Yellowstone National Park gears up for summer season by opening entrances
The nation’s first National Park was established in 1872 and spans land across Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Every year, more than 300 million people visit the 423 national park sites in the U.S., with Yellowstone accounting for about 4 million visitors.
File – Visitor numbers are up a year after Yellowstone flooding
Director of Sales and Marketing for Yellowstone National Park Lodges Rick Hoeninghausen says visitors are returning this year after historic flooding closed the park last June. Hoeninghausen describes moving guests and employees out of harms way during the flooding event.
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. – Rangers at the country’s oldest national park plan to open major roadways and entrances to the site starting Friday as part of its spring reopening for its annual 4 million visitors.
Yellowstone National Park remains open year-round, but certain parts of the nearly 3,500-square-mile park shut down during the winter months due to treacherous conditions caused by Mother Nature.
According to the National Park Service, the North Entrance, located in Gardiner, Montana, and the West Entrance, located in West Yellowstone, Montana, are both slated to open on April 18, with additional roadways set to open later in the spring and summer.
Yellowstone National Park map showing major entrances
(National Park Service / FOX Weather)
With the reopening of major entrances, rangers say visitors will be able to access iconic locations such as Mammoth Hot Springs, the Norris Geyser Basin and Old Faithful.
Despite the arrival of warmer weather, some areas of the park still remain snow-covered, which lasts well into meteorological summer in the higher elevations.
"Bison, elk, bears and other wildlife use roads as travel corridors," rangers said in a warning to visitors. "Roadside snowbanks prevent them from easily moving off the roads. Do not crowd, harass or push wildlife. Be mindful as wildlife endure this difficult time of the year."
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Yellowstone’s reopening of some entrances comes during a tumultuous period in the park’s history.
The park is still recovering from the devastating flooding during the summer of 2022, which caused significant damage to roads and other infrastructure.
A combination of melting snow and an atmospheric river event dumped several inches of rain over Wyoming and Montana, resulting in what was considered a once-in-500-year flood event.
File – One year after historic Yellowstone National Park flooding recovery continues after 2022 flooding.
FOX Weather correspondent Robert Ray spoke to Yellowstone National Park superintendent about rebuilding one year after historic flooding wiped out roads and caused evacuations.
According to travel experts, Yellowstone is usually busiest between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., with waits sometimes lasting an hour or more.
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In honor of National Park Week, entrance fees for Yellowstone and hundreds of other national park sites across the country will be waived.
The free admission aims to encourage Americans to get outside and explore the nation’s 63 national parks and 360 designated sites.
Each year, more than 300 million people visit protected areas in the U.S., with Yellowstone alone drawing about 4 million visitors annually.
For details on which areas of Yellowstone are currently off-limits, visit www.nps.gov/yell or check out the National Park Service app.