Yellowstone closes all entrances, citing 'unprecedented' flooding
**UPDATED to include a statement from Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly, touching on the evacuation of tourists already inside the park
Yellowstone National Park announced Monday that all entrances are temporarily closed because of hazardous conditions caused by flooding.
In a news release, the park cited “unprecedented amounts of rainfall” for causing flooding of roadways, mudslides and rockslides.
“Effective immediately, no inbound visitor traffic will be allowed into the park until conditions stabilize and the park can assess damage to roads and bridges and other facilities,” the park stated. “This includes visitors with lodging and camping reservations.”
As of Monday morning, power was out at multiple locations inside a park that spans 3,500 square miles in parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.
Flooding is so extensive that damaged roads might take weeks or longer to reopen.
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“Preliminary assessments show multiple sections of roads throughout the park have been either washed out or covered in mud or rocks, and multiple bridges may be affected,” the park stated.
More rain is expected through midweek and rapid snowmelt is causing rivers to swell, exacerbating the situation. The park stated that flooding on the Yellowstone River is “beyond record levels.”
“With additional rainfall forecasted, the park does not want large numbers of day-use visitors stranded in the park,” the news release explained.
Later Monday, the park issued this statement from Superintendent Cam Sholly:
“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. 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.
“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.”
Those planning to visit Yellowstone in the coming weeks or months can click here for up-to-date road conditions.
–Images courtesy of Yellowstone National Park