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Yellowstone National Park
Operating Hours & Seasons
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ROAD, SERVICE, & PROGRAM SCHEDULES CAN CHANGE. ALWAYS CHECK LOCALLY FOR UPDATES!
Yellowstone is open every day of the year. Most entrances (except the North and North East entrances) close in November to automobile traffic while roads are being prepared for the winter season's snowcoach and snowmobile traffic and again in late March and early April to clear the roads for the summer season. Interior park roads are only open to over-snow vehicles during the winter season. Once an Entrance/Road opens for the summer season, it is open 24 hours a day. The only exceptions are caused by road construction and weather-related restrictions.
Check News Releases or Current Conditions and Winter Daily Reports for any unscheduled entrance closures due to adverse weather conditions. Throughout the park, in the summer expect traffic delays and road closures. See the Road Construction Schedule for more information.
Please refer to our Opening and Closing Dates for Facilities for information about available services in Yellowstone.
Check here for Visitor Center dates and hours.
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ROAD OPENING AND CLOSING DATES
Some park areas, entrances and roads are not open year-round!
Winter:
2011-2012 Winter Snowcoach and Snowmobile Road Opening and Closing Schedule
Winter Opening Dates are Snow Permitting and all dates are subject to change! See our Winter Use Planning page for current information.
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December 15, 2011-Most roads open to snowcoach and snowmobile travel (weather and snow conditions permitting).
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December 22, 2011-East Entrance Road (between East Entrance and Fishing Bridge) opens to snowcoach and snowmobile travel.
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Only two park roads are plowed in the winter and remain open for wheeled-vehicle use:
- The road between the North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana, to the Northeast Entrance at Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana.
- From Mammoth Hot Springs to the parking area at the Upper Terraces (approximatedly 1/2 mi. of road)
They are maintained only during daylight hours and may close during severe storms. Expect snowpack, ice, frost heaves, drifts. Mud/Snow tires or tire chains may be required and are recommended always. Speed limit for all vehicles is 45 mph (73 kph), or lower where posted-such as from North Entrance to Mammoth. Do not stop on the road or block traffic when viewing wildlife or scenery. Use pullouts. Trails and overlooks may be snow-covered, icy, and dangerous. Obey all trail closures. Walk cautiously at all times and watch your children.
Snowcoach and snowmobile travel ends in March. Roads close at 9 PM on the days listed:
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March 1, 2012-East Entrance to Lake Butte (Sylvan Pass.)
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March 4: Mammoth to Norris closes at 9 pm
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March 6: Norris Junction to Madison Junction and Norris Junction to Canyon closes at 9 pm
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March 11: Canyon to Fishing Bridge closes at 9 pm
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March 15, 2012-All other groomed roads in the park are closed
Refer to Winter Daily Weather Reports for information about temperatures, snowfall, road conditions and Sylvan Pass.
Only commercially guided oversnow vehicles are allowed on other park roads. Best Available Technology snowmobiles are required, and there is a daily limit on snowmobile and snowcoach entries. Off-road use of snowmobiles and snowcoaches is prohibited. The park is open for oversnow vehicle travel from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (the East Entrance opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 9:00 p.m.). For more information, go to Winter Activities and Winter Use Planning.
2012 Spring Road Opening:
Some park areas, entrances and roads are not open year-round! Most park roads are not open to motorized vehicle traffic between mid-March and mid-April while the roads are being plowed. The closed roads will begin re-opening starting April 20. See the spring schedule below for details. The North Entrance to Northeast Entrance at Silver Gate and Cooke City, Montana is open all year. Please note that this road is closed to east/west travel just east of Cooke City from late fall to late spring.
Roads will open, weather permitting, to motorized, wheeled vehicles as follows:
- April 20, 2012-Weather permitting, west-side roads open to motor vehicles. Visitors will be able to travel by car through the park's North & West Entrances to Norris, Madison, Canyon, & Old Faithful beginning at 8:00 a.m.
- May 4, 2012-Weather permitting, the road linking Canyon, Fishing Bridge, & the East Entrance opens to wheeled vehicles.
- May 11, 2012-Travel from the South Entrance to Grant, West Thumb, Fishing Bridge, & Lake over Craig Pass to Old Faithful open to wheeled vehicles. Also, Tower Junction to Tower Fall opens to wheeled vehicles. The road from Cooke City over Colter Pass to the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway intersection to the Long Lake gate shall open as soon thereafter as possible. For information on roads outside of the park from Cooke City via the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, travelers in Wyoming may dial 511; those outside of Wyoming may call 1-888-996-7623, or visit the Wyoming Department of Transportation website at http://www.wyoroad.info/ .
- May 25- (weather permitting) Dunraven Pass (Tower to Canyon).
- May 25-(weather permitting)-Long Lake Gate over the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, Montana. For information on the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, Montana, travelers in Montana may dial 511; those outside Montana may call 1-800-226-7623, or visit the Montana Department of Transportation website at http://mdt511.com/ .
In the spring, before park roads open to motorized vehicles, some roads are open to non-motorized recreational vehicles such as bicycles, roller skis, and roller blades. There will be some administrative vehicles traveling the roads at this time so be careful. See the Spring Biking Page for a map and more information.
Summer:
Park Areas, Entrances and Roads open on different dates. Detailed information is listed above and on the Opening and Closing Dates for Facilities. The summer season runs from approximately mid-April to the beginning of November. Opening and Closing Dates for Facilities includes scheduled opening and closing dates for areas, campgrounds, entrances, lodging, roads, and more.
We recommend that visitors check the following resources before traveling:
2012 Fall Road Closures:
- October 9-Roads close to the public at Tower Fall to Canyon Jct. and Long Lake via Beartooth Pass to the Montana Stateline. (GATES CLOSE AT 8 A.M.).
- November 4-all park roads closed to the public at 8 a.m. except from the North Entrance to Upper Mammoth Terrace, and Mammoth via Tower Junction to Northeast Entrance. Cooke City via Colter Pass to the Long Lake gate is not maintained for wheeled vehicle travel.
Fall weather is unpredictable; roads may be closed temporarily by snow or other weather conditions. Snow tires or chains may be required. Please Note: The section of the Beartooth Highway (Highway 212), between the junction of Highway 296 and Red Lodge, Montana, closes in winter on a schedule determined by amount of snowfall. Travel between Red Lodge and the Northeast Entrance is not possible on Highway 212 until it opens again in the spring.
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