YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Yellowstone National Park (YNP) has announced that the road from the East Entrance near Cody, Wyoming, to Fishing Bridge Junction (Sylvan Pass), and Canyon Village to Lake Village, will open Friday, May 5, at 8 a.m. to public motor vehicle traffic.
According to the YNP press release, park visitors can anticipate temporary road closures near Sylvan Pass because of increased avalanche danger from recent snowfall and warm temperatures.
Many areas of the park are still experiencing winter conditions and snow and ice may cover sections of road. Additionally, spring services are still limited.
YNP asks visitors to always stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards from all other wildlife. Do not crowd or push wildlife. Bison and elk often use roads as travel corridors when the snow is deep, and higher than usual snowbanks this year prevent them from easily moving off the road. Due to a severe winter of above-average snowpack, wildlife such as bison, elk and moose are stressed and weak.
More park roads scheduled to open are listed below:
- Roads to open May 12 at 8 a.m.
- South Entrance to West Thumb
- West Thumb to Lake Village
- West Thumb to Old Faithful (Craig Pass)
- Tower Junction to Tower Fall
- Road to open May 26 at 8 a.m.
- Canyon Village to Tower Fall (Dunraven Pass)
The park’s North Entrance (Gardiner, Montana) and Northeast Entrance (Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana) are open year-round to all traffic with no restrictions. These entrances have been repaired after last summer’s historic flood.
