CASPER, Wyo. — Yellowstone National Park’s Northeast Entrance Road will reopen to regular traffic at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 after being closed since June due to damage from historic flooding.
There will be no restrictions on the Northeast Entrance Road starting Saturday, though visitors should be aware that the road will continue to be an active construction zone and should watch for crews and heavy equipment, Yellowstone said on Thursday.
“All flood-damaged sections on the Northeast Entrance Road will be paved by Oct. 15, except for the section of road near the popular trailhead to Trout Lake, which will be paved in the upcoming 10 days,” Yellowstone noted. “Traffic will be permitted on this segment of road while repairs continue. Anticipate traffic control in the area and short delays to facilitate one-way traffic through this section.
“A short section of road in Lamar Canyon will remain a paved, single lane through the winter season. A temporary stoplight will be in place for traffic control and delays will be minimal.”
Repair efforts will continue as long as the weather permits this season and will resume in the spring, the park added.
“We are very pleased to be restoring public access to the northeast corridor just four months after the June flood event,” Superintendent Cam Sholly said. “I commend the collective efforts of the National Park Service, the Federal Highway Administration and Oftedal Construction, Inc. to complete this monumental task in such a short amount of time.”
About five sections of the Northeast Entrance Road sustained significant damage in the June flood event. After the road reopens on Saturday, Yellowstone said about 99% of its roads will be open.
“Crews are completing extensive work on the Old Gardiner Road (a limited-access road between Gardiner, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs),” Yellowstone added. “Paving is currently being completed over the entire 4-mile road and over 5,000 feet of guardrail is being installed. This road remains closed to regular traffic and will open no later than Nov. 1.”
The road repair work is supported by Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads dollars. The Northeast Entrance repairs are primarily being conducted by Oftedal Construction, Inc.
“For details, including up-to-date photos, about the June flood and ongoing recovery, visit go.nps.gov/YELLflood,” Yellowstone added.
