Yellowstone Aims to Finish Northeast Entrance Road Repairs

Yellowstone Aims to Finish Northeast Entrance Road Repairs for Vehicle Access This October

Written by on August 2, 2022

Because of major construction, Yellowstone National Park is reducing visitor access to some areas near the Northeast Entrance to allow vehicle access by the end of October.

The effort to reconnect Yellowstone National Park’s road corridors is going well. While it will take years to complete the extensive work, the park’s construction crews are promising a paved road between Mammoth Hot Springs and the North Entrance at Gardiner by the end of October.

Now, the same promise is being made to Cooke City and Silver Gate. On Tuesday, Aug. 2, contractors began “major construction repairs” on all damaged sections of the park’s Northeast Entrance Road near Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana.

Courtesy National Park Service & Jacob W. Frank

It is estimated that repairs to the Northeast Entrance Road will be completed by Oct. 15, which will allow traffic between the park and Cooke City and Silver Gate, Montana.

The Northeast Entrance is still accessible by foot and bicycle. However, repairing the road for vehicle access requires alterations to the current closures.

Visitors and residents will still have access to the road. The closures allow construction work to begin, including the staging of equipment and materials needed to make repairs.

Due to the significant work, the road will be closed near the Warm Creek Trailhead and picnic area. The road was previously open to bicyclists and pedestrians to Barronette Meadow.

New changes to foot and bicycle access on Northeast Entrance Road

  • Northeast Entrance Road (via Cooke City/Silver Gate, Montana):
    • Visitors can now travel two miles to Warm Creek Trailhead on bicycle (on paved roadways) and by foot for fishing and hiking in areas not identified as closed.
    • Previously, recreators could travel six miles into the park through the Northeast Entrance. To promote safe access within the active construction zone, the park is moving the barrier closer to the entrance to reduce potential conflicts between construction equipment and those on foot/bicycle.

Safety Precautions

  • Stay alert: Individuals using the roadway by foot or bicycle should be extremely cautious and expect heavy equipment on the roadways. In addition, roadway shoulders are narrow, and several curves along the roadway limit visibility. The park will also advise Oftedal Construction Inc. to be aware of bicyclists and pedestrians as they continue mobilizing.

Visitors traveling to the park should stay informed about what is OPEN and CLOSED throughout the park.

  • Visit Operating Hours and Seasons for more info.
  • Monitor the park website and social media for updates.
  • Visit Camp in Backcountry for details about backcountry permits.
  • Stay informed about up-to-date road conditions in Yellowstone:
    • Visit Park Roads.
    • To receive Yellowstone road alerts on your mobile phone, text “82190” to 888-777 (an automatic text reply will confirm receipt and provide instructions).
    • Call (307) 344-2117 for a recorded message.

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