Yellowstone Park wins approval for plan to convert cabins to visitor lodging

The National Park Service has approved a plan to convert cabins like this typical unit used by concession workers at Old Faithful back to their original purpose of visitor lodging. (NPS photo - click to enlarge)

From Staff Reports

Yellowstone National Park planners have received approval for a proposal to convert 67 cabin units used for concessioner employee housing in the Old Faithful Lodge Area to visitor use, and to construct a new dormitory in the Old Faithful administrative area.

An environmental review of the plan found there would be no significant impact to repurpose the cabins to provide more affordable visitor lodging at Old Faithful. Yellowstone managers also will build a new employee dormitory to house employees now living in the cabins. The plan was approved April 2 by the National Park Service Intermountain Region Director.

The preferred alternative as set forth in the plan will:

  • Provide for additional affordable lodging options in Yellowstone National Park by converting employee housing that was original built as visitor lodging back to its initial purpose.
  • Remodel the interior of the cabin units, including new flooring, wall coverings, electrical systems, bathroom fixtures and gas heaters.
  • Make some of the cabins would be more easily accessible, including enhancing safety and improving accessibility of pathways to the cabin area
  • Replace or repair deteriorating asphalt paths within the cabin area as necessary.
  • Build an employee dormitory in the Old Faithful administrative area for workers displaced from the repurposed cabin units.

The project will proceed when funding becomes available, with costs of the project to be determined when designs are completed.

Copies of planning documents are available on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment website.

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