Road Conditions & Report
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Reports //
Yellowstone is a year round park, but travel should be planned with consideration of the conditions you will likely encounter.
Yellowstone is a year round park, but travel should be planned with consideration of the conditions you will likely encounter.
PARK SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Road Closure Schedule
24-hour Current Road Report Hotline: (307) 344-2117
STATE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS
Idaho Transportation Department: http://511.idaho.gov/
Montana Department of Transportation: http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/
Wyoming Department of Transportation: http://map.wyoroad.info/hi.html
GENERAL ROAD CONDITIONS
Most of the three million people who visit Yellowstone each year come during summer. However, more people are discovering the pleasure of exploring Yellowstone in the "off seasons"--spring, fall and winter.
Winter
The winter season for travel runs from the third Wednesday in December until early March. All roads and entrances, with the one exception of the North Entrance, are closed to motor vehicle travel and are groomed for only snow vehicles.
Spring
Depending on the weather, most interior roads open by early May, some as early as mid-April. Dunraven Pass, between Tower and Canyon Junctions, and the Beartooth Highway, connecting Cooke City to Red Lodge, MT generally open by Memorial Day weekend.
Summer
Park roads are generally open for travel, barring accidents, rock/mud slides or road construction.
Fall
Storms may cause temporary restrictions (snow tire or chain requirements) or closures of park roads. The Beartooth Highway closes in mid-October but most interior roads close on the first Monday of November. The road from Gardiner to Cooke City, MT is open all year.
Trip Checklist
- Barring road construction, most park roads are open to automobiles from about May 1 to the first Sunday in November; please plan with this in mind.
- Make lodging reservations as early as possible.
- Plan your arrival to secure your campsite early in the day.
- Review park regulation and permit information before your arrival.
- Pack clothes that can be layered and that are appropriate for the season of your visit.
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