The Northeast Entrance Road after flooding in 2022. Photo: Courtesy of YNP
Stay in the know.
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. — The National Park Service (NPS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, is seeking public comment on a proposal to “significantly” improve 27 miles of the Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and Yellowstone National Park’s (YNP) Northeast Entrance.
The road, damaged during the historic 2022 flood, is open to visitor vehicle traffic year-round and provides winter access to the communities of Cooke City/Silver Gate in Montana and to Lamar Valley, a main attraction in the Park for wildlife viewing opportunities. According to a YNP press release, the project aims to improve visitor safety, use and experience, while enhancing the road’s resilience to future floods and other natural disasters.
Need for project
Aging Infrastructure
Outdated Standards Impact Safety
Resource and Resiliency Concerns
Improved Visitor Experience
According to YNP, no substantial improvements have occurred since the 1980s.
“The existing pavement has exceeded its 20-year design life and was not designed for the current amount of traffic,” the press release states. “The age of the road, coupled with increased visitation, has taken a toll on bridges, retaining walls and culverts.”
The road is also evidently susceptible to frost heaves in areas where it intersects with seasonally wet areas.
While the road has a width of 20 to 22 feet, YNP also writes that the modern Park standard is 30 feet. The increased width and additional road shoulders, parking areas and turnouts will be aimed at minimizing vehicle conflicts and improving traffic flow.
According to YNP, the lack of shoulders and turnouts also leads to vegetation degradation and the spread of invasive weeds when drivers pull off the road. The aim is to realign the road in areas where it either washed out during the 2022 flood or might be vulnerable to similar future events.
Due to the popularity and year-round use on the road, YNP also confirms parking configurations in some turnouts need to be expanded or redesigned to add capacity and improve vehicle flow, in addition to including more wildlife viewing turnouts.
Environmental Assessment alternatives
YNP is inviting public input to help the Park develop an environmental assessment (EA) that includes the following two alternatives:
No Action Alternative: No substantial infrastructure improvements would occur, but routine and periodic maintenance would continue as issues arise. Deterioration and maintenance needs of the road corridor would likely increase.
Action Alternative: The Northeast Entrance Road and associated infrastructure would be upgraded. Upgrades could include widening the road from 20 to 22 feet to 30 feet, repairing or replacing bridges and culverts, improving parking areas and turnouts and providing additional turnouts where needed.
Public comment
Public comments will be accepted until Dec. 3 and can be submitted here or by mail.
Mail comments to: Yellowstone National Park, Attn: Northeast Entrance Road Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168.
Before including address, phone number, email or other personal information, be aware that the entire comment, including personally identifiable information, may be made public at any time. Individuals may ask YNP to withhold personally identifiable information from public review, but the Park cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Comments will not be accepted by fax, email or by any other means, and bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
At the conclusion of the 30-day public comment period, the NPS will analyze and consider all comments received. The YNP press release anticipates a draft EA will likely be available for public review in June 2025. A final decision is expected October 2025.
River Stingray is a news reporter with a passion for wildlife, history and local lenses. She holds a Master's degree in environmental archaeology from the University of Cambridge and is also a published poet, dog mom and outdoor enthusiast.
YNP seeks public input to improve Northeast Entrance Road
Share this:
Stay in the know.
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. — The National Park Service (NPS), in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, is seeking public comment on a proposal to “significantly” improve 27 miles of the Northeast Entrance Road between Tower Junction and Yellowstone National Park’s (YNP) Northeast Entrance.
The road, damaged during the historic 2022 flood, is open to visitor vehicle traffic year-round and provides winter access to the communities of Cooke City/Silver Gate in Montana and to Lamar Valley, a main attraction in the Park for wildlife viewing opportunities. According to a YNP press release, the project aims to improve visitor safety, use and experience, while enhancing the road’s resilience to future floods and other natural disasters.
Need for project
According to YNP, no substantial improvements have occurred since the 1980s.
“The existing pavement has exceeded its 20-year design life and was not designed for the current amount of traffic,” the press release states. “The age of the road, coupled with increased visitation, has taken a toll on bridges, retaining walls and culverts.”
The road is also evidently susceptible to frost heaves in areas where it intersects with seasonally wet areas.
While the road has a width of 20 to 22 feet, YNP also writes that the modern Park standard is 30 feet. The increased width and additional road shoulders, parking areas and turnouts will be aimed at minimizing vehicle conflicts and improving traffic flow.
According to YNP, the lack of shoulders and turnouts also leads to vegetation degradation and the spread of invasive weeds when drivers pull off the road. The aim is to realign the road in areas where it either washed out during the 2022 flood or might be vulnerable to similar future events.
Due to the popularity and year-round use on the road, YNP also confirms parking configurations in some turnouts need to be expanded or redesigned to add capacity and improve vehicle flow, in addition to including more wildlife viewing turnouts.
Environmental Assessment alternatives
YNP is inviting public input to help the Park develop an environmental assessment (EA) that includes the following two alternatives:
Public comment
Public comments will be accepted until Dec. 3 and can be submitted here or by mail.
Mail comments to: Yellowstone National Park, Attn: Northeast Entrance Road Project, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190-0168.
Before including address, phone number, email or other personal information, be aware that the entire comment, including personally identifiable information, may be made public at any time. Individuals may ask YNP to withhold personally identifiable information from public review, but the Park cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so.
Comments will not be accepted by fax, email or by any other means, and bulk comments in any format submitted on behalf of others will not be accepted.
At the conclusion of the 30-day public comment period, the NPS will analyze and consider all comments received. The YNP press release anticipates a draft EA will likely be available for public review in June 2025. A final decision is expected October 2025.
Experience rustic luxury in this 3-bedroom Hoback Ranches home
A closer look: This 3-bedroom Cottonwood home overlooks Rangeview Park
A closer look at this 5-bedroom condo at the base of Snow King with great views
Bordering beautiful Rangeview Park, this home is more than 2,600 sq. ft. with 3 bedrooms, an office and 2.5 baths
A closer look at this 2-bedroom condo on Powderhorn Lane
River Stingray
River Stingray is a news reporter with a passion for wildlife, history and local lenses. She holds a Master's degree in environmental archaeology from the University of Cambridge and is also a published poet, dog mom and outdoor enthusiast.
More by River Stingray