Yellowstone west entrance reopens

Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance is scheduled to reopen to cars at 8 a.m. Friday, April 17, opening the park’s main west-side spring routes, weather permitting. (nps.gov) The April 17 opening also includes the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, and roads that let drivers reach Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley, Norris Geyser Basin, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Old Faithful from those gateways. (nps.gov) Park officials said more roads will open through May if conditions allow. Yellowstone’s road-status page says the North Entrance to the Northeast Entrance is the only route typically open to regular traffic year-round. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) That phased opening is how Yellowstone shifts from winter travel to the main driving season. The park is open all year, but most roads close to wheeled vehicles from mid-December to mid-March and services stay limited from early November through late April. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) The west side matters because it is the most direct route from West Yellowstone, Montana, to Old Faithful and the geyser basins that draw large spring and summer crowds. National Park Service visitation data shows Yellowstone averaged about 401,449 visits in May from 2014 through 2018, before the busiest summer months arrived. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Visitors are being told to expect spring conditions even after the gate opens. Yellowstone said many trails and boardwalks are still snow covered, temporary closures can happen without notice, and road projects could cause delays of up to 30 minutes. (nps.gov) The park also warned that bison, elk, bears and other animals use plowed roads as travel corridors in spring because snowbanks limit where they can move. Yellowstone tells visitors to stay at least 100 yards from bears, wolves and cougars and 25 yards from other wildlife. (nps.gov) Yellowstone has been managing access in a more fragile road system since the June 2022 floods damaged roads, bridges, power lines and water systems across the park. The National Park Service said that flood forced major repairs even though most roadways reopened within weeks. (nps.gov) For travelers heading in from the park’s west side, Friday morning marks the return of the driveable Yellowstone most people picture: entrance booths open, pavement clear enough for cars, and Old Faithful back on the map. (nps.gov)