The Roosevelt Arch greets visitors at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. (Flickr photo by Pete Zarria - click to enlarge)
From Staff Reports
National parks across the country will open to visitors without entry fees during National Park Week April 21-29, and Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks will be open for the start of the summer season, but with limited visitor services and amenities.
Road crews are working to plow snow from roads in both parks, and if weather conditions allow, roads along the west side of Yellowstone National Park will open to automobile traffic on April 20. Visitors will be able to travel by car through the park’s north and west entrances to Norris, Madison, Canyon and Old Faithful beginning at 8:00 a.m.
The National Park Service and its official fundraising partner, the National Park Foundation, present National Park Week each year to offer visitors a chance to experience national parks without paying an entry fee, and to encourage citizens to visit all of the nearly 400 sites in the national park system.
Yellowstone National Park roads and distances. (click to enlarge)
Additional roads throughout Yellowstone will open in May. On May 11, travel will open to autos from the south entrance to Grant Village, West Thumb, Fishing Bridge and Lake over Craig Pass to Old Faithful. Also, Tower Junction to Tower Fall opens to autos. Park planners are expected to open the road from Cooke City over Colter Pass to the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway intersection to the Long Lake gate as soon after May 11 as possible. For information on roads outside of the park from Cooke City via the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway, travelers in Wyoming can dial 511, while those outside of Wyoming should call 888-996-7623. Information is also available at the Wyoming Department of Transportation website.
On May 25, Dunraven Pass from Tower to Canyon is scheduled to open to autos. If weather permits, the road from Long Lake Gate over the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, Mont. is also scheduled to open. For information on the Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, Montana, travelers in Montana can dial 511, while those outside Montana should call 800-226-7623, or visit the Montana Department of Transportation website.
In Grand Teton, the Teton Park Road from Taggart Lake Trailhead to the Signal Mountain Lodge and the Moose-Wilson Road from the Death Canyon Trailhead to the Granite Canyon Trailhead are expected to open May 1.
For recorded road information about Yellowstone, call 307-344-2117. For recorded road information about Grand Teton, call (307) 739-3614.
Lodges, restaurants and activities in Yellowstone National Park will open in spring starting in late April with complete operations on board by mid-June.
Visitor services open in stages to coincide with increasing demand as spring gives way to summer.
Opening dates for lodges and campgrounds operated by concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts are:
Lodges
April 20 – Old Faithful Snow Lodge Geyser Grill and gift shop
April 27 – Mammoth Hot Springs gift shop and Terrace Grill
May 4 – Old Faithful Snow Lodge, rooms, restaurant and cabins
May 4 – Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins, and restaurant
May 11 – Lake Yellowstone Hotel, rooms, cabins, restaurant, deli and gift shop
May 11 – Old Faithful Lodge, cabins, cafeteria. Bake Shop and gift store
May 18 – Old Faithful Inn, rooms, gift shop, snack shop and restaurant
May 25 – Grant Village, rooms, gift shop and restaurant
June 1 – Canyon Lodge, rooms, cabins, restaurant, cafeteria, deli and gift shop
June 8 – Roosevelt Lodge Cabins, dining and gift shop
June 10 – Lake Lodge Cabins, cafeteria and gift shop
June 15 – Grant Village Lake House restaurant
Campgrounds
May 4 – Madison Campground
May 11 – Fishing Bridge RV Park
May 25 – Bridge Bay Campground
June 1 – Canyon Campground
June 21 – Grant Village Campground
Activities
May 19 – Circle of Fire tour (Lake Hotel and Fishing Bridge RV Park)
May 23 – Old Faithful Inn Photo Safaris
May 25 – Lake Yellowstone Hotel Photo Safaris
May 25 – Bridge Bay Marina (dock slips)
May 25 – Mammoth horseback rides
May 26 – Yellowstone in a Day tour (Mammoth and Gardiner)
June 8 – Roosevelt horseback and stagecoach rides
June 9 – Roosevelt Old West Cookout
June 15 – Boat tours, rentals and charters
June 26 – Canyon horseback rides
Complete details about accommodations, restaurants, tours and activities in Yellowstone National Park can be made by visiting the Xanterra web site or calling 307-344-7311 or 866-GEYSERLAND (866-439-7375).