Winter Season In Yellowstone National Park Coming To An End

Published Date

March 8, 2011

The end of the winter season in Yellowstone National Park is right around the corner. NPT file photo.

The end of the winter season in Yellowstone National Park is right around the corner, with all over-snow travel scheduled to end March 15 so plowing operations can get to work opening the roads for the summer season.

Motorized over-snow travel between the park’s East Entrance and Fishing Bridge over Sylvan Pass ended Tuesday, March 1. The groomed road from Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris was scheduled to close Sunday evening, March 6. Commercially guided over-snow travel from Norris to Canyon and Madison is scheduled to end Tuesday evening, March 8. The section of groomed road between Canyon and Fishing Bridge is scheduled to close Sunday night, March 13, with all over-snow travel scheduled to end for the season at 9 o’clock Tuesday evening, March 15.

At Old Faithful, the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, Cabins, and Dining Room closed for the winter season on Sunday morning, March 6. The Geyser Grill, Bear Den Gift Shop, and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center, however, remain open through Tuesday, March 15.

At Mammoth Hot Springs, the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel, Dining Room, and Gift Shop closed for the season on Monday morning, March 7. However, the Mammoth Campground, Yellowstone General Store, Post Office, Medical Clinic, the Albright Visitor Center, and self-serve fuel pumps are open all year.

The road from Gardiner, Montana, through the park's North Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs to Cooke City, Montana, is open to automobiles all year, weather permitting. Self-serve fuel is available all year at Tower Junction. Updated Yellowstone National Park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling 307-344-2117.

This is the last winter for over-snow travel in Yellowstone under a temporary two-year plan. The National Park Service is finalizing work on a new long-term plan to guide future management of winter use in the park. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which will analyze the effects of a wide range of winter use alternatives on the park and its resources, will be released for a 60-day review and comment period in a few weeks. The Park Service intends to finish the plan and issue any new winter use regulations before the start of the 2011-2012 winter season.

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