials advise visitors planning to drive in the park this fall and winter to do the following:

  • Prepare for changing weather conditions.
  • Be flexible with your travel plans.
  • Expect limited services.
  • Anticipate dangerous driving conditions and possible road closures due to inclement weather.
  • Temporary travel restrictions or closures without notice.
  • Stay informed about Yellowstone road conditions online, by calling 307-344-2117 or by texting "82190" to 888-777.

Flooding and rockslides have closed entrances to Yellowstone National Park. June 2022. (Yellowstone National Park / FOX Weather)

While this closure is an annual occurrence each fall, Yellowstone has closed all of its entrances due to inclement weather.

YELLOWSTONE'S HISTORIC FLOODS ONE YEAR LATER

In June 2022, rapid snowmelt and heavy rain caused historic flooding, rockslides and mudslides to flow across a number of roads. Some areas received at least 3 inches of rain, while others saw 6 inches or more.

Historic flooding has been reported along the Yellowstone River in Montana. June 2022. (Commissioner John Ostlund/Yellowstone County / FOX Weather)

Combined with the rapid snowmelt, the rainfall caused the Yellowstone River to reach levels not seen in over a century