Yellowstone west entrance opens

Yellowstone’s West Entrance reopens to regular vehicle traffic at 8 a.m. Friday, April 17, giving drivers their first spring access from West Yellowstone into the park. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said the April 17 opening also includes the roads from West Entrance to Madison Junction, Madison to Old Faithful, Madison to Norris, Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris, and Norris to Canyon Village, all weather permitting. Visitors entering from the west or north will be able to reach Old Faithful, Norris Geyser Basin, Lamar Valley, Mammoth Hot Springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. (nps.gov; nps.gov) That is a big shift from winter access, when most Yellowstone roads are closed to regular cars and open only to limited over-snow travel by commercially guided snowmobiles and snowcoaches. The only road usually open year-round to regular vehicles is the route between Gardiner, Montana, and Cooke City, Montana, through Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction. (nps.gov; nps.gov) The April 17 opening is the first major step in Yellowstone’s annual spring road rollout, with more routes scheduled to follow in May if conditions allow. The East Entrance to Fishing Bridge and Canyon Village to Bridge Bay are projected to open May 1, and the South Entrance corridor is projected for May 8. (nps.gov) For travelers, the west-side opening matters because West Yellowstone is one of the park’s busiest gateways and the direct route to Old Faithful. Madison Campground, one of Yellowstone’s largest campgrounds, sits about 14 miles east of West Yellowstone and 16 miles north of Old Faithful, putting reopened west-side roads at the center of early-season trips. (nps.gov; nps.gov) The park is warning that “open” does not mean summer conditions have fully arrived. Yellowstone said many trails and boardwalks are still snow covered, services remain limited in spring, and temporary road restrictions can happen at any time because of weather or dangerous driving conditions. (nps.gov; nps.gov) Drivers should also expect construction delays of up to 30 minutes on some roads, according to the park. Yellowstone advises visitors to check the live road status map or recorded road line before leaving, because conditions can change quickly. (nps.gov; nps.gov) Wildlife is another spring hazard on reopened roads. The park said bison, elk, bears, and other animals use road corridors when snowbanks limit movement, and visitors must stay at least 100 yards from bears, wolves, and cougars and 25 yards from other wildlife. (nps.gov; nps.gov) Yellowstone’s thermal areas carry separate risks as spring crowds return. The park says the ground around hot springs can be only a thin crust over superheated water, and more than 20 people have died from burns after entering or falling into Yellowstone hot springs. (nps.gov) If weather holds, Friday morning is when Yellowstone’s west side starts looking drivable again instead of transitional. The park’s message is to treat the opening as conditional, check roads before leaving, and expect spring conditions even on routes that are officially open. (nps.gov; nps.gov)