High water levels in Gardner River alongside the North Entrance Road/NPS

Editor's note: This updates with the entire park closed due to flooding, rock slides, and mudslides, deletes outdated material, provides additional video, photos, National Weather Service warnings, and lodging options for displaced travelers.

Yellowstone National Park closed all entrances Monday as flooding and rock and mud slides chewed away at park roads, forcing the evacuation of visitors in northern areas of the park due to "extremely hazardous conditions." With the potential for severe flooding in the southern half of the park, officials made the decision to shutter the entire park. Dramatic aerial footage captured by the park's helicopter manager demonstrated the damage being inflicted on the park.

In addition to the North Entrance Road being washed out in places by the Gardiner River, the Northeast Entrance Road also was being eroded in places by the swollen Lamar River.

The Lamar River was eating away at the park's Northeast Entrance Road/NPS

Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said the catastrophic impacts from the flooding and related slides forced the decision to close the park at least through Wednesday.

“Due to record flooding events in the park and more precipitation in the forecast, we have made the decision to close Yellowstone to all inbound visitation," said Sholly in a statement issued at midday. "Our first priority has been to evacuate the northern section of the park where we have multiple road and bridge failures, mudslides and other issues. The community of Gardiner is currently isolated, and we are working with the county and State of Montana to provide necessary support to residents, who are currently without water and power in some areas.

"Due to predictions of higher flood levels in areas of the park’s southern loop, in addition to concerns with water and wastewater systems, we will begin to move visitors in the southern loop out of the park later today in coordination with our in-park business partners," he continued. "We will not know timing of the park’s reopening until flood waters subside and we're able to assess the damage throughout the park. It is likely that the northern loop will be closed for a substantial amount of time. I appreciate the efforts of the Yellowstone team and partners to safely evacuate areas of the park and of our gateway community partners who are helping us through this major event. We appreciate the support offered by the Department of Interior, National Park Service and the Montana and Wyoming governors."

While the release did not say how many visitors needed to be evacuated, most of the campgrounds in the northern sections of the park had not yet opened for the season. The Canyon Campground, which holds 273 sites, and the Mammoth Campground, which offers 82, were open.

There was no word of any injuries, or whether park personnel and concession workers were being moved out of the park. To the south in Jackson, the Teton County Fairgrounds was available for displaced campers, and the Cody [Wyoming] Chamber of Commerce was offered assistance in finding lodging for those in need. The chamber set up phone lines -- 1-307-586-1574 or 1-307-586-1571 -- for those needing assistance booking accommodations in hotels and campgrounds.

“These rain-related closures are unprecedented and serious, and our primary concern right now is the safety and comfort of visitors to the Cody Yellowstone region,” said Ryan Hauck, executive director of Cody Yellowstone, the marketing arm for the region that includes the towns of Cody, Powell, and Meeteetse as well as areas inside of Yellowstone National Park and the valley east of the entrance. “Our local experts are ready to offer travelers assistance finding accommodations and navigating the region as safely as possible.

The National Weather Service had a flood warning in place for the northern edge of the park through Tuesday night, with sunny weather returning Wednesday.

"Flooding caused by excessive rainfall will continue for the Gardiner River, the lower Yellowstone River, and the Lamar River in Wyoming," the agency said. "Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is occurring. Numerous roads remain closed."

In Yellowstone, the weather service predicted that Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower Junction, Floating Island Lake, Blacktail Pond, Tower Falls, Osprey Falls, Roosevelt Lodge, Lava Creek Campground, and Indian Creek Campground would experience flooding.

US Highway 89 southbound was closed at Yankee Jim Canyon due to approximately 3 feet of water on the road. The National Park Service, Park County, Montana, and state crews were working with the communities of Gardiner, Silver Gate, and Cooke City to evaluate flooding impacts and provide support to residents.

Washed out bridge at Rescue Creek/NPS