Yellowstone Entrances Close; Park Plans $75M Road Work in 2020

This weekend marks the last chance for visitors to see many of Yellowstone National Park's famous locations because most entrances and roads will close in preparation for winter activities, according to a news release.

Meanwhile, the park also announced it will spend more than $75 million on three major projects that will improve roads but cause some travel headaches in 2020.

On Monday, the park will close to all vehicle traffic at the west, south, and east entrances and all roads with the exception of the road at the north entrance at Gardiner, Mont.

Visitors during the fall and winter should make flexible travel plans and prepare for changing weather conditions because temporary travel restrictions or closures can occur at any time without notice. Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone can be accessed by texting "82190" to 888-777 and an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions.

Likewise, go to www.nps.gov/yell  for information to plan a winter visit in Yellowstone. Communities near the park are open year-round. For information about Cody and Jackson, go to www.wyomingtourism.org. Go to www.visitmt.com for information about Gardiner, West Yellowstone, Cooke City and Silver Gate in Montana. Go to www.visitidaho.org for information about Idaho.

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In 2020, three major road construction projects will address some of the $586 million backlog in deferred maintenance in Yellowstone identified by the National Park Service.

"Our staff does an amazing job planning and implementing these road projects to maximize improvements while minimizing the impacts to visitors and gateway communities," Park Superintendent Cam Sholly said in a news release. "These construction projects are critical to improving safety, access, and visitor experience along Yellowstone’s roads."

However, that progress will cause some travel problems. The road between Tower Fall and Chittenden Road will be closed until 2022. Two projects -- north entrance and Fishing Bridget to Indian Pond -- will cause traffic delays.

-- The six-mile Tower Fall and Chittenden Road area remains largely unchanged since the 1930s. The project will widen the road, provide additional and improved pullouts, create a larger parking area at Tower Fall General Store, and improve the trail and overlook for Tower Fall.

-- The north entrance project will add an additional lane and kiosk, replace the existing two buildings with one larger building and two kiosks, improve the flow of traffic from Robert Reamer Avenue, improve pedestrian safety by realigning parking along the avenue, and replace the water line along the avenue.

-- A section of Fishing Bridge to Indian Pond has had an earthen causeway since 1902 that has limited Pelican Creek’s ability to flow naturally. The project will replace the Pelican Creek bridge and causeway with a viaduct to allow the wetland and creek to flow freely again.

The park’s Road Construction webpage will be updated as new or more detailed information is available.